An unusual discovery within a Taylor Swift merchandise package has drawn a public reaction from musician Aaron Lewis, whose unreleased album artwork was reportedly used as shredded packing material.
Unexpected Discovery Sparks Online Buzz
The incident came to light after a fan shared an unboxing video online, revealing pieces of what appeared to be the album cover for Lewis’s forthcoming record, "Give Me Back My Country," among the packaging filler. The Staind frontman subsequently addressed the matter on Thursday via a social media post, acknowledging the peculiar situation.
"Oh look, there’s my new album, that hasn’t even been released yet, shredded as packaging paper in Taylor Swift merch," Lewis wrote on X. "Ain’t that some s---."
Lewis's new album, "Give Me Back My Country," is scheduled for release on July 17 through Big Machine Label Group.
Lewis Expresses Confusion and Concern
In a recent interview, Lewis explained that he was unaware of the mix-up until his team informed him about it. He noted his limited engagement with social media platforms.
"I don’t have any social media. I didn’t have it when I was younger. It’s never felt important to me," he stated. "I never even had a MySpace. So I don’t see anything of that type of stuff. And when this was brought to me, I was just like, ‘What is going on? This is just weird.'"
He further elaborated on the significance of the artwork, emphasizing its unreleased status.
"That’s the cover to my brand new record that hasn’t even been put out yet," Lewis explained. "As artists, we put our trust in the distribution companies to get our material way up front and trust that they’ll be responsible with what it is that we give them."
The musician conveyed his uncertainty regarding how such an event could have transpired.
"I hate to think it’s malicious, but at the same time, I don’t know that it’s not," he remarked. "I haven’t even put the record out yet. It’s not like its old stuff that was just sitting around that they decided to make packing material out of. It’s my new record. I just don’t understand how something like that can happen."
No Blame Directed at Taylor Swift
Despite the unusual circumstances, Lewis was careful to express that he holds no ill will toward Taylor Swift herself.
"We live in two very, very different worlds. And she’s such a huge star that her world doesn’t intertwine with anyone’s worlds," Lewis commented. "I certainly wouldn’t be trying to bring her into this or blame her for anything. It just so happens that it was my record cover in her gift box for her fans."
He also clarified that his public comments were not intended as a promotional tactic for his upcoming album.
"I don’t want people to think that this was an opportunity to promote my new record," Lewis affirmed. "I don’t understand how a shredded-up copy of my new record’s art ended up in a Taylor Swift gift box for her fans."
