Here’s Why Zac Brown’s “The Controversy” Got Yanked Initially
Not to spend too much time on the country music washout that is Zac Brown in 2019, but just to wrap a bow around the weird situation surrounding his recent solo pop album called The Controversy, we finally have an explanation of why the surprise album was pulled from multiple outlets and retailers after its release on September 27th, and the first song on the album called “Nowhere Left To Go” has been 86’d entirely. And no, it’s not because the album and the backlash was so bad that Brown got cold feet.
The Controversy is back up now on Apple Music, YouTube, and the other outlets it was initially pulled from, but it was a takedown notice filed by OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder that stimulated the album and “Nowhere Left To Go” getting yanked. According to Zac Brown, Ryan Tedder provided the beat for the song, and Zac wrote the words and music under the idea that he would retain final control of the track. However according to Ryan Tedder, Zac hadn’t told him he was moving forward using the beat, and so he let Diplo use the beat on a song as well. When Tedder saw Zac Brown post the song, he filed the takedown notice, and that is the reason Apple Music and others yanked the album and song. The album has since been repopulated without “Nowhere Left To Go” in the track list.
But it’s not Ryan Tedder who is suing Zac for using the song at the moment, it’s vice versa. Zac filed a lawsuit saying he had permission to release the song, and is seeking unspecified damages from Tedder for filing the takedown notice. We’ll have to see how that goes for Zac. So much for making new friends and collaborators in the pop/EDM world now that Zac’s abandoned country.
Last week Zac Brown was featured on CBS The Morning, and said:
“When I put out a record, I have to pick a category. You have to. You release a record on iTunes, you have to pick a category. One category. You can’t say, ‘country, rock, reggae, soul, whatever.’ You get one bucket to coin yourself in. I am not just a country artist. I’m not. I have to create what moves me, what connects with my fans, and I don’t really care about the buckets. But I don’t like to be coined as a country artist. I like just being an artist.”
The truth is that Zac Brown isn’t just not longer country, he’s no longer an artist either. He’s just a nebulous audio entertainer holding onto the last vestiges of popularity after using country music as a springboard to stardom and then discarding it like a first wife.
Since Zac Brown doesn’t want to be considered country, I guess the current Zac Brown Band single “Someone I Used To Know” which is sitting at #31 on COUNTRY radio at the moment can go ahead an get yanked (it’s not a country song anyway). He can also take himself out of the running for country music awards, even though he accepted one at the CMT Awards in June (when he told his ‘haters’ to “fuck off” on family-rated television). And don’t expect Zac Brown to be asked to headline or perform and any more country music festivals, because you know, that would be too limiting of his creativity, as an artist.
“Purists, I get them,” Zac Brown continued to CBS This Morning. “They should just listen to the songs that are more country, and leave me alone about all the other, because I really don’t care what they have to say about it.”
But the problem for Zac Brown is it seems like nobody cares about what he says anymore. Even his most loyal of fans who stuck with him through all his recent weird behavior have started jumping ship, and it’s not like EDM fans are going to be flocking to him now that he’s decided to start beefing with Ryan Tedder and Diplo.
These folks love to use country to make themselves famous, but then love to flamethrow the genre on their way out the door. No, “artists” should not have to be limited just to one genre if they don’t want to be. But how about showing a little appreciation and respect for the genre that made you rich and famous? How about a little gratitude, a little “I want to thank country music for supporting me when nobody else would” or something along those lines? And stop insulting country music by saying you can’t be creative within its boundaries. There’s an entire Hall of Fame full of people who proved you wrong.
Nice knowing you, Zac. Best of luck with “Swayze” and its 88% disapproval rating.
HayesCarll2323
October 14, 2019 @ 9:04 am
He’s gotta be on drugs, right? I mean, it’s not that it’s not country. It’s really bad.
I think his version of All The Best is one of my favorite songs of all time. It’s just stunning to believe this is the same guy that is now talking about bitches and dancing in a club.
