Zach Bryan vs. John Moreland Just Got Real
You had to know that Zach Bryan signing a $350 million publishing deal was going to have reverberations throughout the industry. Apparently those reverberations reached Tulsa, Oklahoma, and critically-acclaimed songwriter John Moreland, who Zach Bryan has always credited as a significant influence on his music. In many respects, Moreland is a modern origination point for the type of earnest, heartfelt songwriting that Zach Bryan has now taken to stadiums.
Zach Bryan has regularly praised Moreland throughout his career, saying Moreland is “on a level all his own” and is “precise, deeply thoughtful, and truly monolithic.” Bryan has also used his success to attempt to elevate other creators he’s been inspired by over the years, including Moreland, who appeared on Zach Bryan’s song “Memphis: The Blues” from Zach’s 2024 album The Great American Bar Scene. The song currently sits as Moreland’s most-streamed track from his catalog.
Moreland is by far not the first beneficiary of a Zach Bryan guest spot. Sierra Ferrell (“Holy Roller”) and The War and Treaty (“Hey Driver”) both have their top streaming songs from their catalogs thanks to Zach Bryan, with “Hey Driver” now being Certified Platinum.
Arguably Zach Bryan did more for the career of Kacey Musgraves than the entire country industry ever did, with their collaboration “I Remember Everything” now Certified Double Platinum, and receiving over 1 billion streams on Spotify alone. Noeline Hoffmann now has a music career thanks to Zach Bryan covering her song “Purple Gas.”
But John Moreland is apparently not impressed, and specifically with the big Zach Bryan payday. On Wednesday, May 7th, Moreland took to his Instagram story to post a image of the back of his head and the caption, “$350 M is a lot of money to pay for the fu–in off-brand version of me. Y’all have a great day.”
Though the sentiment might be true to a lot of John Moreland fans and others, it felt like Moreland might be the wrong messenger for that kind of message. Leave that to trolls on social media. To his credit, Moreland deleted the post shortly thereafter. Since he had second thoughts, that’s probably where the moment should have been left. Our emotions can get the best of any of us, and with the kind of money Zach Bryan is making—especially as someone who became a musician accidentally—it can stir envy.
But as these things tend to do, it got to Zach Bryan, who on Friday afternoon (5-9), responded in kind on his own Instagram story, “yooo just saw this from an artist I’ve always respected and supported. Not trying to be dramatic but refuse to have anyone with a problem with me on my records. Replacing Memphis the Blues. If it goes down for a bit just know this is the reason! No hard feelings! Confused as s**t, Tulsans look out for Tulsans!”
For the record, John Moreland does have a history of being a bit hot under the collar, and confronting his fellow musicians. Just last August, Moreland punched Turnpike Troubadours fiddler Kyle Nix in the face after Moreland apparently mouthed off about the politics of Nix’s girlfriend, and Nix stood up for her. In the aftermath, John Moreland shared, “f-ck that whole band honestly,” referring to the Turnpike Troubadours, and later, “Except Hank,” referring to multi-instrumentalist Hank Early.
For Zach Bryan’s part, he has a reputation of being a diva and sometimes big timing his fellow musicians in social situations. And of course, there’s the whole imbroglio involving his former girlfriend Brianna Chickenfry, though as time has gone on, it’s become more clear there are two sides to every story, and Chickenfry isn’t exactly a model citizen either.
Incidentally, Zach Bryan also made headlines recently by announcing the purchase of the former Saint Jean Baptiste Church in Lowell, Massachusetts. Built in 1890, the church is where American novelist Jack Kerouac served as an altar boy, and also where his funeral was held. The church had sat abandoned for years, but in 2022, plans were unveiled to make it a museum and educational space dedicated to Kerouac. Lack of funding shut the project down, but now it will be able to move forward.
Caught in the crosshairs of Zach Bryan vs. John Moreland are the fans, and the music specifically. If the John Moreland version of “Memphis: The Blues” comes down, that’s a shame. If Moreland continues to criticize his fellow musicians, it’s only going to make him more polarizing. There was a moment when it felt like Moreland could launch into a bigger moment in music. It also felt like he fumbled that moment when he went decidedly electronic with his 2022 album Birds in the Ceiling.
But independent and non-radio supported music depends on the people at the top of the pyramid like Zach Bryan offering a hand up to his peers as opposed to pulling up the ladder behind them. Zach Bryan has definitely understood and participated in that, and arguably more than any of his peers. If Bryan was the bigger person, he would keep the John Moreland collaboration up, and work out the matter privately. After all, Moreland did take his post down.
But at the same time, words have consequences, and Moreland has been too quick with his anger in the past. It’s probably best that the ire be turned on the system that’s resulting in so many have’s and have nots in music, and not one of the few success stories from Oklahoma who worked outside the system, and who actually gives a damn about songs still, and their writers.
