Morgan Wallen's biggest scandals: A timeline of 'America's most controversial ... trends now
Country superstar Morgan Wallen is no stranger to controversy.
After getting his start on the singing competition show, The Voice, back on the show's sixth season in 2014, the 30-year-old singer, who has won fourteen Billboard Music Awards, has made a name for himself as one of the biggest —and most polarizing— artists in country music.
As he prepares to headline Stagecoach on Sunday, just two weeks after getting arrested for allegedly throwing a chair from the roof of country singer Eric Church's new bar, Chief's, in downtown Nashville, DailyMail.com took a look back on his scandals and brushes with the law over the years.
Despite his many scandals, including getting caught using a racial slur in 2021, which got him dropped from his record label and banned from iHeartRadio for four months, his popularity on the charts has only continued to skyrocket.
Last year, he spent more than half of 2023 atop the Billboard charts and beat Garth Brooks' long-standing record for the most weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with a country album with his record, One Thing At A Time, released on March 3, 2023.
Country superstar Morgan Wallen is no stranger to controversy (seen on November 19, 2023)
May 24, 2020: Wallen is kicked out of Kid Rock's bar and arrested
The father-of-one was hit with his first major scandal in 2020 when he was detained over disorderly conduct at Kid Rock's Honky Tonk bar in downtown Nashville.
The Cowgirls hitmaker, who was 27 at the time, was also arrested at the lower Broadway bar for public intoxication.
He was placed into custody outside Kid Rock's Big Honky Tonk and Steakhouse after reportedly kicking several glass items, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department affidavit.
An officer observed security guards kick Wallen out of the bar due to being disorderly inside.
According to the affidavit, Wallen was given several opportunities by police to walk away with his friends but refused.
A few years earlier, in 2016, the country music star faced a DUI (driving under the influence) but the charges were ultimately dropped.
The father-of-one was hit with his first major scandal in 2020 when he was detained over disorderly conduct at Kid Rock's Honky Tonk bar in downtown Nashville
He was placed into custody outside Kid Rock's Big Honky Tonk and Steakhouse after reportedly kicking several glass items, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department affidavit
October 3-4, 2020: Wallen gets pulled from SNL after breaking COVID-19 protocols
Following footage of the country singer partying mask-less at a bar in Tuscaloosa, Alabama amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Wallen was dropped from his scheduled performance on Saturday Night Live.
As well as appearing to go mask-free for much of the recorded night out, Wallen was also filmed kissing what appeared to be multiple women.
The Cowgirls hitmaker, is pictured in his 202 mugshot after his arrest at the lower Broadway bar for public intoxication
At the time, Wallen confirmed the news on his Instagram page, with a video revealing he was would not be able to perform on the show because he violated 'COVID protocols.'
He went on to say that he 'understands' SNL's decision, but that he is 'NOT positive for COVID.'
The singer admitted that his 'actions this past weekend were shortsighted' and that they have now affected his 'long-term goals and [his] dreams.'
'I respect the show's decision because I know that I put them in jeopardy, and I take ownership for this. I'd like to apologize to SNL, to my fans, to my team for bringing me these opportunities, and I let them down… I think have growing up to do.'
Morgan stated that he feels as if he has 'lost [himself] a little bit' and the has be 'trying to find joy in the wrong places,' presumably referencing to his reckless partying amid a pandemic.
'I don't know, It's left me with less joy, so I am gonna try and work on that. I'm gonna take a step back from the spotlight for a little while and go work on myself.
'I wish I could have made country music and my fans proud this Saturday, but I respect [SNL's] decision, once again.'
Morgan revealed that Saturday Night Live's executive producer Lorne Michaels, 75, 'gave [him] a lot of encouragement' following his removal from the week's episode.
He claimed that Lorne told him the show would 'find another time' for him to 'make up' is performance and that Lorne's kindness 'means a lot to [him].'
Following footage of the country singer partying mask-less at a bar in Tuscaloosa, Alabama amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Wallen was dropped from his scheduled performance on Saturday Night Live
As well as appearing to go mask-free for much of the recorded night out, Wallen was also filmed kissing what appeared to be multiple women
Oct. 7, 2020: He drops out of Rome River Jam just two days before he was set to headline
To his fans' dismay, Wallen bailed on his headlining performance at Rome River Jam, a two-night festival in Georgia, just two days before he was set to take the stage.
Lee Brice replaced him as the headliner and Travis Denning was also added to the lineup.
At the time, the festival released a statement, which read: 'Morgan Wallen's performance at Rome River Jam will be rescheduled to May 1, 2021. All purchased tickets will be honored for this date. On behalf of Morgan and his team, we sincerely apologize.'
To his fans' dismay, Wallen bailed on his headlining performance at Rome River Jam, a two-night festival in Georgia, just two days before he was set to take the stage
Dec. 5, 2020: Wallen jokes about breaking COVID-19 protocols during SNL sketch
Two months after he was disinvited from performing on SNL, he made his debut on the program in a comic sketch, alongside the evening's host Jason Bateman, Pete Davidson, Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman.
Wallen started the sketch by making out with Fineman, who promised she would only put a video of their kissing on TikTok after he asked her not to put it on social media.
Bateman then appears, in the same outfit, claiming to Morgan from the future.
'I came back to stop you from partying tonight,' Bateman said, nodding to his infamous night out.
'By the way, whatever happened with COVID? Did they find a vaccine?' young Morgan asks.
'I do not know. I am only you from a month in the future,' Bateman admits. 'That's right, you party so hard, this is what you look like after a month,' he says, before Bowen Yang appears as Morgan from two months in the future, the result of an experimental skin treatment.
'I was really excited to be the musical guest when Bill Burr was hosting,' Morgan says toward the end of the sketch.
'Well, who knows? Maybe you'll end up with even a better host, my man,' Bateman says jokingly while slyly pointing at himself.
After Morgan suggests Dave Chappelle, Bateman replies, 'Dave Chappelle? No, let's not get greedy.'
Later, Wallen performed his song, 7 Summers, off his sophomore album Dangerous: The Double Album.
Two months after he was disinvited from performing on SNL, he made his debut on the program in a comic sketch, alongside the evening's host Jason Bateman, Pete Davidson, Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman
Feb. 2, 2020: Wallen is caught yelling the N-word on video
Wallen faced huge amounts of backlash in 2021 when TMZ released a video of the singer saying the N-word to one of his friends after a night out.
After the footage of Wallen using the racial slur went viral, many radio stations stopped playing his music and the Country Music Association removed Wallen's appearances from their platforms.
iHeartMedia, the largest radio