Cameron
October 14, 2019 @ 12:54 pm
Cocaine is a helluva drug
Guy Clark's Ghost
October 14, 2019 @ 2:35 pm
Don’t blame drugs. They didn’t have a say in the matter.
Denby11
October 15, 2019 @ 3:42 pm
Divorce musta did him crazy.
tara
October 14, 2019 @ 9:25 am
His ego is out of control. Clearly, he needs a new muse.
Tyrone
October 14, 2019 @ 9:37 am
Only 88%? There’s people that actually like that shit?
fredsweetfa
October 14, 2019 @ 9:41 am
What a shame!- his concert in London a few years back was sensational and ‘Colder Weather’ is one of the great country songs of this century IMHO
KEVIN
October 14, 2019 @ 9:52 am
Saw them earlier in the summer. Super disappointed. Played half the new album then played half James Taylor covers mixed in with a few hits. One of my favorite artists and I am a ship jumper.
Michael Roy
October 14, 2019 @ 10:15 am
I think it’s safe to say that Zac Brown’s gone just a little crazy.
Di Harris
October 14, 2019 @ 10:30 am
“But how about showing a little appreciation and respect for the genre that made you rich and famous? How about a little gratitude, a little “I want to thank country music for supporting me when nobody else would” or something along those lines? And stop insulting country music by saying you can’t be creative within its boundaries.”
Right on Trigger
strait country 81
October 15, 2019 @ 5:49 pm
And people wonder why I prefer the artist that are straight up country and nothing else
ScottG
October 14, 2019 @ 10:31 am
I can only laugh at this. When you make yourself a shallow pandering commodity, not only by outsourcing your music, but by trying way too hard on your album cover that you look like a meme of a hipster or something, it’s more comical than anything else. But I wonder sometimes if the joke isn’t also on us.
Jay Eff
October 14, 2019 @ 11:29 am
I was actually going to say, is he going for Jesus or Lawrence of Arabia?
Pierre Brunelle
October 14, 2019 @ 12:45 pm
Aha.
He wears a fur coat so I think it would be Zac of Siberia rather than Lawrence of Arabia. But we get the point. Real artist focus on the quality of their work not on their Photoshop skills.
CountryKnight
October 14, 2019 @ 4:56 pm
He looks like Obi-Wan Kenobi.
karl
October 15, 2019 @ 12:36 pm
He wishes he did!!!
Pierre Brunelle
October 14, 2019 @ 10:55 am
If at least he would be good at what he is trying to do. Anyway, who cares about him anymore. there are a lot of new great country acts nowadays. From Chicken Fried to Zac Brown Fried. LOL
Zac, don’t forget to close the door on your way out!
Ryan
October 14, 2019 @ 11:16 am
someone needs to put the crack pipe down. Holy hell this dude has literally gone insane. Everything he says and does makes one cringe in disgust.
Dan
October 14, 2019 @ 11:35 am
Ryan Tedder posted some stories on instagram in which he addressed this issue, and said Zac thinks he’s the king of the world and doesn’t know how songwriting law works.
Benny Lee
October 14, 2019 @ 11:55 am
It’s surreal, listening to Cody Jinks and Chris Knight, while reading this stuff about Zac Brown.
Dude, the world doesn’t stand still for you. The Foundation was a great (mainstream) country album, but that was 2008. You’ve been lapped 1,000 times, buddy. Heck, Cody and Chris lapped you 21 times today.
GrantH
October 14, 2019 @ 12:11 pm
From “Chicken Fried” and “Whatever It Is” to this. Dang.
MH
October 15, 2019 @ 7:13 am
“Chicken Fried” to “Chicken Shit.”
63Guild
October 14, 2019 @ 12:21 pm
Cocaine is a hell of a drug
You and Your White Claw
October 14, 2019 @ 12:27 pm
People sure love their drama.
Henning
October 14, 2019 @ 12:44 pm
Somebody please enlighten me.
