Newsboys, the legendary Christian rock supergroup, have been dropped from their record label following investigations by the Guardian and other media outlets into their former singer Michael Tait, who has been accused of sexually assaulting three men in the early 2000s, two of whom said they believed they had been drugged by the rock star.
The 40-year-old band has struggled to retain its once-massive fanbase in the wake of the allegations and a flurry of public questioning about what individuals in Tait’s circle might have known about his recent admission that he has led a “double life”.
The news that Capitol Christian Music Group dropped the Newsboys was announced by the band’s lead singer, Adam Agee, at a reportedly sold-out show on Sunday night in Scottsdale, Arizona.
“As a result of all this and the things that have come out that [Tait’s] done and he’s confessed to, we’ve been dropped from our record label,” he said.
“We’ve had radio stations pull our music. We’ve been cancelled by promoters and venues all over the world.”
Agee reportedly also said the band was aware that Tait was having “personal struggles”, but was shocked by investigations published by the Roys Report and the Guardian.
“It was so shocking to us, because that’s not the guy we knew,” he said. “The guy that we knew, that we’ve been on the road with, he was our family. He was our brother, and a friend to our families, to our kids …
“It just has been devastating to us, and our families have felt like our names [have] been dragged through the mud because of all this, and it’s really, really hurt our kids.”
While most Christian artists have remained silent on the matter, Hayley Williams of the band Paramore condemned the Christian music industry that “enabled” Tait.
Newsboys being dropped from their label came only weeks after the band released their new album, World Wide Revival (Deluxe). This came on the heels of K-LOVE Radio, the largest Christian radio station on the air, pulling the Newsboys catalogue from its circulation, and a Canadian promoter cancelling dates from Newsboys’ current world tour.
Members of Newsboys did not respond to a request for comment. Capitol Christian Music Group did not respond to a request for comment.
Throughout the 90s, Tait’s first band, DC Talk, redefined the contemporary Christian music (CCM) genre, selling 8m albums and winning four Grammys. In 2009, Tait became the new frontman for the CCM legacy band Newsboys, whose hit song God’s Not Dead became a Maga anthem and spawned a series of popular Christian films of same name, which featured cameos by Tait. The majority of Tait’s music infused Christian right talking points with rock sounds, culminating in Tait’s influential support for Donald Trump’s presidential campaigns.
Last January, Tait was accused by a former colleague on TikTok of being secretly gay. The following day, Tait stepped down as Newsboys singer, offering little explanation. Six months later, the Christian media site the Roys Report revealed allegations that Tait had sexually assaulted two young men while secretly abusing cocaine and alcohol. This was followed by Tait confessing in a post published on Instagram that he’d been living “a double life”, and had, at times, “touched men in an unwanted, sensual way”.
In the Instagram statement, Tait also wrote: “I am ashamed of my life choices and actions and make no excuses for them. I will simply call it what God calls it – sin.” He added: “While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them”.
“Even before this recent news became public, I had started on a path to health, healing, and wholeness … I accept the consequences of my sin and am committed to continuing the hard work of repentance and healing – work [which] I will do quietly and privately, away from the stage and the spotlight.”
The Guardian published its own months-long investigation into Tait on 13 June, revealing the stories of three young men alleging Tait sexually assaulted them, including two who said they believed he had drugged them beforehand (and one of whom was a minor at the time). Four others claimed Tait was sexually inappropriate with them, one of whom was 13 when Tait allegedly exposed and fondled his penis before him in a restaurant bathroom.
Tait did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment at the time, and has not responded to a second request for comment in connection to the Newsboys being dropped by their record label.
Williams, of the band Paramore, posted an Instagram story of the Guardian’s headline, overlaid with text that read, in part: “I hope the CCM industry crumbles. And fuck all of you who knew and didn’t do a damn thing.”
While Paramore is not a CCM band, Williams – who has 4 million followers on Instagram – grew up around the Christian music industry, and the band’s former guitarist Justin York performed with Tait on his solo projects. Both he and his brother Taylor York, the band’s current guitarist, are the sons of the former chairman and CEO of Capitol Christian Music Group.
“The amount of things I have to say and the amount of people I know who were likely changed forever by this man and by the industry that empowered/enabled him … ,” Williams wrote in her IG story.
Michael Sweet, singer of the 80s Christian metal band Stryper, made a vague reference to Tait in a Facebook post, where he stopped short of naming the singer, but mentioned “what’s going on in the Christian music world lately”, adding: “It’s important to understand (and I’m not condoning any bad behavior or wrong doings), that Christians are sinners. Once you accept Christ, you still have to deal with a lifetime of temptations, frustrations and weaknesses.”
Just after the Roys Report story broke (but before Tait’s confession), his former bandmates in Newsboys released a statement, saying in part: “Last night our hearts were shattered when we read the news alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions by our former lead singer, Michael Tait … We are horrified, heartbroken, and angry at this report and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the last fifteen years.”
Questions about what the band may have known about Tait’s alleged behavior – including allegations of sexual assault – quickly circulated online. Some pointed to a Facebook comment by Agee, Newsboys guitarist who replaced Tait as singer, posted before Newsboys’ official statement. He wrote: “We have obviously heard the rumors over the years … We asked Tait each time something would come up and he would deny it emphatically.” The post has since been deleted.
Darren King, the drummer for the Christian rock band Mutemath, released a video on Instagram on Tuesday and described what he alleged was an uncomfortable encounter with Tait, who he claimed touched him inappropriately during a dinner about 20 years ago. In the post, King said he had contributed to reporting in both the Guardian and the Roys Report.
“Someone could only engage in this level of predation over this length of time – potentially over two decades – with the help of a team of helpers,” said King, who has worked in the Christian music industry for 20 years. “I believe Tait has a team of people who spend their time and money clearing his reputation and suppressing criticism, suppressing the truth.”
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
