50 signatures reached
To: Academy of Country Music
Tell the ACM to rescind the Milestone Award for Morgan Wallen
TMZ released a video in February 2021 showing Morgan Wallen using the N-word outside his Nashville home. Wallen appeared in several videos that surfaced online, where he was seen singing on stage with fans and friends at a bar in downtown Nashville. Later that evening, neighbors captured Wallen saying the N-word and other profanities on their doorbell camera outside of his home following a night out with friends.
On Jan. 23, 2021, Dangerous: The Double Album debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart with 265,000 equivalent album units. To add insult to injury, days after the incident, Morgan Wallen’s music sales had dramatically increased — by over 300%, as reported by Billboard. One day after the video surfaced, the “7 Summers” crooner sold a combined 22,500 copies of his album and songs compared to just 5,000 in the U.S. on Feb. 2 — a 339% jump. His U.S. airplay continued to evaporate, while streams stayed mostly steady and sales exploded in the wake of the TMZ video.Wikipedia stated that the album has been Billboard’s top country album for the longest time on the chart (61 weeks as of March 2022) — the most country sales since Taylor Swift’s Fearless in 2008, which remained in the Billboard 200 chart Top 10 for 59 weeks, had previously set the record.
In an effort to promote equality in the country music industry, I am petitioning the Academy of Country Music to rescind the Milestone Award for Morgan Wallen. The award is given to an artist or industry leader for "specific, unprecedented, or outstanding achievement in the field of Country Music during the preceding calendar year," according to a release. I believe that it is time for ACM to take a stand against racism in their industry, and to start moving toward inclusion. This is especially true given that no Black artists have ever been eligible for any such award from ACM. At this point, ACM isn’t even trying to be inclusive—they’re just sticking with their legacy of exclusionary practices and snubbing Black artists who achieved milestones equal to or greater than their white counterparts.
I understand that it is difficult to make changes in a system that has been in place for so long, but I believe it is important to acknowledge that there are real problems with how Black artists are treated by the country music industry — and more specifically, how they are treated by the ACM.
The decision to present Morgan Wallen with the Milestone Award is exactly the kind of thing that keeps Black artists out of the country music industry. It's a slap in the face to all those who fought for equality in the country music industry, and it's a reminder that the industry is still not interested in including Black artists in their ranks or even acknowledging their existence.
“[Wallen] created an environment for racist people,” Heather G, Founder of the Black Opry said. “He created a safe space for them. He’s apologized for what he’s done, but at no point has he come out and said, ‘I don’t want these people at my concerts. I don’t want them to follow me. I don’t want them harassing Black people on social media.’ So, he basically created this bubble where people that are racist can come and feel safe and feel comfortable. When you invite him somewhere, like the Opry, the message you send to Black artists is that it’s also OK for the people who follow him to show up, too.”
Wallen has been able to achieve success without having to apologize for his mistakes. Here’s the thing: Wallen used a racial slur on camera against Black people as well as defended himself by saying it was “playful." I'm not sure what Wallen did that was so "unprecedented" or "outstanding" except being a racist on camera.
Why is this important?
When it comes to the harm to Black and brown people, white people have short memories. I haven’t moved on. Right now, I am enraged and disappointed. I was beside myself when it was also announced that Morgan Wallen is set to receive the Academy of Country Music Milestone Award, and it’s yet another reminder that the country music industry is not interested in including Black artists in their ranks — or even acknowledging their existence.
This is precisely why the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, American Country Music Awards, and Grand Ole Opry should report on their improvement on diversity goals. Once a year, these organizations should publish a diversity report that outlines the steps they’ve taken, measurable progress made, and the members of the task force. A minimum of 51 percent of the organization’s membership must also be women and/or BIPOC. At present, accountability is not in place; it’s a mockery.
Country singers like Wallen must be held accountable. After only a three-month ban, Wallen was back on streaming services like Apple Music, SiriusXM, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Pandora promoting his music again despite widespread criticism from fans and fellow artists alike. Meanwhile, Black artists are held to a higher standard — Will Smith is currently banned from the Oscars for ten years. To make matters worse, Wallen received his first country music awards nomination of the year — Album of the Year at the Country Music Awards for Dangerous, despite the CMAs claiming earlier he was ineligible for 2021. This is not okay. Only those affected can decide if country music has progressed in terms of racism, not white mainstream media.
The Academy of Country Music is one of the most important organizations in country music. They determine who gets nominated, who wins awards, and what is considered “country” and “not country.” But here’s the thing: they’re run by white men, and have ignored women, people of color, and other marginalized communities for decades. So why do they get away with it? Why aren’t we demanding better? Don’t we deserve better? How can we tell if the people involved in these organizations care about diversity in their industry? Is there a standard for what is and isn’t country music or who wins awards? Is it all about whether or not you’re white? I think we need to start asking these questions, because if we don’t, then who will? With so much attention being given to the #MeToo movement and the call for diversity in the entertainment industry, it’s not a stretch to say that these organizations should be reporting their progress on diversity goals. When you look at the optics, it’s obvious that they’re not doing a great job representing the diversity of country music. But here’s the thing: I don’t think that country music is just for white people. The way we see it, if you love country music, then you’re a part of country music, no matter where you come from or what color your skin is. And there are so many of us out there who feel like this is their music too — folks who have been waiting for years for someone to give them a voice.
Country music has its roots in Black musicianship; however, country music has shunned Black artists, while white country artists have benefited from Black artists’ songs and influence. All while Black artists like Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, Rissi Palmer, Jimmie Allen, and Darius Rucker frequently receive racist comments on social media — on the daily.
There isn’t just an issue with country music; there’s an issue with racism in America. This shows that there’s still work to be done when it comes to racial equality in America today. The fact that Wallen has been given so many second chances perpetuates a culture of the white male “good ol’ boy” system in country music. The abundant success he has been given puts him above Black country artists and other artists of color who deserve more recognition. Without a doubt, Wallen is shaping country music’s future, but Wallen and all country music artists need to understand the importance of not using racial slurs. If country music really wants to be considered a genre for all people, it needs to be equitable and accountable.
Despite what Wallen’s defenders would have you believe, the country music community has had a long, sordid history of racism. Country music may be trying to change, but artists like Morgan Wallen prevent that change from happening as quickly as it should. Overall, there is an ongoing debate regarding country music’s relationship with racism. However, one thing is certain: Morgan Wallen should’ve known better than to use the N-word. The word does nothing but promote hatred toward Black people. We can’t forget that country music was built upon and thrived thanks to black musicianship. Even more so, Black musicians are continually exposed to and receive racist comments from their “country music fans”. Change is needed in order for country music to break free from any associations with racism. It’s not just about making an adjustment, it’s about truly changing how Black artists are treated in country music.