It’s no secret that Jason Aldean set the music world on fire with his song “Try That In A Small Town.”
Released back in May, the song calls out rioting and looting in big cities while also taking a strong stance against gun control. And the video for the song features clips of riots and looting from around the world while Aldean sings in front of the Maury County courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee.
While Jason maintains the the song is about big city lawlessness and the call for peace, other have deemed the video as racist and violent.
He released a statement that read:
“In the past 24 hours, I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests. These references are not only meritless but dangerous. There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it- and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage -and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music- this one goes too far.
As so many pointed out, I was present at Route, 91-where so many lost their lives- and our community recently suffered another heartbreaking tragedy. NO ONE, including me, wants to continue to see senseless headlines or families ripped apart.
Try That In A Small Town, for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences.
My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to that’s what this song is about.”
Just give it a listen for yourself:
However, amongst the backlash Aldean has received, “Try That In A Small Town” jumped up to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
With that being said, the song’s massive jump to number one now marks the first time in the history of the top 100 that three country songs occupy to the top three spots on the chart.
“Try That In A Small Town” is followed by Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night,” and Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.”
The song also marks the first Hot 100 #1 for Aldean.
One Of The Biggest Songs Of 2023
So much for cancel culture, eh?
Many online have accused the outspoken country singer of featuring racist lyrics and imagery in both the song and video, with the outcry leading CMT to pull the video from their rotation. And still others cried foul on a pro-gun anthem coming from the headliner of the Route 91 Harvest Festival, after Aldean was on stage when the massacre broke out in Las Vegas in 2017.
While Sheryl Crow joined in those criticizing the song, many country stars have spoken out in support of Aldean, including Cody Johnson, Travis Tritt, and of course Brantley Gilbert. And it’s even got the attention of many politicians, with presidential hopefuls Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump throwing their support behind Aldean.
Of course the controversy surrounding the song really hasn’t hurt Jason or the song any.
Not only did the song shoot to the #1 spot on the iTunes all-genre chart, Aldean’s other albums saw a boost from the controversy too, at one point making up 5 of the top 10 albums on the iTunes country charts.
And now, the song itself is not only already one of the best-selling country songs of the entire year, but it debuted at #2 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as claiming the top spot on the Hot Country Songs chart.
And its sales have absolutely skyrocketed: After being released in May, the song had only sold 1,000 units per day the week before the controversy. But this past week, sales jumped to 228,000 units. And streams of the song have gone from 987,000 before last week to over 11.7 MILLION in the past week, a mind-boggling 999% increase.
Based on just the sales over the last week, it’s enough to make it the fourth-highest selling song of 2023.
Absolutely insane.
