Wallen’s Big Loud Suspension

• On Wednesday morning, Morgan Wallen‘s record label, Big Loud issued a statement on social media that reads, “In the wake of recent events, Big Loud Records has made the decision to suspend Morgan Wallen’s contract indefinitely. Republic Records [which distributes Wallen’s recordings] fully supports Big Loud’s decision and agrees such behavior will not be tolerated.” Big Loud’s punitive action comes as Wallen’s 30-track sophomore album, Dangerous: The Double Album, sits at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for the third consecutive week.

• And it gets worse — in what is believed to be an unprecedented move, The Academy of Country Music (ACM) announced it will “halt Morgan Wallen’s potential involvement and eligibility for this years’ 56th Academy of Country Music Awards cycle. The Academy does not condone or support intolerance or behavior that does not align with our commitment and dedication to diversity and inclusion.”

• Shortly thereafter, the rival Country Music Association (CMA) announced it was also removing Wallen’s digital content from its platforms. The statement continued, “We support our Country Music partners for taking swift action,” adding, “We will confer further with our Board of Directors to review additional measures and will continue to examine our industry’s inclusivity measures.”

For what it’s worth, Wallen did issue the obligatory statement of apology, saying, “I’m embarrassed and sorry. I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better.”