The musician reportedly has a history of emotionally manipulative and sexually inappropriate actions.
Over a dozen colleagues and seven women have come forward for a New York Times report, alleging that musician Ryan Adams has a “pattern of manipulative behaviour in which Adams dangled career opportunities while simultaneously pursuing female artists for sex.” [sic]
Better Oblivion Community Center’s Phoebe Bridgers contributed her own experience to the piece, detailing a short-lived romantic relationship with Adams in 2014 where he made unfulfilled promises of collaborations. She also provided a description of Adams’ controlling and disturbing behaviour, including “barraging her with texts, insisting that she prove her whereabouts, or leave social situations to have phone sex, and threatening suicide if she didn’t reply immediately.”
Adams’ former wife, American actress and musician Mandy Moore, spoke out about their troubled marriage, which ended in 2016. Moore detailed Adams’ “psychologically abusive” treatment of her, which included denigrating her musical talents by repeatedly telling her, “You’re not a real musician, because you don’t play an instrument.” Another former partner, ex-fiancée Megan Butterworth, characterised Adams as “controlling and emotionally abusive” and described his attempts to isolate her socially and professionally, as well as menacing conduct which included “smashing things and physically intimidating her.”
The allegations against Adams included that he had embarked on an online sexual relationship with an underage fan, starting when she was 14 years old. Over a nine month period, the musician sent texts of a “graphic” nature and “exposed himself during phone sex.”
Adams has since taken to Twitter to argue that “the picture that this article paints is upsettingly inaccurate”. He states: “I would never have inappropriate interactions with someone I thought was underage.”
See Adams’ Twitter statements below.
I am not a perfect man and I have made many mistakes. To anyone I have ever hurt, however unintentionally, I apologize deeply and unreservedly.
— Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams) February 13, 2019
As someone who has always tried to spread joy through my music and my life, hearing that some people believe I caused them pain saddens me greatly. I am resolved to work to be the best man I can be. And I wish everyone compassion, understanding and healing.
— Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams) February 13, 2019
UPDATE (15 February): In the aftermaths of the New York Times report, Ryan Adams’ forthcoming album Big Colours will no longer be released. The LP was to be available for purchase from 19 April via Adams’ own Pax-Am label, but has been taken down from iTunes, Apple Music and the Pax-Am website. Physical music retailers such as Bull Moose and SRCVinyl have also confirmed that Big Colours will not be available.