May 9, 2025 @ 6:00 pm
I don’t really consider myself a fan of Zach Bryan but Moreland just seems like a whiny b*tch. Moreland seems like he needs to see a shrink instead of running to Instagram.
May 10, 2025 @ 10:37 am
At least these two can play a guitar. Jelly Roll has no talent can’t play and only sings blues and looks like he needs to be in prison. Even his mother barfs at his sight.
May 9, 2025 @ 6:00 pm
“If you run into an asshole in the morning, you run into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you’re the asshole.”— Raylan Givens
May 9, 2025 @ 9:50 pm
One of the most useful quotes from a most quotable character. On point.
May 10, 2025 @ 2:13 am
Both of these guys seem like assholes.
May 10, 2025 @ 3:12 pm
In a show full of amazing quotes, this is the one I come back to all the time. More people need to see Justified.
May 9, 2025 @ 6:11 pm
“Tonight we’re fighting in a losing war
Don’t even remember what we’re fighting for”
May 9, 2025 @ 6:16 pm
Boys,boys……….
May 9, 2025 @ 6:43 pm
A couple of whiny bitches, it seems.
May 9, 2025 @ 6:47 pm
Goes back to the previous article and the rather shocking trajectory of ZB. A lot of whiners out there crying UNFAIR, how dare Zach Bryan blow up to that level, so many better writers, better musicians who have been slugging it out for YEARS and they can’t fill 500 seats ANYWHERE!!
All true, sadly true indeed. But who ever said life was fair?! Guess what John Moreland, it ain’t fair!! Theres no wait in line, you’ll get your turn at the big time, it doesn’t work that way man. But you are talented, and you get to make a living playing music and you have fans, so don’t overlook what you’ve got. We can complain all day about ZB’s success and accomplish…squat.
The dude RESONATES with a whole young generation, maybe he didn’t invent the style, maybe he borrowed from Moreland, Childers and TT, all true, but his massive fanbase doesn’t see that as a bad thing, they like Zachs voice, they like his songs and they like HIM. Zac Bryan found the formula that worked for him and him only. Morelands never gonna blow up to that level for a host of reasons and thats just life. Get over it.
May 9, 2025 @ 11:39 pm
It’s the old Nirvana vs Pixies, Radiohead vs Wire, Green Day vs Stiff Little Fingers, Depeche Mode vs Tubeway Army, Supremes vs Martha and the Vandellas etc etc thing. Hugely popular artists with the somehow right chemistry for mass acceptance vs highly influential artists who lack a little ingredient to this right chemistry somehow.
May 10, 2025 @ 12:33 am
Well said and well cited my friend. There will always be more talented artists out there vs the popular person in any genre.
In this situation it seems it handled itself as well as it could have. I think Trig gave a good “nothing” stance in the sense that there isn’t really a right answer here. Both reacted how they did and how they love forward is up to them. Such is life
May 10, 2025 @ 7:45 am
Green Day is kind of a perfect example of this musical paradigm. They released their album “Kerplunk” completely independently through Lookout Records. It sold 500,000 copies, and even the label was like, “Guys, you have to sign to a major. We can’t physically facilitate this any more.” And so they signed to a major, and then got hounded by the punk community for being sellouts. Wasn’t their fault their music caught fire. They just did what they had to in the situation.
May 13, 2025 @ 8:49 am
perfect exemple even if one believes that the “country” comunity wouldn’t be so negative torward success compared to the punk comunity that’s always been countercultural and underground
May 10, 2025 @ 11:43 am
The Green Day reference is 100% right. And 100% about Zac Bryan finding the formula that worked for him and him only.
It’s impossible to predict what’s going to stick in public consciousness but Zach did find it. I still love 90’s Green Day.
May 10, 2025 @ 4:59 am
You beat me to it.
It is simply jealousy on Moreland’s part.
He should remember many artists would kill for his level of success.
May 9, 2025 @ 6:51 pm
I feel like you nailed this article. 100% true
May 9, 2025 @ 7:15 pm
I think Moreland is probably just jealous. He’s been anointed by our little community as a genius. And he is. His music is amazing. But that has not translated into commercial success. Now he’s aging and starting to feel like he’s been fucked out of something he feels entitled too. He’s lashing out and unfortunately coming off as an asshole with some sort of complex.
May 9, 2025 @ 8:19 pm
because he is an asshole with a complex
May 10, 2025 @ 6:10 am
But he’s also really good at music!
May 9, 2025 @ 7:47 pm
Hard to even put into words the bliss I feel from not giving a shit about either of these idiots.
May 9, 2025 @ 8:02 pm
Both Moreland and Bryan are frauds.
Their lyrics seem identical because they both use a derivative formula that was established by navel-gazing bands like Radiohead.
Bryan has never written a memorable hook so it is likely a publicity hoax that he sold his catalog for 350 million. He is probably just a cut-out.
May 10, 2025 @ 12:38 am
They may be disingenuous and repetitive but they damn sure are repetitive because you got everyone and their mother age 18-34 IMO knowing every word to the chorus of all his songs.
