Morgan Wallen Had the Biggest Selling Album of 2021 – After He Was Canceled for Using the N-Word

Country singer Morgan Wallen had the biggest selling album of 2021, despite being canceled after being caught using the N-word and getting banned from awards shows.

Wallen’s album ‘Dangerous: The Double Album’ sold more than three million copies in 2021 since its release in early January, according to rankings from music analytics provider MRC Data released earlier this month.

Wallen’s album beat out Adele’s 30, which was expected to be one of the highest-selling albums but only sold 1.4 million copies and came in at number six. He also sold more than Kayne West’s Donda, which sold less than 1 million copies.

A month after its debut, Wallen, 28, was caught using racist language after a rowdy night out with friends. TMZ first revealed the video footage in February.

He could be heard in video yelling from his driveway in Tennessee to another friend to ‘take care of this p***y a** n****.’

Wallen said he uttered the slur after a ’72-hour bender’ and had checked in to a 30-day rehab facility following the incident.

Despite his remorse and apology, the musician was banned from the American Music Awards and the Country Music Awards, both of which he was nominated at.

‘Morgan Wallen is a nominee this year based on charting. As his conduct does not align with our core values, we will not be including him on the show in any capacity (performing, presenting, accepting),’ the AMAs said at the time.

The award show, which is based on fan voting, said they would ‘consider’ future participation after Wallen showed he was an ‘ally to the Black community.’

The CMAs also said the musician would not be allowed to attend and would be taken off the list of nominations for individual categories he was solely nominated in. He could remain in categories that recognized other collaborators, such as Album of the Year.

It was the first time in CMA history that anyone was disqualified for an award over conduct, according to a CMA spokesperson.

Both awards shows were held in November.

Wallen was also temporarily suspended from his label Big Loud/Republic and was dropped from most radio stations.

Even though Wallen was canceled for using the racial slur, he saw his album sales spike following the incident, leading to a conversation about racism in country music.

The country music star told ABC’s Michael Strahan that he ‘did understand’ the significance of the word and said he was using it ‘playfully.’

He said in an Instagram apology that he ‘fully accept[ed] any penalties I’m facing.’

‘I was wrong. It’s on me to take ownership of this and I fully accept any penalties I’m facing,’ he said before asking his fans to stop defending him.

Wallen also said in July that he had met with the Black Music Action Coalition and donated money from his album sales to the coalition, NBC News reported.

Wallen’s album beat front-runners Olivia Rodrigo’s debut Sour and Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, which sold 2.6 million and 1.8 million copies, respectively, and are placed at second and third on the charts.

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