When an EDM producer creates a “beat”, what does that actually MEAN?
Does he, like create the drum track? Digital Bassdrum and Hihat and Snare and stuff?
Or is it the whole rhythm track, with bassline and base chords?
Or is it pretty much the whole instrumental track, for someone else to sing / rap / instrumentalsolo over?
I genuinely don’t know.
All I know is I so wish Ryan Tedder would just go home.
Man that guy is churning out more cack than those mega pigfarm-factories with their lakes of sow diarrhea. You’ve earned enough money, fella, you can stop stop the musical waterboarding! You’re just being needlessly cruel!
ScottG
October 14, 2019 @ 1:09 pm
It means they program a machine, with the dexterity of their finger, to playback edgy millennial comforting repeated patterns.
Mike
October 14, 2019 @ 4:50 pm
Now matter how hard they try, purveyors of modern “edm” will never be able to recreate the awesomeness that was the “piano break” that was the signature of early 90s techno. When that piano break would kick in, you felt it in your soul. But the bastard stepchild of techno, this “edm” garbage, has no soul or heart in it whatsoever!!
Matt
October 15, 2019 @ 10:21 am
Can you give some examples of the good stuff you’re referring to? I don’t know it at all and am curious. Thanks.
Warthog
October 14, 2019 @ 1:00 pm
What the hell was the point of putting all those damn EDM songs on the Zac Brown BAND album if he was just gonna release this a week later anyway? OMW and all that shit should have been part of the Controversy and The Owl should have been filled with more Shoefly Pie and Leaving Love Behind.
Kevin Smith
October 14, 2019 @ 1:06 pm
“But I don’t like to be coined as a country artist”
Good. Cause I don’t consider you one anyway., Hack Brown! And can anyone imagine Merle Haggard saying that? Or perhaps Waylon or Willie or Hank saying such nonsense to their huge fanbase? Oh, sure Willies done some non-country side projects along the way, Hank Jr has done some Rock N Roll, Hag dabbled a bit with horns and a jazzy sound, but at the end of the day their still happy to be categorized as Country artists. None of them would even consider pissing off the people who propped them up.
wayne
October 14, 2019 @ 4:06 pm
Zac who?
North Woods Country
October 14, 2019 @ 4:56 pm
Zac Brown has lost his mind by choice, has likely created friction in his band because of it, and refuses to own that Zac Brown Band fans don’t generally like run of the mill EDM/Pop. Get over it, dude. And if his perspective is still “fuck off” to anyone who dares raise concerns about his musical direction, then we most certainly will. Not buying The Owl. Still haven’t bought Jekyll and Hyde, and most certainly will not be buying The Controversy. the 4-5 good songs between all of those records don’t justify owning all the other songs.
CountryKnight
October 14, 2019 @ 4:57 pm
He is a natural disaster, he will tear the land in two.
Corncaster
October 14, 2019 @ 5:00 pm
So country music to Zac Brown is just a selection in a drop-down consumer menu.
Noted.
PG
October 14, 2019 @ 5:21 pm
Zach Brown is a good singer, and I do enjoy his music. Although the song was a little weird to say the least, I didn’t take it seriously. It’s okay for him to want to try something new. He might have been testing the waters to see what kind of reaction he was going to get, or he might need a break to reenergize.
JJ
October 14, 2019 @ 5:49 pm
Y’all are all just a bunch of haters, y’all listen to your own music and let others listen to other stuff , PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT! Why can’t y’all just learn to get over it and move on? No one really cares! There’s nothing y’all can do, just calm on down.