I can assuredly say his popularity is real as a 26yo with almost no friends that like country (especially like or know the ones that appear on this blog). Everyone knows Zach now and most like him to some extent. The alt rock turned folk people have flocked to him and Noah Kahn + Mt Joy in full force
May 10, 2025 @ 2:53 am
Ridiculous take. Neither have anything in common with Radiohead, lyrically or otherwise.
May 10, 2025 @ 9:00 am
Yes and no. I actually do see similarities between Zach Bryan and Radiohead. Both were surprisingly extremely successful with a musical style whose chances of mass success were previously considered very limited.
Radiohead condensed British post-punk styles developed over two decades into a style that suddenly became accessible to the masses.
Zach Bryan condensed forms of Americana, alt-folk, and country styles developed over years into a style that suddenly became accessible to the masses.
Both condense a certain zeitgeist: Radiohead the disillusionment of the mid-nineties and the peeling of the shiny facade of “Cool Britannia” and “New Labour.”
Zach Bryan the politically and culturally deeply divided America of the post-coronavirus years.
And both Radiohead and Zach Bryan managed to make music that speaks to and moves people beyond the cultural horizons of these musicians.
May 10, 2025 @ 10:22 am
Radiohead was the apathetic synthesis of the of the Blur-Oasis dialectic imposed on popular culture by the Controllers.
May 10, 2025 @ 9:24 am
Both of their lyrics are self-absorbed, psychologically dissociative emo crap, much like Radiohead.
Moreland, with his silly hipster tattoos is just a grown up emo nerd who was recruited by Jason Isbel and plugged by Rachael Maddow to use his alarming weight disability and mediocre self pity performance to gather sympathy for the big tent identity politics cause.
If Moreland was not obese, it is likely he would never have been recruited above the coffee house. Ever notice how many “genius” obese people got music careers in the last couple decades?
Then again, Moreland might have been a Steve Earle Junkie type in an earlier era, or maybe an overdose would have claimed him before he could Rock The Vote at the Governor’s mansion.
Now they are rubbing his face in it. Zach Bryan made the cut. Zach is literally the new Beatles catalog. Obese College kids will hum Bryan’s tunes at Wal-Mart for years to come. But If there is anyone Moreland should be accusing of lifting the essence of his his schtick, it should be Jellyroll.
May 10, 2025 @ 9:36 am
There’s a lot of “These people are different from me, so they’re bad” in this comment, and surface inferences.
Miranda Lambert’s endorsement of John Moreland was much bigger than Rachel Maddow’s. And she’s out there on the Kid Rock festival tour. So was Zach Bryan’s endorsement.
John Moreland stepped in it here. Again. But he’s a genius songwriter. His experiences in life, including his weight, led to that songwriting. But the idea nobody would care about him without the weight is foolish.
May 10, 2025 @ 10:15 am
Remember sideshows? There was the fat lady, the heavily tattooed man, the bearded lady, the sword swallower.
Today’s left wing culture is that, literally.
Moreland checks two boxes; Zach, maybe only one. Hence the butt hurt.
There are hundreds of songwriters better than Moreland who exist in obscurity because they don’t feed into the altruistic spectacle of “inclusion.”
I can’t seem to find a song of Moreland’s that is “genius.”
And again, the numbers associated with Zach Bryan’s publishing deal is a publicity hoax, guaranteed. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.
Remeber, Zach Bryan is a US Navy guy. Recruitment is up. The pendulum swings.Hence the butthurt.
May 10, 2025 @ 10:35 am
“I can’t seem to find a song of Moreland’s that is “genius.””
Well that’s your opinion, and I respect that. But in my opinion, the opinion of Zach Bryan (still), the opinions of Miranda Lambert, Rachel Maddow, Jason Isbell, and many many others, he’s right up there for one of the best songwriters of this generation. This is a wide swath of people coming to something that feels like a borderline consensus. So even though you might not like his songs, it’s empirically true to call Moreland critically-acclaimed. And that’s just the way it is.
And you can keep harping on the tattoos, but they really are a recent addition, and frankly, came about (esp. on his head) after his career went into decline.
May 10, 2025 @ 11:39 am
Maybe Ozempic would compromise the pained roar of his baritone?
Wouldn’t make his lyrics or hooks any less goddamn brilliant, though!
May 10, 2025 @ 12:34 pm
I’m not doubting Moreland’s genius even if I don’t see it myself, but my question is where are all his fans? 150 subscribers to his subreddit, 65K followers on Facebook, no fan clubs or pages. Zach’s success is his of course but his passionate, enormous fan base played a part in his rise to fame. Why doesn’t Moreland inspire that type of devotion?
May 12, 2025 @ 7:51 am
He has over 90k Instagram followers – same range as WCG, more than American Aquarium.
And the reason he doesn’t inspire the same devotion is that he writes blues and folk songs for adults, rather than ripped from the diary stuff aimed at 16-25 year olds.
