What are the new allegations against Michael Tait? Complete controversy explained as a musician under fire

Michael Tait, once a celebrated figure in the Christian music scene as a frontman for both DC Talk and the Newsboys, is now facing serious controversies that have shocked fans and colleagues alike. The allegations swirling around the musician are raw, heartbreaking, and deeply disturbing, upending decades of gospel-fueled branding.

Sources have come forward to paint a picture of a man living two lives, on stage as a spiritual voice, and offstage, grappling with addiction and behavior that he has now partially admitted. As the fallout expands from his dropped record deals to radio bans, the full picture of what these new allegations against Michael Tait mean for him and the broader music community is emerging.

New allegations against Michael Tait: complete controversy explained as the musician under fire

The new allegations against Michael Tait outline a pattern of s*xual misconduct and substance abuse stretching from the late 1990s through the early 2000s. An explosive investigative piece published on June 13, 2025, by The Guardian reveals two additional men (Jason Jones (early Evanescence manager) and musician Randall Crawford) who claim Tait drugged and s*xually violated them around 1998–2000, bringing the total number of accusers to eight.

Earlier in June, The Roys Report had detailed allegations from three men who say Tait groomed and assaulted them at ages between their teens and twenties, during incidents in 2004, 2010, and 2014. Two of those men accused him of drugging them before assaulting them. One of the cases involved a woman who says she was drugged and raped while Tait watched, with video evidence supporting the claim, and that the band’s tour manager helped cover up the incident.

In response, how has Tait reacted? On June 10, he posted an Instagram statement, titled “My Confession”, admitting that many allegations were “largely true.” He acknowledged two decades of cocaine and alcohol abuse and said he had occasionally touched men in “an unwanted sensual way.” Though he disputed some specifics, he didn’t dispute the core accusations. Tait said he stepped down from Newsboys in January to seek help, completed a six‑week rehab program in Utah, and is committed to repentance and spiritual healing away from the spotlight.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Michael Tait (@michaeltait)

The band's reaction also surfaced. The remaining Newsboys members said they were “devastated” and “heartbroken,” expressing support for victims and claiming they were unaware of the full extent of the behavior at the time, even though rumors had been circulating. Some Christian radio stations, including K‑LOVE, pulled all post‑2009 and in some cases all Newsboys and DC Talk music from rotation, citing concerns over complicity. The band was dropped by Capitol Christian Music Group shortly thereafter.

Voices from the broader Christian music community have also weighed in. Paramore’s Hayley Williams slammed the industry for enabling Tait, calling out those who knew and stayed silent, accusing Christian labels and insiders of a system that protected predators at the expense of victims.

One former bandmate, drummer Darren King of Earthsuit/Mutemath, publicly shared that he was identified in prior reports, described feeling uncomfortable during a forced advance early in their friendship, and asserted others had suffered far worse, including assaults at Tait's house. King called Tait’s public confession “B.S.”, said it downplayed the harm, and demanded justice through the courts. He also alleged that Tait’s inner circle worked to suppress criticism and preserve his image.

All told, the allegations paint a grim, far-reaching portrait: a musician who used his status within the Christian music world to allegedly exploit others, while leading a covert life of substance abuse and denial. As more victims come forward and institutions reckon with their role in protecting him, the controversy continues to unfold.