Jason Aldean’s latest single, “Try That in a Small Town,” apparently urged CMT to stop playing it, which has left many of his fans scratching their heads.
If you’re not familiar with Jason Aldean, he’s a super-talented American country music artist, songwriter, and TV personality. He’s had some major success in his career, selling a whopping 10 studio albums that have all been certified platinum or multi-platinum by the RIAA.
He’s also won tons of awards, including 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards, and 2 American Music Awards. Needless to say, he’s one of the most celebrated country stars of the 2010s, and his talent and dedication are undeniable.
Despite Aldean’s impressive career, he has often gotten into hot waters because of his straightforward political views, often being a part of his songs.
What Did Jason Aldean Do?
In May of this year, Jason unveiled his latest album, which included the song “Try That in a Small Town.” The artist expressed his desire to promote a sense of unity and mutual respect among small-town individuals through this particular track. However, despite his intentions, a number of viewers found the music video to be unsettling and took issue with its message.
Jason has maintained that “Try That in a Small Town” is an attempt to reconnect with the values and traditions of small-town America. However, some have accused the song of promoting violence and lynching and argue that it does not align with traditional American values.
The video, however, has ignited flames of controversy as many found the artist to be wrongly interpreting the small town as a breeding ground of violence and lynching. People have found that Aldean’s presentation glorifies violent behaviors such as gun-firing and racism, which many found divisive.
For instance, several TikTok users quoted lyrics such as,
“Well, try that in a small town / See how far you make it down the road / Around here we take care of our own / You cross that line, it won’t take long / For you to find out, I recommend you don’t.”
Many pointed out the lyrics imply attacks on outsiders, the use of criminal activities towards them, and the use of guns, as quoted in another set of lyrics.
“I’ve got a gun that my granddad gave me / they say one day they’re gonna round up. / Well, that s*** might fly in the city / good luck / Try that in a small town.”
What’s Aldean’s Response To The Controversy?
Despite the controversy, the artist has clarified on Twitter that the song does not touch on issues such as race or the “Black Lives Matter” movement and is not meant to offend or incite violence.
Aldean, in fact, accused the people of taking the lyrics “too far” and said it was, indeed, “dangerous.” The singer still feels that his song doesnt promote nor endorse any violence or hatred towards any race or people of color as being accused. His words made it clear that somewhere, people mistook the lyrics, and the concept of the video got twisted and was given a different narrative altogether.
“There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it,” he wrote on Twitter. “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.”
“NO ONE, including me, wants to continue to see senseless headlines or families ripped apart,” he wrote.
In his two-decade-long career, Aldean has been very vocal about his political views, which often is reflected in his songs.
Despite the backlash, there are still supporters of Jason who defend the song and argue that it is not as provocative as it has been made out to be. Even the producers of the songs have vouched for Aldean, stating that things have been given a different narrative.
Where Is Jason Aldean’s Removed Video?
Since CMT has stopped playing the song, the artist has uploaded the now viral song on his YouTube channel.
Watch it here:
The video has amassed an impressive 8.2 million views within six days.
Now that you’ve heard the song and know what exactly the controversy is, do you also find it controversial?
Do you think the lyrics incited violence? Or do you think artists should be able to express their views freely without the fear of being misjudged? Let us know!
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