May 10, 2025 @ 11:02 am
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but I would very much like to take this thread and fire it into the sun so that no one else has to be subjected to it.
Out of just morbid curiosity, I’m very interested in what contemporaries clear the Hank 33 criteria of “exceptional talent” if Moreland sucks and ZB has “never written a memorable hook”.
May 10, 2025 @ 12:30 pm
The term was “genius,” not “exceptional talent.”
But of the latter term, only Childers and Flippo come to mind lyrically, and Sierra Farrell musically and performatively.
That said, I, personally, am the only genius, I know of walking around in these times. But I am sure there are others like me, isolated in the margins of the “culture.”
May 10, 2025 @ 5:08 pm
Good lord, I just read your other comment. What a complete imbecile. Not even worth another second on this post.
May 10, 2025 @ 6:28 pm
Go cry to mommy.
May 10, 2025 @ 5:40 am
So says
May 10, 2025 @ 7:47 am
Yeah, this ain’t it.
This is a derivative, typical cynical internet comment.
May 10, 2025 @ 8:55 am
It’s funny and partly true, tho.
May 10, 2025 @ 10:26 am
Truly insane comment.
May 10, 2025 @ 5:05 pm
Wow, just a little hate there from a Tyler Childers boot licker. Totally disagree with you. You sound like the jealous one to me.
May 9, 2025 @ 8:07 pm
Moreland comes off as petty and jealous. What a goofball.
May 9, 2025 @ 8:08 pm
Just because ol’ cream puff Moreland went to the tattoo parlor and said “give me everything on this page” – that doesn’t make him tough. I’m team Zach Bryan on this one. Musicans tend to be somewhat retarded when it comes to economics and believe a 2d version of socialism. Zach Bryan’s success is not taking money out of your pocket you chubby dumbfuck. The opposite is true – ZB has actively brought other musicians along for the ride. Sure 350 Million is an obscene amount and The Beatles and Bruce Springsteen were already legends with many universally recognizable hits decades before their big catalog sales the same isn’t true for ZB. He’s not famous like the Beatles or Bruce Springsteen and the closest he has to Born In the USA or Yesterday by the Beatles is his ‘Something in the Orange.” I mean the Beatles and Springsteen were so big that Merle Haggard referenced Yesterday in song and Springsteen had a big influence on Country music. Old heads for the most part know nothing of ZB so that 350mil is weird. Anyway F Moreland.
May 10, 2025 @ 4:54 am
Old heads opinion of Zach is irrelevant.
You can disagree but one day Zach will be talked about by the younger generation like the Beatles and Bruce are now. That’s how it works.
Bruce most assuredly knows who he is.
May 10, 2025 @ 6:01 am
I’ve expressed here many times how much I admire Zach Bryan and how important I think he is. And yes, perhaps one day his importance will be compared to that of Bruce Springsteen.
But comparing him to the Beatles, mate, that’s going too far. This is blasphemy. If I could, I would force you to listen to Yoko Ono’s “Fly” album non-stop for a weekend as punishment for your comment.😉
May 10, 2025 @ 7:31 am
I live in a town very close to Zach’s hometown. The majority of the people here don’t know who Zach is. So I don’t think Zach will ever be talked about like The Beatles or Bruce Springsteen.
And Moreland is not wrong, Zach is a lesser copy of John.
May 10, 2025 @ 5:11 pm
What, man you have been toking on some strange stuff to make that comment. What the hell.
May 10, 2025 @ 10:29 am
I’m 55 and a huge Zach Bryan fan. I think he is a once in a generation talent, even if it’s not my generation. I’ve been saying he’s Gen Z’s Springsteen and I have nothing but admiration for that. I seriously don’t understand the hate he gets, at least musically. The social media stuff gets silly sometimes, but this is Gen Z we are talking about, so it’s to be somewhat expected.
May 10, 2025 @ 11:51 am
I completely agree with you. I’m 47 and I had completely given up hope that popular music could ever become real, sincere, and exciting again.
Since the turn of the millennium, in my perception, pretty much all popular music styles have gone downhill: third-rate retro rock bands, bloated, fake plastic pop dolls, insignificant party bro-country characters, depressing drill and mumble rap junkies…
And then this guy came along, singing only accompanied by his acoustic guitar and he inspired countless young people to try it themselves.
All the great young country musicians like Wyatt Flores, Sam Barber, Noeline Hofmann, The Castellows, Kashus Culpepper, Ole 60, and so on wouldn’t exist without him.
He’s the best thing that could have happened to music. Not just to country music, but to popular music in general.
And I’m convinced that the momentum emanating from independent country is comparable to that of the British Invasion in the mid-1960s or the punk explosion in the late 1970s.
The potential of these new bands and the number of incredibly exciting young artists are too great to remain just a minor footnote in music history.
