Morrissey has condemned former record label Capitol for promoting the increasingly controversial Sam Smith and abandoning plans to release his latest album.
The former Smiths frontman was due to release Bonfire Of Teenagers, his fifteenth solo album, in February, but Capitol shelved the project after deciding to voluntarily leave the label two months earlier.
Morrissey, 63, has since accused his former label of hypocrisy for championing Smith, whose four albums – including the recently released Gloria – have all been supported by Capitol.
The Mancunian star also cited Smith’s controversial performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, where he sang hit single Unholy with transgender collaborator Kim Petras, as an example of the label’s perceived double standard.
Smith and Petras sparked dozens of complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over their “anti-Christian” stance during a sexually charged performance accompanied by dozens of dancers in devil costumes.
Not happy: Morrissey has slammed former record label Capitol for promoting the increasingly controversial Sam Smith while abandoning plans to release his latest album
In a statement on his official website, Morrissey wrote: “Capitol Records (Los Angeles) proudly promotes Sam Smith’s ‘Satanism’; yet they regard the honest truth of Morrissey’s factual ‘Bonfire of Teenagers’ as their greatest threat and they will not release it despite their contractual obligation and promise to do so.’
Smith, who identifies as non-binary and uses she/them pronouns, took to the stage at the annual awards show in red wearing a horned top hat as she performed her chart-topping song to the likes of Beyoncé and Dr. Dre performed .
In one of the FCC complaints, a viewer said they were canceling their television service because of the performance.
“For this reason, I will be canceling my television service,” reads a complaint from the outlet.
Other viewers described the depiction as “anti-Christian” and said it had the potential to “intensify violence against Christians.”
Speaking of which, Morrissey has accused his former label of hypocrisy for championing Smith, whose four albums to date have all been released by Capitol
The Devilish: The Mancunian star also cited Smith’s divisive performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards as an example of the label’s perceived double standards
Morrissey “voluntarily” left the label and its management company in December 2022, a year after signing a deal with them.
An earlier statement on his website read: “Morrissey is ‘too diverse’ for Universal Music Group. Capitol Records (Los Angeles) will eventually not release Morrissey’s 2021 album Bonfire Of Teenagers.
“At the same time, Capitol Records (Los Angeles) is sticking with the album.
“Although Morrissey is officially signed to Capitol Records Los Angeles, Morrissey has not been credited on Capitol’s website or artist list.
“Morrissey has said that while he doesn’t believe Capitol Records in Los Angeles signed Bonfire of Teenagers to sabotage it, he’s quick to believe so.”
Controversy: Smith and collaborator Kim Petras sparked dozens of complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over their “anti-Christian” stance at the event
His testimony: Morrissey “voluntarily” left Capitol and its management company in December 2022, a year after he signed a contract with them
The post then linked to an article on Medium written by Fiona Dodwell, which argued that Morrissey’s current unsigned status “proves a lack of true diversity in music”.
She wrote: “He was constantly criticized and crucified in the press for being outspoken and outspoken.
“In that sense, ‘diverse’ these days really seems to be about adapting – or being rejected.
“You can be diverse, but only like that, not like that,” the fine print seems to say.”
Morrissey was previously dropped by BMG in 2020, just months after releasing his latest album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain.
On hold: The singer had planned to release Bonfire Of Teenagers this month but announced in November that it had been postponed with no new release date offered
Problems: Morrissey was previously dropped by BMG in 2020, just months after releasing his latest album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain