Morgan Wallen’s concert at Denver’s Mile High Stadium on July 3rd took an unexpected turn when a fan threw an iPhone at him during his performance of “Cowgirls.” The incident, captured on video by an audience member, shows Wallen being struck on the shoulder by the phone. Remarkably, Wallen barely flinched, picked up the phone, and tossed it back into the crowd before continuing his performance.
This isn’t the first time Wallen has faced such disruptions. In March 2023, during a show in Melbourne, Australia, a fan threw a drink at him. Wallen stopped the music, stared at the area where the cup came from, and demanded that the culprit own up to it. The crowd chanted “kick them out,” and Wallen pointed out the offender, leading to their ejection from the venue.
More recently, in Minneapolis, Wallen was hit in the face with women’s underwear while performing. These incidents are part of a troubling trend where fans throw objects at artists during concerts. This behavior has been on the rise, affecting not just Wallen but other artists as well.
In June 2023, Pink was left shocked when a fan threw their mother’s ashes onto the stage during a performance at BST Hyde Park. Cardi B had water thrown at her during a concert in August 2023, and Bebe Rexha was hit with a phone in June 2023, causing injury. Harry Styles and Kid Cudi have also faced similar disruptions, with Styles being hit in the eye by a Skittle during a 2022 show in Los Angeles and Kid Cudi cutting his Rolling Loud set short due to fans throwing bottles at him.
Wallen himself has faced legal troubles for his own object-throwing episode. On April 7, he was arrested for allegedly throwing a chair off a rooftop bar in Nashville, just days after starting his One Night At A Time North American tour. He was charged with three counts of reckless endangerment and one count of disorderly conduct. The case is set to continue later this summer, with the next hearing scheduled for August 15.
Despite these challenges, Wallen’s popularity continues to soar. His collaboration with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help,” recently rebounded from 2-1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking its sixth non-consecutive week at the top. The song, Post Malone’s sixth leader and Wallen’s second, spent its first five weeks on the list at No. 1 beginning upon its debut in May.
The collaboration is the first to log six weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 2024, surpassing the five weeks on top (of six in total dating to late 2023) for Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me.” No song has led longer since Wallen’s “Last Night” rang up 16 weeks, nonconsecutively, at No. 1 in March-August last year.
“I Had Some Help” also hits No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart, becoming a rare title that has topped the all-format airplay tally as well as the Country Airplay survey.
The trend of fans throwing objects at artists is concerning and poses a significant risk to performers. While some artists, like Wallen, manage to handle these situations with composure, others have had to cut their performances short or have been injured. Concertgoers must remember that such actions can have serious consequences and disrupt the enjoyment of the event for everyone.
As Wallen continues his tour, fans and security teams will need to remain vigilant to ensure that such incidents do not repeat. The safety of artists and audience members alike should be a top priority at any live event.
Source: Billboard, John Shearer/Getty Images