And yes, he’s certainly not the origin of all this, and maybe there are more “original” or “authentic” ones or whatever. But all of this is condensed in him just like rock’n’roll was condensed in Elvis Presley.
May 10, 2025 @ 11:30 am
I disagree on how he will be remember. He is still the male equivalent of a Taylor Swift.
May 10, 2025 @ 5:14 pm
And, what’s your point? And, what does that even matter. Good lord, some people and their ridiculous comments.
May 11, 2025 @ 9:16 am
The male equivalent of Taylor Swift is Morgan Wallen. Not politically of course. But like Swift a industry hyped mediocre pop singer. The only difference is that Swift is more honest and doesn’t pretend to be country.
May 10, 2025 @ 5:01 am
Most musicians are idiot savants. Great at music and stories but blind and deaf at anything else.
Everyone wants to make millions at what we do. The world doesn’t work that way.
May 9, 2025 @ 9:31 pm
Huge Moreland guy, but he’s definitely been on one recently. He walked out of a show in my city not too long ago because too many people were talking.
The poorer man’s discography may be better, but the art will only take you so far in the entertainment business. Petty stuff like this ain’t helping, either.
May 9, 2025 @ 9:41 pm
I feel like Zach doesn’t get enough credit for his immense success and talent and is somehow lumped together with fake manufactured country pop stars simply because of how successful he is.
Zach is a true musician in that he writes his own songs, plays instruments, sings. His sound is distinctive and unique, it’s influence can’t be understated. Sure he has his own influences, but he’s original and doesn’t sound like a rip-off of any of them. Without naming names, there are a few blatant Zach copycats out there doing very well. The Zach sound is so in demand that plenty of people don’t even mind the blatant copying. Can Moreland boast anything like that? No.
I truly can’t fathom why Moreland would bite the hand that fed him in such a nasty and uncalled-for way. Collaborating with Zach is a privilege and should be acknowledged as such. Also, as nothing about Zach has changed since Moreland decided to collaborate with him it can only be assumed that he held his disdainful opinion of Zach at the time they collaborated. That’s just gross.
May 10, 2025 @ 2:16 am
That’s funny as I see Zach as the epitome of a fake manufactured country pop star. Plus he seems like kind of a jerk sometimes.
May 10, 2025 @ 1:17 pm
There’s a lot of musicians who come off as kind of a jerk sometimes. A lot of his music resonates with a lot of people. It’s not the typical fake manufactured shit.
May 10, 2025 @ 5:16 pm
What, you obviously haven’t followed his career to date. He is in fact the opposite of what you say. No frills, did it on his own merit and songwriting, bashes the Nashville machine at every turn and is doing it his own way.
May 10, 2025 @ 5:21 pm
No offense but I can’t stand him or his lame music. I got dragged to one of his shoes by a gf and wanted to leave the entire show. Yuck! Haha . Not my thing at all
May 10, 2025 @ 11:43 am
Zach is 1000% WCG singing Moreland and Isbell songs instead of Randy and Wade songs.
It’s why I like him!
May 11, 2025 @ 4:15 am
This is a good thought. Lyrically his songs aren’t in the same stratosphere as those other two in my opinion, but definitely in style and substance.
May 12, 2025 @ 7:54 am
Yeah, “-inspired” is probably a necessary addition, haha!
(On both counts, although I actually prefer WCG to Randy and Wade)
May 10, 2025 @ 12:38 am
Whether we like it or not, popularity is about more than just music. And even though Zach Bryan isn’t exactly a beauty, he’s still the everyone’s buddy type. That can hardly be said about John Moreland. Zach Bryan is the guy that girls want as a boyfriend and guys want as a buddy. The same cannot be said of John Moreland. I enjoy LISTENING to John Moreland’s music, but I’m not sure if I want to SEE him. He chose his look of his own free will. It should be clear to him that he has limited his chances of becoming popular with this look.
May 10, 2025 @ 7:28 am
Though I understand what you’re saying, I think that John Moreland’s “look” has also earned him some fans over the years, not necessarily the recent head tattoos, but being so overweight singing sad songs about losing the girl is something that holds appeal with an Americana audience. I actually think Moreland helped break down some of those stereotypes, just like Luke Combs has. I think the wrong turn he made was with his electronic production decisions. That took him out of the theaters and back to the clubs, and I think that’s where a lot of the biterness is coming from.
May 10, 2025 @ 8:32 am
Yes, it’s true: Americana and country music audiences are quiet tolerant to musicians whose looks don’t fit into aesthetic norms. The music is, after all, the focus.
But Zach Bryan’s enormous popularity extends far beyond the classic Americana audience. He’s a pop star. Not in the musical sense, but in terms of his popularity.
And I believe that it’s also John Moreland’s look that prevents such a breakthrough beyond the Americana audience.
His musical escapades may have cost him fans in the Americana scene, but I think his look prevented him from being successful outside of this limited scene.
