Country music sensation Zach Bryan has deactivated his social media account following backlash from Taylor Swift fans. The 28-year-old musician took to Twitter to express his preference for Kanye West over Taylor Swift in a now-deleted tweet, sparking outrage among Swift's loyal fanbase. Bryan later apologized on his Instagram Stories, clarifying that his comment was made impulsively while under the influence of alcohol.

According to a screenshot shared by Variety, Bryan tweeted on September 17, "eagles > chiefs" and followed it up with "Kanye > Taylor" before asking, "who's with me?" The tweet led to swift criticism from Taylor Swift fans, prompting Bryan to deactivate his X account.

Taking to Instagram on September 18, Bryan began a series of posts to address the controversy. He expressed that his intention was not to attack Taylor Swift but rather to compare two musical records while inebriated. Bryan acknowledged the controversy surrounding Kanye West, who has faced backlash for anti-Semitic social media posts in 2022, but emphasized that his comment was purely focused on music.

"I love Taylor's music and hope you guys know I'm human and sometimes tweet stupid things," Bryan wrote, showing regret for his impulsive tweet. He further expressed his desire to explain the situation to Swift and stated that it was best for him to stay off social media for the time being. Bryan admitted to going through a challenging period in his life and allowing it to affect his post.

In his Instagram post, Bryan emphasized his profound respect for Taylor Swift as a musician and expressed his gratitude for her contributions to the music industry. He admitted that his tweet came off as rude and apologized for any misunderstanding it may have caused.

The "eagles > chiefs" part of Bryan's tweet was interpreted as a reference to Taylor Swift's association with the Kansas City Chiefs through her relationship with superstar tight end Travis Kelce. Meanwhile, Bryan has ties to the Philadelphia Eagles through his mention of the Philadelphia football team. However, it is important to note that Bryan's tweet was primarily focused on his preference for Kanye West over Taylor Swift in terms of music.

Taylor Swift and Kanye West have a well-documented history stemming from West's infamous interruption of Swift's acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2009. Over the years, both artists have made references to each other through their music or in the media. Most recently, Swift's song "thanK you aIMee" from her album "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology" was seen as a veiled reference to her feud with Kanye West's ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.

Bryan's since-deleted tweet mentioned this particular song, confirming his love for Taylor and claiming that his controversial tweet was a result of drunkenly listening to her album. Bryan reiterated his admiration for both artists and emphasized the transformative nature of the music industry.

It is worth noting that both Taylor Swift's album "The Tortured Poets Department" and Zach Bryan's "The Great American Bar Scene" have been competing on the Billboard 200 chart. Swift's album currently holds the No. 5 position, while Bryan's sits at No. 7. Furthermore, Bryan has two other albums within the top 20, while Swift has four previous albums in the top 50. Kanye West's recent release, "Vultures 2," did not make it onto the top 200 chart, though two of his previous albums are currently on the chart.

As the controversy surrounding Zach Bryan's tweet subsides, both artists continue to garner success and captivate audiences with their respective albums. Bryan's decision to deactivate his social media account highlights the impact of fan culture and the need for thoughtful and respectful engagement in the digital space.