Morgan Wallen Finally Names The Five Singers He HATED Most

In the ever-polite world of country music, where smiles often mask grudges and rivalries are kept behind closed doors, Morgan Wallen just did what few dare to do—he named names. During a candid and unscripted moment in a long-form podcast interview released earlier this month, Wallen dropped what fans and critics are now calling “the most brutally honest confession of his career.”

The moment came 47 minutes into the podcast, when the host asked a simple question: “Were there any artists you just couldn’t stand while coming up in the industry?” Wallen chuckled, rubbed his face, and responded, “You want the real answer or the PR one?” The host, of course, wanted the real one.

And then Wallen leaned forward and said, “Alright. I’ll tell you five names. These are the ones who either rubbed me the wrong way, disrespected me, or made me wonder what the hell I was doing in this business.”

Fans didn’t have to wait long. He listed them one by one. And each came with a story.

1. Tyler Rich

“I don’t hate him as a person,” Wallen said, “but when I first started touring and opened for him, he barely said two words to me. Acted like I was invisible. At one point, I asked him for advice—just something small—and he looked at me and said, ‘You’ll figure it out.’ That stuck with me.”

Wallen clarified that it wasn’t about jealousy. It was about respect. “He had a chance to lift someone up and chose not to.”

2. Kelsea Ballerini

This one shocked listeners.

“I’ll say it,” Wallen began. “Kelsea and I were cool until we weren’t. I don’t know what happened behind the scenes, but she started throwing shade in interviews—subtle stuff, but I caught it. Then I heard from a mutual friend that she called me a ‘bad look for country.’ That stung, man.”

Wallen said he never confronted her but decided to distance himself. “People think I hate her ‘cause she’s pop-country or whatever—it ain’t that. It’s the fake smiles. That’s what I can’t stand.”

3. Jake Owen

This name was less surprising for hardcore fans who have followed country gossip forums.

“Jake and I had a falling out over a song,” Wallen revealed. “I wrote something with a team, pitched it to his people, and they ghosted me. Then a year later, I heard a track on his album that sounded real familiar. I ain’t saying it was stolen. But I know what I heard.”

Wallen said he reached out once and never got a reply. “That taught me a lot about how dirty this business can get. I never worked with him again.”

4. Sam Hunt

Wallen didn’t hold back on this one.

“Sam Hunt’s music was everywhere when I was coming up, and honestly, I couldn’t stand it. To me, it wasn’t country—it was R&B with a southern accent. And that’s fine, but don’t act like you’re carrying the torch.”

He admitted that part of the dislike was stylistic, but some of it was personal. “He once told a crowd that ‘real country music needs a new face,’ and I swear he looked right at me backstage when he said it. Maybe it wasn’t about me. But it felt like it.”

5. A “well-known Nashville producer-turned-artist”

This one Wallen refused to name directly.

“You’ll figure it out,” he said, smiling slightly. “He used to produce for people I respect, then started making music himself. He tried to sign me early on and when I said no, he got real nasty behind my back. Called me ‘unpolished,’ ‘unmarketable,’ and told someone I’d be lucky to open county fairs.”

Though he didn’t say the name, fan theories immediately pointed toward two prominent Nashville figures known for blurring the lines between production and performing. Wallen gave no further clues.

Why Now?

When asked why he decided to name names now, Wallen shrugged. “I’m too old and too tired to play nice. I’ve made mistakes—hell, the world knows that. But I’ve also kept a lot of things to myself. I don’t want to die with that stuff bottled up.”

He added that this wasn’t about stirring up drama, but about honesty. “People think this business is all cowboy boots and beer. But it’s cutthroat. I wanted folks to know that even when you’re smiling on camera, you might be standing next to someone who would love to see you fall.”

The Aftermath

The reaction online was immediate. Tyler Rich posted a vague tweet hours later: “Some folks remember things real different.” Kelsea Ballerini declined to comment through her rep. Jake Owen’s team issued a short statement saying, “Jake wishes Morgan well.” Sam Hunt has remained silent. And as for the unnamed producer-turned-artist, no one has stepped forward—yet.

Fans are divided. Some praised Wallen’s honesty, calling it refreshing in a genre known for surface-level niceties. Others criticized him for “naming and shaming” without giving people a chance to explain or defend themselves. But the biggest reaction of all has been curiosity—who else is on Wallen’s mental list? And what other stories has he kept locked away?

What This Means For His Career

Wallen doesn’t seem concerned about the fallout.

“I’m not here to win popularity contests,” he said at the end of the interview. “I’m here to make music that means something. And if being honest burns a few bridges, well, I’ve built my own roads before. I’ll do it again.”

And that might be the truest thing he said all night. Love him or hate him, Morgan Wallen doesn’t hide anymore. And in a world of carefully crafted statements and scripted apologies, that alone sets him