And even though Luke Combs is chubby, he doesn’t break aesthetic norms like John Moreland does. And don’t get me wrong: I think it’s good when people break those norms and achieve success. But it’s extremely rare, and a body that doesn’t conform to the norm is actually an obstacle to success.
May 10, 2025 @ 1:04 pm
If Johnny Hiland sang dirges…
May 10, 2025 @ 1:34 am
I’m intrigued by this line ‘though as time has gone on, it’s become more clear there are two sides to every story, and Chickenfry isn’t exactly a model citizen either.’
I can’t say that I followed the drama closely but I didn’t hear too much negative about her. He treated her pretty shoddily and she turned down his hush money which I respect her for. Obviously associating with Portnoy isn’t the best, but a lot of us have had our salaries paid by idiots.
May 10, 2025 @ 7:31 am
Some co-workers and former friends have come out and said Brianna basically turned on them, is two-faced, etc. I’m not going to get into the weeds of that drama and frankly don’t know the full range of it. But it’s out there. It doesn’t really have to do with Portnoy.
May 10, 2025 @ 9:13 am
Chickenfry lied about the hush money. She made up that story to try to get Zach canceled after he broke up with her. There was no hush money. A text conversation between her and Zach was posted on social media, and it revealed that Chickenfry and Portnoy were actually trying to extort Zach for $12 million. When Zach refused to pay, Portnoy recorded and released two cringey diss tracks trying to get Zach canceled. But of course it blew over and had no effect on Zach’s career whatsoever.
When they broke up, Chickenfry swore up and down that she was going to release “evidence” showing how abusive Zach was to her during the relationship. It has been more than a year now, and she has not released a single thing. Zach is not a model citizen by any means, but I would caution you about trusting Chickenfry’s word and whatever false or exaggerated story she puts up on social media. She herself has admitted in the past that she likes to lie for fun and that she lies when she’s bored. And as someone else already said, even her co-workers at Barstool have spoken out about her.
May 10, 2025 @ 9:38 am
I don’t know much about the goings on but I know it was only about six months ago.
May 10, 2025 @ 11:33 am
If she said on video that she lies for fun and that she lies when she’s bored, everything else out of her mouth should be ignored – even if she claims Zach sexually assualted her. Seriously how toxic and dumb can one person be to even have the mindset that it’s ok and fun to lie?
May 11, 2025 @ 3:31 am
I’ve seen a lot of your posts on here and find it hard to believe that you’re being honest with many of them!
May 10, 2025 @ 4:09 am
Whether we like it or not, a musician’s popularity doesn’t just depend on his music.
And even if Zach Bryan isn’t exactly a beau, he’s the guy girls want as a boyfriend or big brother, and guys want as their best buddy.
The same can’t be said about John Moreland.
I really like to HEAR John Moreland, but I’m not sure I’d like to SEE him.
He made a conscious choice about his look. And in doing so, he also chose to limit his options for becoming popular.
A gigantic belly, a tattooed skull, and a walrus mustache are simply a challenge to aesthetic conventions.
May 10, 2025 @ 6:19 am
I mean, your broader point is correct.
But it’s a dick thing to say that Moreland’s weight is a “conscious choice”. Maybe he is hammering down Dr. Pepper and Blue Bell everyday, but we don’t know that and we also don’t know if his weight is tied to a specific medical condition, family genetics, etc.
I get that it’s 2025 and being a dick on the internet is old hat now, but bringing up someone’s weight in the same context as something we absolutely know is a choice (facial hair, tattoo’s, etc.) is a dick move.
May 10, 2025 @ 6:39 am
I understand your objection. But I am a trained nurse and believe me, from my professional experience I know that such a body mass has not only to do with genetics, but also with lifestyle. And how a person eats and exercises is a conscious decision.
May 10, 2025 @ 7:24 am
You and I have no idea what John Moreland’s diet is. We also have no idea what his exercise regime is.
If you want to rip his dumb (my opinion) tattoos and facial hair be my guest. I just think ripping a guy’s weight when we have no idea what the info associated with that is unfair.
I’m not unrealistic – chances are Moreland isn’t exactly doing cardio or eating salads everyday – but throwing shade at a guys weight when much of it may be out of his control veers into bullying for me personally.
May 10, 2025 @ 8:10 am
Okay. I don’t want to bully anyone because of his weight. Let’s not argue about it. But regardless the cause of his weight, one thing has to be said: Hugely successful musicians who don’t conform to a minimum of aesthetic standards are very rare. And as I said, I personally don’t like that musicians’ success also depends on their looks. But there’s no denying that looks/ aesthetic norms play an important role.
May 11, 2025 @ 7:51 am
Personally I saw him open for Jason Isbell here a few years ago and he had me not caring that he was big by about the 2nd song.
May 10, 2025 @ 11:36 am
Post Malone is as attractive as “just out of the pool cock and balls” but he is very likeable and popular with the ladies because of his positive attitude. No sympathy for Moreland.