Jay scott
October 15, 2019 @ 5:09 am
Well .we all are killing his reputation and pissing you off in the process.. sure sound to me like we’ve made you both mad!!.lol.. if you dont like what I have to say … we then fuck off bitch! Hahahaha…lmfao…hahaha
Sam Cody
October 14, 2019 @ 6:32 pm
I can’t believe we’ve fallen so far that we now have to have the word “beats” used in a “country” discussion… yo yo yo! I sure hope Luke Bryan got permission to use all that scratching that Grandmaster Swift probably did on his next album… YEE HAW!
gitar6string
October 14, 2019 @ 8:34 pm
Midlife crisis strikes hard when it hits!
albert
October 14, 2019 @ 11:13 pm
for me , this is another waste of time . WHO CARES about ZB ? or sturgill…..they aren’t country acts and don’t want to be . end of discussion ….no ?
let’s talk about a REAL COUNTRY artist who could use this site’s exposure . let’s reward THEM rather than waste time here dissin the sam hunts and these other folks .
OlaR
October 15, 2019 @ 2:31 am
Real country artists?
Better not read the new Billboard Country Update:
#1 Airplay: Matt (who?) Stell (well…)
#1 Sales: a trio from hell (Dan PLUS his fuckin’ Shay & Justin Bieber)
#1 Albums: Brantley G.
Top 10 list of COUNTRY songwriters: #1 Blanco Clown, #5 (tie) Justin Bieber & Poop Bear
Top 10 list of COUNTRY producers: #1 the Dan of Dan PLUS his fuckin’ Shay, #7 Marshmello & #9 Blanco Clown
&
our good friend Sam Hunt is the HotShotDebutBreakerMostIncreasedAudienceMostAdded on the airplay charts (#18).
Zac Brown (Band): #32 after 33 weeks (with a bullet) & down to #18 on the album charts.
Ladies & gentleman…the cold hatd truth.
Kross
October 15, 2019 @ 5:21 am
not sure what language you’re speaking. I probably agree with most of the point you’re trying to make, but if you’re referring to Matt Stell, he’s actually pretty good. Memphis on the River and Prayed for you are great tunes.
Trigger
October 15, 2019 @ 10:48 am
It’s really nauseating to have to explain this point over, and over, and over.
albert
October 17, 2019 @ 7:32 am
ok trigger ..let me apologize for my ignorance and lack of understanding in terms of your approach or how a website works or for confusing the nature of the ‘mission’ . i’m still not sure i understand completely . and so perhaps my ‘radio rage’ has spilled over into my comments in a manner that frustrates you and may seem to unfairly condemn your efforts at times . again ….apologies .
wrapping my head around this insane scenario which forces shit music upon us time and time again by pop people under the guise of ‘country’ and leads writers and new ‘artists’ to believe this is some sort of country music evolution is , more and more often , beyond believable to me . to the point where even the mention of a sam hunt or a bebe rexa or a taylor swift’s ‘ contribution’ to the genre raises my ire to the boiling point .
you do an incredible job of putting in the time and the homework to bring ” all the news that fits ” to SCM . your observations are , IMO , dead on …….,your comments are fair and concise …….your reviews of unknown yet worthwhile new artists afford them the all-important exposure they deserve and might otherwise not get in these ‘white noise ‘ musical times we live . you are, hands down, one of the stronger -if not the strongest – proponents of the REAL stuff and the authentic artists who are committed to bringing it to us .
i won’t re-iterate my previous concerns about the fakes and wannabes getting exposure here ……my point has been made . i will , instead , continue my own efforts to spread the word about the great talent ignored by mainstream media and look to SCM for my own introduction to so many of these worthy artists .
carry on , trigger …..it should be more than apparent to you that your efforts , passion and time commitments on all fronts do not go unnoticed here .
Sir Stanley Yelnats
October 15, 2019 @ 12:36 am
“All the haters can f-off” interpretation: ” all my fans and the people who supported me through out the years can f-off because people that’s hated me throughout the years wont have much of an opinion on these two audio turds I’m about to drop.”
