Country music superstar Zach Bryan shared the snippet of a new song in which he slams ICE raids and reflects on kids who “are all scared and all alone” — sparking a conservative outcry on social media, a response from a DHS staffer, and a statement from a White House spokesperson.
In reaction to the backlash and negative responses, Bryan shared new social media posts doubling down on the message behind his yet-unreleased song tentatively titled “Bad News.”
Keep reading for a full breakdown of this story.
Zach Bryan shares snippet of a new song via social media.
In this snippet — shared as an Instagram grid post — Bryan sings that “out-of-town boys been giving us hell,” reflects on his friends and “the generational story of dropping the plot,” and criticizes actions of law enforcement agents and ICE raids.
Bryan sings, “I heard the cops came / Cocky motherfuckers, ain’t they? / And ICE is gonna come bust down your door / Try to build a house no one builds no more / But I got a telephone / Kids are all scared and all alone.”
The snippet concludes with Bryan referencing “The Boss” — Bruce Springsteen, his biggest idol — announcing that his “middle finger’s rising and it won’t stop showing,” and declaring, “I got some bad news / The fading of the red, white, and blue.”
Department of Homeland Security staffer reacts to Zach Bryan’s ‘Bad News’ snippet.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, reacted to Bryan’s new song with an X post that reads:
“Stick to Pink Skies, dude.”
For context, “Pink Skies” is a song from Bryan’s 2024 studio album The Great American Bar Scene. Both the song (which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100) and the album (which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200) were huge hits for the country singer last year.
White House spokesperson shares statement about Zach Bryan’s yet-unreleased song.
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the White House.Cristi Dangeorge/Shutterstock
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson also reacted to the lyrics of Bryan’s yet-unreleased song through a statement shared with Newsweek:
“While Zach Bryan wants to Open The Gates to criminal illegal aliens and has Condemned heroic ICE officers, Something in the Orange tells me a majority of Americans disagree with him and support President Trump’s great American Revival. Godspeed, Zach!”
Much like the X post from the DHS staffer, this statement from a White House spokesperson includes references to past songs and albums released by Bryan.
The song “Open the Gate,” for instance, centers on a narrator coming to terms with the fact that he will die just like his father did: riding a bull named To Hell I Go. Later in the song, the narrator foresees his son eventually facing that same reality, but considers that the kid will think of how both his father and his grandfather died the same way.
Overall, it’s a song that very much echoes the “generational story” motif referenced in the “Bad News” snippet lyrics.
Zach Bryan addresses the conservative backlash with new social media posts.
Zach Bryan via Instagram Story (1/2).Instagram (@zachlanebryan)
Bryan shared two Instagram Stories addressing the conservative backlash to the lyrics of his yet-unreleased song. The first of two, captioned, “pls fuckn read this,” read:
“On the ‘new’ song:
I wrote this song months ago. I posted this song three months ago as a snippet. This shows you how divisive a narrative can be when shoved down our throats through social media. This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything. When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle.
Everyone using this now as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divided we all are. We need to find our way back.
I served this country, I love this country and the song itself is about all of us coming out of this divided space. I wasn’t speaking as a politician or some greater-than-thou asshole, just a 29 year old man who is just as confused as everyone else.
To see how much shit it stirred up makes me not only embarrassed but kind of scared. Left wing or right wing we’re all one bird and American. To be clear I’m on neither of these radical sides. To all those disappointed in me on either side of whatever you believe in just know I’m trying my best too and we all say things that are misconstrued sometimes.
Everyone have a great day and I love each and every one of ya!!!”
Despite this first statement coming to a conclusion, the country singer shared an additional, shorter Instagram Story post.
Zach Bryan via Instagram Story (2/2).Instagram (@zachlanebryan)
Bryan’s second and final Instagram Story, captioned “to add,” read:
“The last few months of my life I’ve been scrutinized by more people than I ever thought possible. I feel like I’ve tried my hardest in so many ways and it’s so hard to see where my bearings even are anymore. Been falling off a cliff while trying to grow wings at the same time.
I am SO proud to have served in a country where we can all speak freely and converse amongst each other without getting doxxed or accosted on the internet or worse; the violence and heartbreak we’ve faced in the last few months!
God speed ol sons I’m out!”
As of this writing, Bryan hasn’t shared anything else on social media to respond or reference this discourse.
Zach Bryan’s full lyrics in the ‘Bad News’ snippet.
Given that this isn’t an official track that Bryan has released yet — with accompanying imagery, visuals, and text-based references — the lyrics of “Bad News” are still informal transcriptions of what Bryan is heard singing in the snippet.
TikTok fan-page @zachbryanarchive shared a video that includes Bryan’s voice and the presumed lyrics. Those full lyrics, in text form, can be read below.
“Didn’t wake up dead or in jail
Some out-of-town boys been giving us hell
I got some bad news, I woke up missing you
My friends are all degenerates, but they’re all I got
The generational story of dropping the plot
I heard the cops came, cocky motherfuckers, ain’t they?
And ICE is gonna come bust down your door
Try to build a house no one builds no more
But I got a telephone
Kids are all scared and all alone
The Boss stopped bumping, the rock stopped rolling
The middle finger’s rising and it won’t stop showing
I got some bad news
The fading of the red, white, and blue”
How big is Zach Bryan’s career and impact in country music?
Top 10 Artists in the U.S. via Spotify Wrapped 2024. Spotify
Zach Bryan, 29, is one of the most popular and successful country singers of his generation.
Last year, Out reported on the 2024 Spotify Wrapped data that showed Bryan in third place within the “Top 10 Artists In The U.S.” ranking, only losing to Taylor Swift at No. 1 and Drake at No. 2.
Spotify data also showed that Bryan’s song “I Remember Everything (feat. Kacey Musgraves)” ranked among the “Top 10 Songs In The U.S.” for the year — as did his self-titled album, Zach Bryan, as one of the “Top 10 Albums In The U.S.” for the streaming service. As of this writing, Bryan has nearly 26 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Bryan has received four Grammy nominations and won a 2024 Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “I Remember Everything” — his collab with Musgraves.
Bryan’s three most recent studio albums have all debuted within a top 5 placement on the Billboard 200 charts. The country star also has three top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 — including “I Remember Everything,” which reached the No. 1 spot in September 2023.
Editor’s note: This story is still developing…
