A few key storylines shaped the year in music. Of course, there was Beyoncé’s incredible Renaissance tour, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and high-profile new albums from big names like SZA and Olivia Rodrigo.
Regretfully, our feeds were frequently overshadowed by the countless scandals that rocked the music industry this year. Oliver Anthony, a folk musician and political lightning rod, rose to prominence overnight.
There have also been lawsuits involving Lizzo, Hall & Oates, Diddy, and other musicians, as well as an unsettling trend of objects being thrown at musicians while they perform.
These are the most significant music industry scandals of 2023.
1. The Matty Healy and Ice Spice controversy spills over into the Taylor Swift universe
The frontman of the 1975, Matty Healy, made an appearance on a podcast episode in February, wherein co-hosts Adam Friedland and Nick Mullen discussed the ethnicity and physique of rapper Ice Spice, better known for her song “Boy’s a Liar.”
Healy laughed in the background as the hosts impersonated Hawaiian, Inuit, and Chinese accents, calling her a “chubby Chinese lady” and an “Inuit Spice Girl.”
Healy started dating Taylor Swift shortly after, which increased the media attention to his remarks and infuriated Swifties. Fans pleaded with Swift to break up with the singer on social media, seeing their union as a betrayal of the celebrity’s reputation and purported morals.
Swift followed the uproar by releasing a remix of her Midnights song “Karma,” which included none other than Ice Spice. Some speculated that she brought Spice on the track as a diversion from Healy’s remarks.
When Healy saw Ice Spice perform live in April, he said, “I am kind of sorry if I offended you, and I just feel a bit bad.” Ice Spice later disclosed that everything was “good” between them after the two had discussed the matter face-to-face.
2. Oliver Anthony’s ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ divides the nation
Oliver Anthony was a one-time sensation who generated a lot of discussion. His popular folk ballad “Rich Men North of Richmond” was meant to be a critique of the nation’s decline and avaricious politicians, but millions on both sides of the political spectrum used it for their purposes.
It was used at a Republican debate, leading to a response from Anthony, who said, “I wrote that song about those people.
The song “Rich Men North of Richmond” shot to the top of the American charts after being featured in conservative news outlets.
When he stated that diversity in our nation “makes us strong,” he infuriated conservatives. As word got out that Anthony was stuck at Burning Man, he kept making headlines. However, it appears that after roughly four months, the Oliver Anthony Bonanza has subsided.
