Oh man, the country world just got a whole lot rowdier — and no, this ain’t about a bar fight or a tailgate gone wrong. We’re talking about rising star Gavin Adcock “lighting up” fellow country hitmaker Zach Bryan in a way that has fans doing double takes and reaching for the popcorn.
Let’s break it down. It started with a TikTok video — because of course it did — showing a disappointed 14-year-old fan who claimed he waited three hours after a Zach Bryan show hoping for a quick autograph or hello. Instead? Allegedly, Bryan drove off without a word. Now, that alone could’ve blown over like a tumbleweed… until Bryan reportedly fired back online with a now-deleted, blunt-as-a-boot comment: ““You’re not entitled after someone plays two and a half hours to a picture or a hello. GOMD.”” (That last part stands for exactly what you think it does.)
Enter Gavin Adcock — singer, former Georgia Southern football player, and now, officially the guy not afraid to say what a “lot” of people might be thinking. On the “Rolling Stone Nashville Now” podcast, Adcock didn’t sugarcoat a thing. He called Bryan’s reaction “immature,” slammed the lack of compassion, and made it “very” clear he wasn’t buying the “aw-shucks, humble heartland hero” image Bryan is known for.
“I think Zach Bryan puts on a big mask,” Adcock said. “Sometimes he can’t help but rip it off and show his true colors.”
Yikes. That’s not a light jab. That’s a verbal haymaker.
And Adcock wasn’t done. He took it to X (formerly Twitter), writing: ““If you can’t handle the criticism of a 14-year-old why do people idolize you?”” Then he turned the volume up even louder: ““That kid was head over heels to meet you… they’re the only reason you’re around.””
That’s the kind of comment that sticks. It cuts past the PR fluff and hits where it counts — the fanbase. And let’s be honest, in country music, authenticity “matters.” You can sing about trucks, heartbreak, and Mama’s cooking all day long… but if folks start questioning your heart? That’s a problem.
Now, to be fair, Bryan hasn’t publicly clapped back at Adcock, and reps for both artists are staying quiet for now. But that silence? It’s starting to feel “loud.”
And let’s not forget — this isn’t Adcock’s first dust-up. Just weeks ago, he called out Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album, straight-up saying it ““ain’t country music”” and even joked on stage, “You can tell her we’re coming for her f—in’ a–.” Later, he tried to clarify it wasn’t personal, but the message was clear: Gavin Adcock is here to plant his boots in the dirt and defend what “he” thinks country music should be.
So now, the stage is set. On one mic: Zach Bryan, the chart-topping poet of small-town angst. On the other: Gavin Adcock, the unapologetic newcomer with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.
