Zach Bryan Takes Down Song After $350M Deal Leads to Public Fight

A simmering feud between country singer-songwriters Zach Bryan and John Moreland erupted this week following Bryan's announcement that he would remove their duet, "Memphis; The Blues," from streaming platforms. The move comes in the wake of a pointed Instagram post from Moreland, who wrote, "$350M is a lot to pay for the f***ing off-brand version of me," a remark widely interpreted as a jab at Bryan's recent $350 million deal with Warner Records.

Bryan, who rose from Navy veteran to global chart-topper after signing with Warner in 2021, responded with a mix of confusion and disappointment. He explained the removal of the song by saying he didn't want anyone on his records who had an issue with him, and he plans to re-release the track without Moreland's vocals. “Tulsans look out for Tulsans!” Bryan added in support of other musicians in Oklahoma.

Despite the tension, he insisted there were "no hard feelings" and told fans that the music "will be available again" in short order, along with an alternative version. Some observers commented on Bryan's immediate course of action, eliciting conflicting reactions online; some praised Bryan's loyalty, while others supported Moreland's critiques of the major labels' strong control over the music industry.

Moreland, who is well-known for his raw honesty and independence in his songwriting and overall career approach, has yet to respond as well, leaving fans to speculate on what he intended by sounding the alarm about Bryan, and if it might indicate an even bigger problem with the music industry.

This public fallout is illustrative of and contributes to bigger conversations within the country and Americana spaces about loyalty, authenticity, and the increasing corporate dependence on artist catalogs. Representatives for both artists have reportedly already been reached out to for a follow-up comment as this story develops.