Outrage Over Jason Aldean's 'Try That in a Small Town' Backfires as Song Tops Hot 100
So, how’s that social quarantine of “Try That in a Small Town” working?
Weeks after Jason Aldean’s hit song was accused of being a “dog whistle” for racist “violence” by numerous mainstream media publications after its video was published, the country song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on Monday, giving Aldean his first single atop the chart.
According to a Billboard report on Monday announcing the latest Hot 100, this is the first time that country music has held the top three spots on the wider singles chart. Not only that, but all three spots are held by songs and/or artists that drive the left mad more than your usual ode to pickup trucks or small-town living.
At No. 2 with “Last Night” was the uncancelable Morgan Wallen, an artist who’s infuriated progressives.
At No. 3, meanwhile, is Luke Combs’ “Fast Car,” which has given liberal outlets fits because it’s a working-class male cis white kid covering a song by a black female LGBT songwriter.
However, the jump from No. 2 last week to No. 1 this week was a huge one for Aldean. Streams for “Try That” were up 165 percent compared to last week, according to Billboard, and it also was up 21 percent in radio airplay impressions, although straight-up sales were down 23 percent.
The song still tops the digital sales chart at that lower number, however, and it jumped from No. 37 to No. 3 in terms of streaming songs.
In addition, Aldean managed to set a record for longest time between first appearance on the Hot 100 and first No. 1 single at less than a month short of 18 years.
Since “Hicktown” debuted on the chart on Aug. 13, 2005, Aldean has had 40 entries on the Hot 100 — but none have topped the charts.
And ascension didn’t come despite controversy, but rather because of it.
“On July 18, Billboard confirmed that CMT had pulled the official video for ‘Try That in a Small Town’ after three days in rotation; the network declined to say why. Following CMT’s decision, Aldean posted a message to his Instagram Stories regarding the contrasting reactions that the song and video have faced,” Billboard noted.
“The song’s video was released on July 14, featuring footage of an American flag burning, protesters in confrontation with police, looters breaking a display case and thieves robbing a convenience store; it has since been edited, cutting six seconds. The clip has prompted a firestorm of opinions about it and the song’s intent and messaging.”
That “firestorm of opinions” included a denunciation by Rolling Stone — a music publication that once defended the singer behind “Cop Killer,” Ice-T. Because apparently “try that in a small town / see how far you make it down the road” is much more offensive than “cop killer, I know your momma’s grieving (f*** her!) / cop killer, but tonight we get even, yeah! / Die, die, die pig, die / F*** the police, f*** the police, f*** the police, f*** the police.”
This is the outlet that celebrated and defended Ice-T’s “Cop Killer”, and put him on the cover in regards to that call for violence. Today, they are melting down when Jason Aldean does not call out for violence directly. Grow the hell up. https://t.co/A0MOX7pYoN pic.twitter.com/0uPqzs6x4n
— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) July 20, 2023
Well, while the music media keeps on wringing its hands, Americans keep on voting with what they’re listening to — which, again, is country music at the top of a chart that usually sees pop acts at its upper echelons.
As Aldean’s wife Brittany noted on Instagram, the media’s agenda didn’t pan out.
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“Well, yesterday was a monumental day for @jasonaldean,” she wrote Tuesday. “#1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart!!
“A career first,” she said, before adding: “That sure did backfire, didn’t it?? The best fans EVERRRR.”
And gaining more every day, it seems — much to the horror of mainstream and legacy music outlets who are more than willing to stand up for the most heinous music, provided it backs their worldview, but tries to damn Jason Aldean over a relatively mild song simply because it refutes it.
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