Did Morgan Wallen Just Shiv Hollywood’s Awards Racket?

It’s an honor just to be nominated. Or is it?

Awards were once the most logical way to honor great artists across pop culture. Grammys. Emmys. Oscars. Tonys. Golden Globes.

And, in many ways, that’s still the case.

Yet we’ve seen awards bodies grow increasingly political in recent years, suggesting it’s not enough to be the best at your particular field. You have to think the “right” way, too. Or, in the case of the Academy Awards, check the “right” Identity Politics boxes.

Just recently, major news sites suggested Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” will finally snag an Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series. 

Why? CBS pulled the plug on the late-night showcase, citing gargantuan losses. Think $40 million annually.

Did his show dramatically improve this year? Likely not.

He’d get a wave of sympathy from Emmy voters, putting him over the top at long last. In other words, he won’t actually earn it. 

Rival late-night liberal Jimmy Kimmel all but said as much.

Well, it seems like voting for Stephen is the least we could do at this point, and I think it will be a nice statement if he does win. Obviously, awards don’t mean much, but every once in a while they do, and in this case, I think it will. So I fully expect Stephen to win the Emmy as I think people are very, very upset about what happened to him and his show.

Enter Morgan Wallen.

The country music superstar ran afoul of the awards ecosystem in 2021 after he got canceled for uttering the “n-word” in a private conversation caught on video.

The 2021 Billboard Music Awards, the Country Music Awards and the American Music Awards all shut him out following the controversy. His stardom crumbled in a New York minute.

He apologized and rebuilt his career on his terms. Cancel Culture couldn’t contain him, and his fan base accepted his swift apologies.

Now, his star shines brighter than ever before, according to Fox News.

The “Wasted on You” singer released his fourth studio album, “I’m The Problem,” earlier this year, which debuted at No. 1 on the charts and extended his run as the country artist with the most debuts to top the Billboard 200.

The 37-track catalog dominated the Billboard Hot 100 charts, too, with 36 of the tracks making an appearance on the leader board.

It’s so bright, one could argue, that a Grammy win wouldn’t do much to his career. Does that explain his recent actions?

Morgan Wallen will not submit his latest album for consideration at the Grammy Awards, his representatives confirmed on Wednesday, rebuffing an institution that has paid him little attention during his rise as one of the most popular artists in music. https://t.co/qw6wn6LTqE

— New York Times Music (@nytimesmusic) August 20, 2025

Wallen decided against submitting “I’m the Problem” for Grammy consideration. The singer has but one Grammy nomination to his credit to date, a suspicious number given his fame. And he won’t add to that figure during the next round of voting.

The singer didn’t share a reason for the Grammy snub. He often makes moves that defy conventional thinking, preferring to stay silent on the matter.

When you walk off SNL,
do it like Morgan Wallen.
– the mgmt. pic.twitter.com/6SeIDhoRJJ

— The Loftus Party (@theloftusparty) April 12, 2025

He may be making a quiet statement about the current awards season climate. It’s not always about the music … but it should be.

Or, he’s content with everything his fans have given him over the years. And that’s enough.

The Grammys remain the most important and powerful achievement in pop music. They can still make or break a career for some winners. The statuettes mean less for current superstars.

That’s certainly the case for Wallen, who just told The Recording Academy, “Thanks, but no thanks.”