Small Town by Jason Aldean is number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart
Jason Aldean’s controversial hit, Try That in a Small Town, tops the Billboard 100 chart, while his wife took issue with critics calling it “pro-lynching.”
The 46-year-old’s song went relatively unnoticed when it first came out in May, but it sparked a fervent debate among critics and fans after he released an anti-woke music video for it on July 14.
CMT pulled it off the air amid massive backlash over the dramatic music video and lyrics, which critics say glorify violence and fuel racism — something Aldean has denied.
Critics noted that much of the video was filmed in front of a courthouse notorious for being the site of the lynching of a black man by a white mob, while Aldean claimed that “there’s not a single lyric in the song that references by race or points. to it’.
The song rose to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart on Thursday, passing compatriots Morgan Wallen’s Last Night at number 2 and Luke Combs’ cover of Fast Car at number 3.
Jason Aldean’s wife Brittany, 35, said criticism of his Try That in a Small Town video “certainly backfired” in an Instagram post praising her beau when his tune hit No. 1 on the Billboard 100
The 46-year-old’s song went relatively unnoticed when it first came out in May, but it sparked a fervent debate among critics and fans after he released a dramatic music video for it on July 14.
Brittany said her husband had “the best fans ever” after his song topped the Billboard 100
Aldean’s polarizing video has also been viewed 24 million times on YouTube in its first three weeks.
His wife Brittany, 35, said criticism of his video “certainly backfired” on Tuesday in an Instagram post praising her beau.
“Well, yesterday was a monumental day for @jasonaldean,” she told her 2.5 million followers.
‘Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart!!… A career first. That certainly backfired, didn’t it?
“The best fans EVERRRR.”
The Try That in a Small Town video shows Aldean, guitar in hand, standing in front of a courthouse in a Tennessee town – the site where a black teenager was lynched by a mob in 1927, and a township where a 1946 race riot occurred.
On-scene footage is interspersed with scenes of violent street protests and other culture war hot-button images.
The music video received a backlash from some who felt the lyrics were dog whistles designed to offend, while others saw it as a commentary on America’s sharp divisions.
Six seconds of footage, including of the BLM protest scenes, were later removed for legal reasons, Aldean said.
His hit targets “awake” activists for behaving “a fool,” particularly the series of BLM protests that erupted across America following the 2020 police killing of George Floyd.
The riots resulted in billions of dollars in damage and sparked questions about why such a large number of people were willing to break the law, with Aldean expressing how he felt the unrest was due to people not being “raised properly” .
Aldean said on Twitter in July that his hit was inspired by the “unspoken rule” of small towns where “we all have each other’s backs and look out for each other.”
“It feels like somewhere along the way that sense of community and respect has been lost. Deep down, we’re all ready to get back to that,” he added.
“I hope my new music video lets you all know you’re not the only one who feels this way.”
In the music video, Aldean sings in front of a large white estate and an American flag interwoven with clips from BLM protests
Brittany Aldean said her country music star husband had “the best fans ever” after his song topped the Billboard 100 and racked up 24 million views on YouTube
Trump Jr. – the eldest son of the penultimate president and a friend of the family from Alden, – is one of those who have spoken out to applaud him for “having the guts to tell the truth.”
Meanwhile, compatriot star and pro-gun control activist Sheryl Crow labeled the song “bland,” adding that Aldean “should know better” because he survived a mass shooting.
Aldean survived a shooting on October 1, 2017, when a gunman opened fire, killing 58 people on the scene of the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas where he was performing.
He canceled his upcoming shows out of respect for the victims and their families, telling of his devastation after a deadly mass shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, the following year.
Aldean released his controversial music video just days before he suffered severe heatstroke on stage in Hartford, Connecticut, and had to cut short his performance midway through.