We round up your weekly country music news from the first full week of 2021, including the cancellation of the GRAMMYs awards – and uncover the moments that you might have missed. This country music news will also be available on the podcast tomorrow on Spotify and on iTunes.
1. Walmart leaks Morgan Wallen’s record ahead of release
Morgan Wallen is not someone who will shy away from an issue or keep quiet. So, when Walmart leaked copies of his records around the country, he took to socials, sharing – ‘Hey y’all, it’s been brought to my attention that some of my music—well, my album—has leaked at some Walmarts around the country. I don’t know how that’s possible, but it has…I’ll be damned if I let Walmart do the leaking.” So, he began to leak the record on his own stories. We’re betting it hasn’t been a good start to 2021 for some Walmart employees.
2. The GRAMMYs Awards originally set for January 31st 2021 have been postponed
On a statement on their website, the awards show stated, ‘After thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear, we are rescheduling the 63rd annual Grammy Awards… The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do… We want to thank all of the talented artists, the staff, our vendors and especially this year’s nominees for their understanding, patience and willingness to work with us as we navigate these unprecedented times.”
3. Carly Pearce bares all in new song ‘Didn’t Do’
Carly Pearce and Michael Ray’s very public romance and divorce has been well documented and questioned with rumours rife, but now Pearce is baring her heart and soul in a stunning new track, debuted at the Listening Room in Nashville this week – ‘Didn’t Do.’ In the track she sings ‘Everybody’s asking what the hell happened, wondering why it all went wrong. Mama always said if you can’t say nothing nice, don’t say anything at all. I’ve got my side of the story and he’s got his side too. I ain’t gonna tell you what he did, but I’ll tell you what he didn’t do.’ To say, we’re excited about her third record would be an understatement.
Release Radar
Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album – Wallen has set an incredibly high standard for the rest of 2021 with his incredible new record. Read our full review here.
