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…
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.
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.”
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.
“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.
