Reaction to Morgan Wallen‘s new I’m the Problem album came immediately upon its release, with a few fans already declaring it the album of the summer — or even the album of the year.
In other cases, this kind of response came after a thoughtful digestion of the 37 songs.
Then there were fans like this guy, who posted just four minutes after the 117-minute-long project was made available at streaming services on Friday (May 16):
Given Wallen’s popularity and the sheer size of the album, I’m the Problem is all but guaranteed to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. A better judge of its quality and impact will come in the weeks to come.
If this project — Wallen’s fourth studio album — is still No. 1 in August, that’s a sign he’s created an all-timer.
Fan and critic response rolled in in several forms: The first, people who are posting to X or other social media platforms without actually listening. We’ve tried to ignore that kind of rhetoric.
Related: The 30 Best Morgan Wallen Songs
The second is from fans who love the project, and the third is those who are being more critical. Our ratio of praise to criticism is not necessarily reflective of the larger conversation. Instead, we tried to find people who’ve made interesting points, or those who broke down duets with Tate McRae, Eric Church and Ernest, and songs like “Miami” and “Kiss Her In Front of You.”
Let’s start there.
A few people shared a similar meme about song No. 18. Wallen didn’t have a hand in writing the beat-heavy, vengeful love song.
“I can’t wait to kiss her in front of you,” he sings to an ex that disposed of him like he was a candy bar wrapper.
The production of “Kiss Her in Front of You” is pretty far from traditional country, which tracks, because Wallen has always leaned hard into the edges of what’s acceptable on country radio with his deep cuts.
Still, some fans were expecting something more organic:
Collaborations with McRae, Church, Hardy and Ernest are songs some fans fast-forwarded to upon gaining access to I’m the Problem. The pop star collaboration was probably the most hyped, and by and large, fans seem to approve of it.
Even those trying hard to hate the country singer are throwing their hands up in frustration:
It’s being labeled the “best song on the album” by some, which brings us to the critical review portion of the reactions.
“Album of the Summer” takes are popular. On X (Twitter), @JDOPost called this the best country album ever created. While that feels premature, there is a fair amount of social applause for Wallen’s new project.
Others have been more hesitant to heap praise, and some people just flat-out don’t like the album, or elements of it:
The song “Miami” is a bit of a pin cushion. It’s inspired by Keith Whitley‘s “Miami, My Amy” to the point that the legendary song’s writers even get credit here.
The internet does not approve:
Finally, fans are announcing their favorite songs from I’m the Problem. There’s no consensus, but titles that keep popping up include “Jack and Jill,” “I Got Better,” “What I Want” and “Skoal Chevy and Browning.”
30 Best Morgan Wallen Songs Every Fan Should Know by Heart
We’ve even included a few early favorites from his 2025 project, I’m the Problem.