Adam Gump
October 15, 2019 @ 4:50 am
I am going to be straight forward and honest here, I do not understand why the only post from yesterday is in regards to a crap band. This is Saving country music, correct? who gives a sh*t about Zac Brown Band, right? I mean I wish them well and hope they are a success but they are not for this crowd, the crowd that is supporting you and this site for good, at least decent country music. I am totally baffled on why you keep writing about them. They could literally fall off the face of the earth and it would have zero effect on the music we truly love and support. Is it because they used to be somewhat worthy of country music talk? but even then are we living int he past? You yourself have mentioned several times lately how there has been SO many good albums released lately but you continue to write about this crappy band? We can call Nashville if we want news regarding crappy “country” music, right?
Adam Gump
Fort Wayne, IN
what would I miss if I were kicked off this site….
Charlie
October 15, 2019 @ 5:49 am
Going forward, I’d agree. This article kind of wraps up the ZBB experience for me. I’ll scan any future headlines and unless they state ‘ZBB Makes Good Music Again’, or words to that effect I’ll pass.
MH
October 15, 2019 @ 7:12 am
Adam,
As Trig has stated TIME AND TIME AGAIN, articles like this get the most traffic. If articles like this go viral, it could introduce people to this site that are sick of the Zac Browns, Luke Bryans, and Florida Georgia Lines of the world and are looking for the artists that Trig features here.
I suggest you stop bitching and just skip over articles like this one and worry about the articles that interest you.
Di Harris
October 15, 2019 @ 7:38 am
Adam,
Don’t come on a guy’s website and throw barbs.
Adam Gump
October 15, 2019 @ 8:46 am
throwing barbs or simply stating my opinion which is what this comment section is for? You too are more than welcome to private message me and I will be happy to tell you what to do. Di Harris if you can’t support all comments then you should be the one shutting the f up.
MH
October 15, 2019 @ 11:36 am
“Runnn Adam runnnn!!”
Trigger
October 15, 2019 @ 11:38 am
Adam Gump,
A few things:
First, despite your misunderstanding, Saving Country Music is not a music recommendation site. I appreciate and respect that many people use it as such, and try to serve the public in that manner as much as possible. But the mission of this site is stated in the name, and I can’t imagine a more imperative duty for a site called “Saving Country Music” than challenging the damaging misnomer that you can’t be creative while making country, whether it’s Zac Brown, Strugill Simpson, or anyone else asserting this. It would have been a dereliction of duty to NOT challenge the damaging and misleading words Zac Brown said on a major television network about country music.
Second, in the last six weeks, I have posted more music features and reviews than in any other period in the history of this website, period. This is a statistical certitude. And not just album reviews, of which there has been an incredible amount of, but eight individual reviews of each of the Ken Burns documentary episodes, most of which were 20 paragraphs or more. Furthermore, I have posted more album reviews at this time this year than I did last year, and have posted more album reviews each year since starting the site in 2008. Yet these bullshit comments about not featuring enough music only have GROWN over this period. Literally, the more album reviews I post, the more complaints I receive about not posting enough of them, and the more artists attack me for not posting reviews for their records since I’m reviewing everyone else’s. There is only one solution to this problem, which is to stop posting reviews at all except for the biggest names. No other site or individual writer gets ripped more than me for NOT posting album reviews, even though I post more album reviews than any other major country periodical, and generally speaking, they’re much longer than the 1-paragraph blurbs many major periodicals post.
Meanwhile, whenever I post a review for a virtually-unknown artist, traffic on the website goes DOWN. Literally people avoid the site because they know I just posted something they have no interest in reading. Of course, there are exceptions, and I have many loyal readers who love to discover new music, and I am very appreciative of them. And serving their interests, and seeing the importance of offering music coverage to EVERYONE regardless of level of popularity is the reason I continue to publish this material despite the rampant unpopularity of it, and despite it stimulating comments like your as opposed to satiating them.
Third, not only is “journalist” considered the worst job in America at the moment, even below combat troops and garbage men because at least they get benefits, retirement, and time off, most professional journalists are only tasked with writing maybe four or five articles a month. I’ve posted 5 articles in a day before. Many bloggers are only expected to make four or five articles a week. I posted 67 articles last month. I don’t want to hear about how I only posted one fucking article yesterday, regardless of what it was about. I posted four articles over the weekend, when 90% of websites with multiple full-time staffers and large corporate structures with dozens or hundreds of employees behind them went dark.