May 10, 2025 @ 3:20 pm
Okay, I admit defeat. “Post Malone”… – I can’t argue with that anymore. And the next one writes “Jelly Roll”. Although he’s actually not a countr… Argh! That would be the next discussion…😉
May 11, 2025 @ 4:59 am
“just out of the pool cock and balls” ?? …… LOL!!! Thanks for the best laugh I’ve had in a long time Strait. I literally spit out my morning coffee……
May 10, 2025 @ 1:10 pm
If the democrats had their way It would be made illegal for his heart doctor to bring up his weight. Tough love ain’t a dick move.
May 10, 2025 @ 2:42 pm
Hank33
This is not a political website, it is a country music website. Please comment accordingly.
May 10, 2025 @ 3:43 pm
Point taken
May 10, 2025 @ 5:59 pm
Weight is a choice.
May 10, 2025 @ 6:24 pm
People have different metabolism rates. As someone who’s never battled weight their entire life, I respect that some people struggle with weight.
May 11, 2025 @ 6:58 pm
As someone who doesn’t have a great metabolism, and can put on weight extremely easily, and has multiple times in his life, I’m now in excellent shape. I can say with 100% confidence that excuses didn’t help me, and that I absolutely made a choice to get here.
May 12, 2025 @ 12:00 pm
Jake,
You said what I wanted to say.
Treating metabolism as a deal-breaker takes power away from people to change their lives.
But Big Pharmacy wants people helpless and dependent on pills.
May 12, 2025 @ 12:51 pm
10-20lbs overweight is genetic, 300lbs+ overweight is a choice and honestly a job. I can’t even imagine how much a man would have to eat to get to over/under 500lbs.
May 12, 2025 @ 8:49 pm
I liked your comment by mistake and can’t undo it.
Yes, many people would not have weight issues with better food choices and physical activity.
But when you see morbidly obese women keep in mind that many of them suffered emotional trauma as children. I have a friend that is a Psychiatrist that specializes in treating morbidly obese women with severe emotional issues. She says both morbidity and a wide range of eating disorders is very common in women with a history of sexual abuse starting at a young age.
My guess is that emotional issues often contribute to many males with severe weight issues.
May 10, 2025 @ 4:52 am
Moreland had a co-write on that song he did with Bryan. I see it has 20+million plays on Spotify. Any idea on the $ amount John was gettign from that?
May 10, 2025 @ 7:40 am
Spotify pays artists between $0.003 and $0.005 per stream.
Calculations:
Lower end: 20 million streams x $0.003 = $60,000.
Higher end: 20 million streams x $0.005 = $100,000.
Split that with the other writer or writers, then split that with your publishing company. Management gets a cut then taxes. Not much left for the actual writer.
May 10, 2025 @ 6:26 am
Moreland has benefited from Zach Bryan and more have heard of him because of Zach Bryan. Moreland clearly has issues and not for the first time. Like him or not, not sure what he thinks Bryan should do. Bryan has done very well. Good luck to him.
May 10, 2025 @ 7:43 am
Man, that is sad.
May 10, 2025 @ 7:30 am
“Winners focus on winning, losers focus on the winners.” – Michael Phelps. I saw ZB, with an enthralled wife & daughter, plus a son who’s notoriously picky. All 4 of us thought he played, sang and performed live at the top level in a tough venue to play. He appeals to all of us equally and bigly – all of us with our own separate tastes and appreciations. ZB literally recorded his own debut album with an i-phone and living room – absolutely no production or help. And he nailed it. He’s nailed about 1000 performances and a 100 songs since. So anyone that dings him just doesn’t know wTF they’re talking about or hasn’t a scintilla of a clue. ZB ain’t my favorite but damn even my dumbass gets what’s great – and I mean GREAT – about him. He reaches wide and deep. Who said he had to be a master musician or song writer…oh that’s right, the losers focusing on him.
May 10, 2025 @ 10:12 am
If Moreland was jealous, all he would have to do is not make every song about him and love and maybe have some variety in the sound. He has so many ingredients of someone who could be legendary, but 80% of the songs sound nearly exactly the same.
May 10, 2025 @ 3:56 pm
We’ve come a long way from Bing Crosby to these two inbred morons.
May 10, 2025 @ 6:00 pm
John Wesley famously said, “What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.”
May 10, 2025 @ 4:11 pm
Wait how has Brianna chickenfry not been a model citizen,what i miss ?
May 11, 2025 @ 12:23 am
Zach’s success in my opinion is based on a number of things. First, it seems like he’s tapped into a continued desire for emo adjacent music. I remember when emo music was huge growing up- Zach Bryan makes a lot of emo acoustic country-ish music for a demographic that hasn’t experienced the initial emo craze but love the vibes (youth). 2nd, he has some pretty good hooky songs regardless of whether he reuses the same chord progression or recycled melody most of the time. Finally he has the right vocal timbre, the right all American looks, and the right lyrical content that really gets through to a lot people (especially young people).
