Why Did COIN Break Up? The Unexpected Announcement That Some Fans Saw Coming
On Jan. 28, 2005, COIN announced they could no longer continue to move forward as a band via Instagram.
Published Jan. 29 2025, 2:06 p.m. ET
Whether you are a new or seasoned fan of COIN, you’ve probably asked the same question as everyone else: Why did COIN break up? After years of making music together, the indie pop band surprised everyone by suddenly announcing their split on Jan. 28, 2025. The news came from lead singer Chase Lawrence via the band’s official Instagram account. The post noted the group could no longer move forward as a band.
For some, the breakup of COIN came out of nowhere. Others, however, saw it coming. In the days leading up to this shocking announcement, speculation started to run wild on various fan forums. Fans noted tension and spotted cryptic social media behavior that they believed pointed to internal issues within the band. So, what really happened? More importantly, why were some COIN fans already braced for the end before it became official?
Why did COIN break up? Allegations and internal issues may have led to their split.
When Chase confirmed the breakup, he didn’t share many details, but his statement made it clear: “COIN can no longer continue as a band.” This decision was made not long after allegations surfaced against both his guitarist Joe Memmel and drummer Ryan Winnen. Unfortunately, the details of the allegations have not been made public. Just that Chase’s values did not align with his bandmates causing internal issues they couldn’t move past.
Although the full details remain unclear, discussions on Reddit suggest that these allegations played a significant role in the band’s dissolution. Some fans had already noticed a shift in dynamics leading up to the announcement — interviews felt different, band interactions on social media had decreased, and Chase seemed to be stepping into more of a solo identity.
Per chatter on Reddit, fans that were really paying attention caught on to the warning signs prior to the split officially being announced.
One individual penned in a thread on Reddit, "They have this soft boy image and I feel sick to my stomach about this. I hope this isn’t the end of COIN and I wonder if the other members knew about all of this."
"From my total guesswork after reading the initial twitter post and COIN's response on their story, it seems to me like Ryan told the band, and they agreed to not tell everyone and disgrace him but still kicked him out," a second fan chimed in.
While the general consensus on Reddit was feeling sick and disappointed with the band, fans were extremely cryptic in sharing details of what the allegations were. Unfortunately, most admitted they were just guessing and putting details together with what little information had been made public.
One individual on Reddit said what everyone else is thinking about the situation: "I’m just as confused as you are [about] what even happened."
So, why exactly did this band call it quits? It appears as if some internal issues — along with the allegations involving band members — made it impossible for them to continue. Some fans saw it coming, while others were completely blindsided. Either way, their departure leaves a noticeable gap in the indie-pop world.
Unfortunately, breakups like this always leave unanswered questions. Could things have played out differently? Will we ever get more details about what happened behind the scenes? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure — COIN’s music isn’t going anywhere. More importantly, neither will their fans as they raced to Chase’s personal Instagram account to reassure him he did the best he could.