Think of Saving Country Music as a monthly magazine. If I had 67 articles at the length my articles are, that would be one beefy magazine all written by one person, as well as edited, formatted, photography procured and permissions granted (and even taken by myself in many instances), funded, and distributed, ALL as a one-man operation. If you got a magazine with 67 articles in it, you probably wouldn’t read everything. Some of it would appeal to you, some of it wouldn’t. I am never offended if people don’t want to read what I post. If you don’t want to read a particular article, but all means, don’t read it.
But I don’t want to fucking hear how you didn’t want to read the one article I posted on one day. I have gone through incredible, incredible personal and financial sacrifice to keep this website going, and haven’t asked for a single red penny from anyone. As the Internet is quickly transitioning to a paywall/subscription model, I have kept Saving Country Music free and open. While many sites hit you up for donations or Patreon support, I don’t. I don’t even sell merch, and instead tell people to spend their money on the artists and bands featured here. Go to Rolling Stone Country, where every 3rd paragraph is bisected by an ad while a video stream for Reeces Peanut Butter Cups plays in the right corner. I have no popups, drop downs, click-thrus, and no ads whatsoever in the reading space and it costs me severely in revenue to operate a site with such a light ad set. But I do it out of respect for my readers.
If you don’t like the articles that deal with challenging the regime of pop country that is hurting the quality and traditions of country music, but all means avoid them, and you won’t hear a peep out of me. I also appreciate ALL feedback from my readers, and want to know what they’re feeling, and what they want to see more or less of in regards to content. But it is insulting and selfish of you to criticize me for only posting one article yesterday when I have never asked anything from you except for understanding about what I’m trying to do.
It’s hard enough trying to both promote what is important, and challenge what needs to be challenged without getting shit from my own readers. I’ve had my family receive death threats from Shooter Jennings toadies before trying to get this website taken down, and it only emboldened my drive to keep it going. But it is shitty and selfish comments like this that make me want to shut this site down and never write another article again, because it makes me feel like I’m just shouting into a void.
Now, if you or anyone else wants to read more about the REAL country music out there, then actually go fucking read it. And NO, nobody is EVER ignored so some bad piece of music can be criticized. It takes days to listen and digest albums, not hours. And during that time, other important subjects can be broached
Comments like these will not change the mission that Saving Country Music has carried for over 11 years, and over 5,600 published articles, which is both supporting the important stuff, while challenging the bad stuff. It’s what I’ve always done, and what I will always do. And if you don’t get that, it’s on you, not me.
–Kyle “Trigger” Coroneos
Austin, TX
MitchP
October 15, 2019 @ 12:46 pm
Amen Trigger. I think the vast majority of your readers do appreciate what you do here, I know I certainly do. And despite not leaving comments all the time, I read pretty much every article of yours no matter the topic as I’m sure most people do also. I will never understand how heated people get over what this site chooses to cover. It’s almost like it’s a personal attack or something.
What you have here is great, and I respect the way you differentiate yourself from platforms such as The Boot and Taste of Country and Rolling Stone Country. There really isn’t another site like this in the realm of country music, and the people that criticize you for what you choose to cover won’t realize what they’re missing until it’s gone.
Di Harris
October 15, 2019 @ 1:50 pm
Trigger?
Is it ok to say, We have your back.
I know you don’t need for us to say it, but, We have your back.
Corncaster
October 15, 2019 @ 3:48 pm
Trig, why not set up a Patreon page? I’d hit the jar. You shouldn’t do this for free. Everyone needs walking around money.
kiwicountry
October 16, 2019 @ 1:03 pm
You didn’t have to click on this article or read it or post on it. This is Trigger’s blog he can write about what he likes. I don’t read every single post, I read the ones I’m interested in. Simple.
