On March 10, 2003, performing at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines declared, in a statement picked up by The Guardian, "We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."
In the heated political climate of 2003, their statement infamously triggered a wave of criticism in the U.S., including from many country music listeners who were generally supportive of the war. The band members received death threats, country radio stations stopped playing their music, and sales went into free fall; their single "Landslide" - a cover of the Fleetwood Mac song - fell from 10th to 43rd on Billboard Hot 100.
Natalie Maines apologized for her statement a few days later, but would later revoke her apology. In 2006 they released an album titled Taking the Long Way and a documentary, Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing, addressing the controversy and its impact on their lives. The Chicks - who dropped Dixie from their name in 2020 - continue to record and perform today.