Moreland might be a gifted songwriter but there just isn’t a world where he would ever be as popular as Zach Bryan. He should be proud of being as influential as he is, able to make a living, and has fans that listen to his music. This is something that 99% of artists will never have. But 20 something year olds are not going to flock to his shows and this is something I don’t think he understands.
May 11, 2025 @ 8:51 am
Maybe need to do what I do with my kids when they post something stupid, take their phone. Saw him open for Isbell and was really boring.
May 11, 2025 @ 4:28 pm
I had to go to Wikipedia to see what and who John Moreland is… they do not show any song I’ve ever heard of. At least I’ve heard of Zach Bryan… and have heard some of his songs. It’s a clear case of jealousy. Zach is famous and Moreland is not…and does not have the assests that Bryan has. Plus Zach has 350 million dollars so their will me a lot of jealousy . Life is not fair.
May 12, 2025 @ 5:46 am
The whole “I don’t even know who this guy is!” “Who???” resonse is so grating and wack
May 12, 2025 @ 9:10 am
I’ve always been a lukewarm Bryan listener but I don’t get gripes like Moreland’s. Bryan has earned enormous interest, a huge fan base and that is and will be a gateway into other indie and traditional musicians.
Besides, Bryan seems to go out of his way to share the wealth, as in the examples Trig showed.
Maybe Moreland feels envy, or that Zach’s success came too fast. Fair enough, but why not just celebrate and ride the wave?
May 12, 2025 @ 9:20 am
Oklahomans doing Oklahoman things.
I like both of them a lot. The ZB story from phone videos on his back porch in Florida to super stardom organically? Amazing.
Moreland, tortured, soulful, beautiful lyrics and thoughts with sung in a gravel baritone? Perfection.
Realistically, we live in a visual world and Moreland is tough to look at, and he isn’t fit enough to stand up for a 90 minute performance let alone bring energy to sing a few bangers, and he doesn’t have any bangers, they are all slow and chill. How are you going to energize and resonate with a young fanbase, especially young women, when you can even stand though a single performance? That just isn’t going to play as well as a fit young guy with a military jaw.
For all of the “stop fat shaming” people in the comments, yeah a lot of people struggle with weight but there is a huge difference between having an extra 10-20lbs and being 300lbs overweight. The latter is 100% a behavioral and a choice it’s a simple matter of physics more input than output.
Last thought on this. I was lucky enough to be at The Mercury Lounge in Tulsa for their NYE show + event. John Moreland was at the bar drinking High Lifes and Zach Bryan made a surprise appearance with Noelene Hoffman and did a few-song set. You could see how annoyed Moreland was because for the few moments ZB was playing he wasn’t the biggest star in his local watering hole. This jealous rage came out in that Instagram post for everyone to see.
May 12, 2025 @ 10:06 am
in terms of having no bangers, Hearts Too Heavy would beg to differ with your assessment.
May 12, 2025 @ 12:44 pm
That is actually a great song. He prob had more energy 10 years ago when he recorded High on Tulsa Heat. He also had some bangers in the early days when he was playing with The Dust Bowl Souls. “John Moreland and The Dust Bowl Souls” in on streaming, good shit.
I love John Moreland and I love Zach Bryan but I can completely understand the mainstream success of ZB over Moreland.
May 12, 2025 @ 11:45 am
I mean probably need to update this again since Drayton Farley put his 2 cents in on Zach that is very unflattering. There’s 2 sides to everything but still..
May 12, 2025 @ 12:20 pm
I am going to have an update to this story that delves deeper into this matter and includes the Drayton Farley quotes. But I don’t like how this story has become a distraction from the music and is creating unnecessary friction within independent country/roots that could be detrimental moving forward.
May 12, 2025 @ 12:47 pm
Not for nothing but Google searches for “John Moreland” are up 3,000%+ this week so if nothing else this is a marketing coup for him.
I love John Moreland, Turnpike, Zach Bryan, Kyle Nix and all the rest of the Oklahomies that can’t get along.
May 12, 2025 @ 1:00 pm
Mediocrity at its best.
May 12, 2025 @ 2:47 pm
I love John Moreland. I get the jealousy. But, he shoulda kept to himself. very bad look for him IMO.
May 12, 2025 @ 5:27 pm
Was this article posted before or after Mooreland posted his video message providing an alleged insightful backstory? 2 sides to every story regardless of character personality
May 12, 2025 @ 5:29 pm
Before. There is an updated article coming momentarily.
May 13, 2025 @ 8:08 am
Everytime I listen to John Moreland, who’se music I absolutely love, I think “jesus, it’s a crime The Black Gold Band was only around for one album.” That fuckin record is a banger from start to finish, and will never, ever, ever get to the numbers of ears that it should.
May 14, 2025 @ 3:07 pm
I’ve always said Country music is starved for a handsome older black cowboy,but I’m a dumb Canadian lad.