Eileen
October 15, 2019 @ 4:57 am
I am a country fan too, but geez, these other “country fans” on here are so closed minded and judgmental. What makes country music to these people? A twang when someone talks or sings? Songs about getting drunk, driving a truck, or being in a fight? If that is their idea of country, thank God that Zac Brown is so much more. I have seen Zac Brown Band in concert for 5 years straight and they are all amazing musicians and artists. There tour was the top grossing tour so far this year. So what if they spread their wings and jam to some other tunes – grow up people, a lot of artists enjoy other musicians songs. Zac Brown is simply spreading his musical wings a bit. If you do not like it, do not buy it or listen to it. But you do not have to act like he has become some useless piece of garbage musically.
Pierre Brunelle
October 15, 2019 @ 8:07 am
what kind of kool aid have you been drinking?
Here’s one for you.
Take 2 hours of your life and reflect on the difference between Beethoven symphony no.1 and no.3 . Why? This is the concept of pushing the boundaries from classical to romantic music. it’s also an illustration of an artist who is learning from his master (Haydn) to becoming his own creation. No one is stating that pushing the boundaries is forbidden. Mozart did it, Beethoven did it, etc. The point is are you 1) respecting the format and are you adding anything artistically or you are just plain stupid ?
Now, going back to Zac Brown Ipad. It’s not country. He could release an EDM album and be in the EDM section that’s fine by me. I would also be insulted if he would have put this album in the salsa section. It’s not because I am including a few spanish words that my song is now respecting the salsa music section. Get the idea?
Stephanie
October 15, 2019 @ 10:36 am
I just want to chime in here to clear up that “what makes country music to these people” is decidedly NOT “a twang when someone talks or sings. Songs about getting drunk, driving a truck, or being in a fight.” 🙂
Rackensacker
October 15, 2019 @ 5:27 pm
“I have seen Zac Brown Band in concert for 5 years straight and they are all amazing musicians and artists.”
Which makes this album all the more terrible. I loved ZBB when it was making real music, which was basically the first three albums, and the occasional single in the past five or six years. This isn’t real music, and essentially shuts out the strengths of the other band members. It is terrible music, not to mention cringeworthy from a middle-aged father of five, who sings on one song, “Every time I get a new bitch, I need a new bitch.”
kiwicountry
October 17, 2019 @ 5:18 pm
Zac has said himself he’s not just doing country anymore, it’s quoted in the article. He know’s his music has been put into a genre that doesn’t really reflect what it is. I’ve listened to the album and it’s not country. Listen to Kelly Clarkson’s recent comments on what’s been played on the radio, it’s not Country. Country music is a lot more than just this or that but what Zac has put out is def not it. I mean how is any of that Country? EDM dance beats? Pop feels? Have you listened to Swayze? Tell me what about that is Country. Not to mention the swear words? Since when did Country music involve explicit lyrics? One sort of sounding Country song doesn’t make it a Country album. If you want to know what Country music is listen to Reba’s latest album, or Zach Bryan’s debut album. You can paint spots on an alsatian and call it a dalmation, but it’s still an alsatian.
Eileen E Miotke
October 18, 2019 @ 6:16 am
I completely agree that The Controversy is NOT country in any way. I could not find one song on it that I even wanted to put in my music. But, what I was taking exception otiginally to was the way some commenters were almost condemning Zac Brown for doing a non-country album on his own and almost nullifying Zac Brown Band as a country music band with any worth. As Zac said, he himself is into all kinds if music. If Zac Brown Band had done those songs, instead of putting out their new album, I would have been greatly disappointed. But each artist in a band can do their own thing in the side. I still love the band and think of them as country. Not even sure what The Controversy is other than personal exploration by one artist. Thsnks for your reply.
Jeff Tappan
October 15, 2019 @ 5:03 am
This is the kind of schlock that keeps me from listening to ” country ” radio and going through YouTube. I can find more real music, music that tells a story, music with an attitude on YouTube.
