Morgan Wallen Slams ‘Greedy’ Ex-Partners Issuing ‘Terrible’ Decade-Old Tracks; Indie Label Says ‘We Believe Some of His Fans Will Love It’

variety.com:

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic There is a batch of “new” Morgan Wallen product in the marketplace — and he would very much like you to not listen to it.

The country superstar took to his social media Thursday night to ask fans not to stream eight just-released tracks that he recorded back in his pre-Big Loud days, indicating that he’s not particularly proud of them and is angry the decade-old material is coming out against his wishes.

To counter that, Taylor Swift-style, he has re-recorded a previously released song from the same batch that the contested tunes came from — “Spin You Around” — to give fans something to listen to while, he hopes, they’re avoiding the decade-old material that just got picked up off the cutting room floor. “I want you to know this is NOT my new music & I don’t want to see this happen to anyone else,” Wallen wrote on Instagram. “I cringe when I listen to these songs & I’m concerned my fans may mistakenly believe this is a new release by me,” he wrote. “It’s gross, greedy & an example of how the dark side of the music business can suck the soul out of artists.” After Wallen released his statement, Variety reached the head of the label that is putting out the new material, Panacea Records’ William Ray, who stands by the release of the eight previously unheard tracks coming out Friday morning. “We love the songs and believe some of his fans will love it too,” says Ray. “We are excited to finally get these songs out to the world.” Five of the songs had previously been released in 2015 as an EP, “Stand Alone,” which Wallen had been willing to stand behind.