The controversy between country star Zach Bryan and MAGA
A fragment of an unreleased song published on Instagram was enough to rekindle the so-called “Culture wars” on country music in an increasingly polarized society like the American one.
The genre is historically associated with conservative values and a very classic idea of America, but there is no shortage of liberal and very politically active artists like Jason Isbell. In the middle there is Zach Bryan, one of the leading names of the new American country scene, who published on Instagram a fragment of an unreleased song, “Bad News”, which talks about ICE, the controversial Trump administration agency that uses very aggressive strategies to “flush out” immigrants in their homes and in public places. “I heard the cops came / Cocky motherfuckers, ain’t they? / And ICE is gonna come bust down your door / Try to build a house no one builds no more / But I got a telephone / Kids are all scared and all alone,” Bryan sings from an immigrant’s point of view. To conclude: “Got some bad news / Thе fading of the red, white and blue”, with a reference to the American flag and a theme that seems to bring the song closer to Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”: a nation that seems to betray its ideals.
Bryan, a former soldier and singer-songwriter originally from Oklahoma, has become one of the most popular faces of the new wave of American country thanks to his candid style of storytelling and excellent collaborations – such as the one with Bruce Springsteen on the song “Sandpaper” released in summer 2024 and recently on “Atlantic City”, sung live and released as a single. The debt album “American heartbreak”, a 34-song country-folk opera which in 2022 was a huge success, reluctantly welcomed by the singer, but replicated by “The great American bar scene”. Bryan remains a maverick. always deliberately far from the political polarization that has often characterized the genre. Indeed, he openly criticized those who dealt too much with politics in his songs.
“Bad News” brought him to the center of a controversy with members of the Trump administration, even leading to an official response from ICE and the anger of his fan supporters of the President.
Bryan, during the night, responded on Instagram, saying that the controversy was built and that the meaning of the song will be understood when it is published in full:
“It just goes to show how divisive a narrative can be when it’s forced on us through social media. This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything. When you hear the rest of the song, you’ll understand the full context that affects both sides. Everyone using this song as a weapon now just goes to show how deeply divided we are. We need to find our way again.”
I have served this country, I love this country, and the song itself is about all of us coming out of this divided space. I wasn’t speaking like a politician or an idiot who feels superior to everyone, just like a 29-year-old man who’s just as confused as everyone else,” he continued. “Seeing how much shit he’s created not only embarrasses me, but it scares me a little. Left or right, we are all one bird and Americans. To be clear, I belong to neither of these two radical factions. To all those who are disappointed in me, on whatever side you believe, please know that I too am trying my best and that we all say things that are sometimes misunderstood.”