Wallace
October 15, 2019 @ 7:07 am
If we are gonna discuss non country artists can you please review the new Lumineers album? It is amazing and means a lot to people who have struggled with family members that are addicts. Plus there are several songs that could almost be considered “country”.
Adam Gump
October 15, 2019 @ 8:44 am
it does get traffic but the attention goes towards a band that is not country. If the traffic is coming onto this website for the first time then why would they be impressed with articles pertaining to the artist that we do not support?
Please do not tell me what to stop doing, this is a website where I can speak my mind, that is why we comment, right? You may email me a more private message so we can meet up and I will be glad to tell you what to do.
MH
October 15, 2019 @ 11:40 am
Tell ya what, tough guy: I won’t tell you what to stop doing if you won’t tell Trig what to stop doing, deal?
karl
October 15, 2019 @ 12:53 pm
Wow, still can’t keep your trap shut? If you don’t like a certain article look for a different one, it’s really not that hard to understand.
I quite enjoy this site and would hate it if it wasn’t here, but comments like yours could one day be enough.
kiwicountry
October 17, 2019 @ 10:46 pm
So you come on here writing a comment telling Trigger how to run his blog & to stop posting something you don’t want to see (cause apparently the world revolves around you) then you clap back ‘don’t tell me what to do’? Really? Entitled much? If you don’t want to read these types of articles it’s simple: DON’T READ THEM! There’s no one making you. Don’t come here bitching like an entitled human demanding someone else run their blog the way you want. Triggers blog, Triggers choice. Don’t like that then create your own blog & then you can write about whatever you want to.
David
October 15, 2019 @ 7:07 pm
Trigger, I agree completely with your assessment in the last few paragraphs. And unfortunately it seems like we can say the exact same of Sturgill these days. Isn’t the attitude that he is currently taking with respect to country music essentially identical to Zac Brown’s? Is there any way to meaningfully distinguish the two? (This is not rhetorical; I am interested in yours and others’ thoughts.)
Aggc
October 15, 2019 @ 7:29 pm
Gorgeous piano lick at 3:16 of “The Real Thing”.
And now this. 😟
GuitarGirl
October 18, 2019 @ 3:42 pm
I also found his CBS interview very telling, and as a country music fan, almost offensive. I say almost offensive, because I’m not offended by people who’s opinion I don’t value. His complaint about HAVING to pick a genre, as if its so limiting… hogwash… Jekyll and Hyde had everything on it from Big Band to Hard Rock. So he knows as well as anybody that you can pick a category, then put whatever type of music you want on an album. Also his comment that he doesn’t care what “country purists” think, where the term “country purists” is clearly intended to be an insult… Well… Zac… a lot of folks you might call “country purists” are the ones who put you and your band where you are today. They’re the reason you have a beautiful tour bus, home, multiple businesses and sold out shows. Now that you’ve alienated them, and made it clear just how much you disdain being “just a country artist”, we’ve got the message loud and clear. Have fun with all your pop/EDM/rap fans you’ve converted… oh wait… I don’t hear anything… oh… I hear something, barely… never mind, it was just some crickets.
Nope
November 15, 2019 @ 10:40 pm
Some of you a bit jealous? What the fuck have you accomplished other than bitching?
Go fuck yourselves. Probably a bunch of Taylor Swift worshiping twats anyhow.
Tanner Aldrich
November 20, 2019 @ 3:16 pm
I can understand, but we are all Human, and Zac’s music has been great up to his last 2 albums the Owl and Controversy. His music has taken a more modern twist towards the last 5 years, but it never stepped to far out of Country that we hated it. It was still Fabulous Music. Zac and his band should continue being themselves but the fact he stepped out and wanted to make himself happy speaks for itself. He wanted to make one solo track of him trying what he wanted to hear, at least say his music isnt the best in a nicer way. I will Always be a Zac Brown Fan, and although I don’t listen to all his Music because I dont fully like every song, I enjoy the ones he and his band have made great.