Jason Aldean - "Try That In A Small Town"

[aldo01]

Well, this is worse than I expected. Tough boy Aldean is back on the saddle. Meh.

[.indulgecountry]

I know some of us were hopeful that this would be polarizing at country radio, and looking at its updates lately, that definitely seems to be the case. It might end up being the lowest-peaking single of his career thus far unless it has a major turnaround. It hasn't even reached a new peak since debuting at #24 two months ago and it's barely limping along. 🥹🤩🚮

[countryfan43]

Jul 14, 2023 15:02:23 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

I know some of us were hopeful that this would be polarizing at country radio, and looking at its updates lately, that definitely seems to be the case. It might end up being the lowest-peaking single of his career thus far unless it has a major turnaround. It hasn't even reached a new peak since debuting at #24 two months ago and it's barely limping along. 🥹🤩🚮

Even looking beyond the lyrics this might be his weakest song he has put out so far. I wouldn’t mind them pulling and switching singles now before this keeps clogging up the chart.

[Darkest Hour]

Music video.

[aldo01]

Jul 16, 2023 21:00:56 GMT -5 Darkest Hour said:

Music video.

This abomination of a music video managed to make me detest the song even more than I already did.

[carriekins]

Saw this last night and I hadn't even thought of this aspect of it.

[Music Fan]

I hate that I love some early Jason Aldean songs (and his latest Carrie duet), because I dislike everything about he and his wife's political views. I so hope this song stalls completely soon.

[.indulgecountry]

If he wanted to make that music video have an extra 'pop' they should've used some footage of the capitol insurrection. I wonder why that didn't make the cut? 🤔😶‍🌫️

[HeyHeyHey]

Jul 17, 2023 13:04:27 GMT -5 Music Fan said:

I hate that I love some early Jason Aldean songs (and his latest Carrie duet), because I dislike everything about he and his wife's political views. I so hope this song stalls completely soon.

There’s an alternate universe where Jason falls off in the early 2010’s instead of getting more popular and becomes an underrated artist who had some really great songs but never quite took off.

[er1c612]

I’m at a literal loss for what to say about the video. Imo this is probably the worst song lyrically a mainstream country artist has released in my lifetime, but somehow the video makes it worse. The video just screams “I’m a racist”

[justlurkingaround]

The video was shot this at the site where a white lynch mob strung Henry Choate up at the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, TN, after dragging his body through the streets with a car in 1927. The dog whistle is strong in this one.

[marcyjames]

I have seen a lot of people on Twitter raise issue with the lyrics and even where the video was shot in the past few days. Sadly, I have a feeling this will actually help the song.

[raylatch98]

I just wanna say again, fuck this song and the blatant racism it shows. Fuck Jason Aldean, and fuck the songwriters for coming up with this drivel.

I do hope people noticing how offensive this song is and the music video along with it tanks this song sooner than later and if we are lucky Jason Aldean's career. 

[er1c612]

Jul 18, 2023 10:46:27 GMT -5 raylatch98 said:

I just wanna say again, fuck this song and the blatant racism it shows. Fuck Jason Aldean, and fuck the songwriters for coming up with this drivel.

I do hope people noticing how offensive this song is and the music video along with it tanks this song sooner than later and if we are lucky Jason Aldean's career. 

I was sorta thinking along these lines as well. As much as I hope this song has a negative effect of Jason’s career, he didn’t write this. The writers deserve the same level of disdain that Jason is receiving.

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

[Deleted]

Jul 18, 2023 14:24:45 GMT -5 Rose "Payola" Nylund said:

Now Jason gets to be the victim and will say “They’re Canceling Me” on Fox News. This song was already struggling especially for being the first single to his upcoming album and would probably have died pretty soon peaking around #20. Now because of this it’s gonna shoot right up to #1 on streaming which will give it a longer life than if people had just ignored this awful song.

[christianlarson9]

I love how country radio & the general public of country music were quick to stop supporting Maren Morris after she called out his wife, yet they’ll keep supporting Jason Aldean & his atrocious song. 🤦🏻 It’s truly disgusting that people & radio continue support this.

[someguy]

Jason’s statement regarding this:

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.

[Darkest Hour]

He is in his Lea Michele era, I fear.

[raylatch98]

Jul 18, 2023 18:36:12 GMT -5 someguy said:

Jason’s statement regarding this:

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.

Me to Jason Aldean's response. 

[countryfan43]

Jul 18, 2023 18:36:12 GMT -5 someguy said:

Jason’s statement regarding this:

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.

He’s unfortunately got himself in a spot where he can deflect everything due to the non-specific lyrics.

[nncountrykid]

The only thing that apology was missing was something about him having a black friend.

[keelhauled]

Jul 18, 2023 18:51:43 GMT -5 countryfan43 said:

He’s unfortunately got himself in a spot where he can deflect everything due to the non-specific lyrics.

Which was almost certainly intentional in the songwriting...it's sort of fascinating how cynically it was tailored to come as close to being an overt commentary on current events as possible while still holding onto plausible deniability.  They may have edged just a little too far for radio's embrace but I'm kinda surprised it hasn't showed up higher in sales/streaming.

[er1c612]

Jul 18, 2023 21:25:10 GMT -5 keelhauled said:

Jul 18, 2023 18:51:43 GMT -5 countryfan43 said:

He’s unfortunately got himself in a spot where he can deflect everything due to the non-specific lyrics.

Which was almost certainly intentional in the songwriting...it's sort of fascinating how cynically it was tailored to come as close to being an overt commentary on current events as possible while still holding onto plausible deniability.  They may have edged just a little too far for radio's embrace but I'm kinda surprised it hasn't showed up higher in sales/streaming.

Actually after all the press it’s gotten today, both the song and video are #1 on iTunes all genre at the moment. Really an irritating moment in country music history.

[bboat11]

Jul 18, 2023 21:35:28 GMT -5 er1c612 said:

Jul 18, 2023 21:25:10 GMT -5 keelhauled said:

Which was almost certainly intentional in the songwriting...it's sort of fascinating how cynically it was tailored to come as close to being an overt commentary on current events as possible while still holding onto plausible deniability.  They may have edged just a little too far for radio's embrace but I'm kinda surprised it hasn't showed up higher in sales/streaming.

Actually after all the press it’s gotten today, both the song and video are #1 on iTunes all genre at the moment. Really an irritating moment in country music history.

Let's just try to hold onto our hope that this is a couple-day blip and that Jason Aldean is too old to suddenly be MorganWallened to the top of the world by Tik Tok.

[jab820]

Let us not forget there are many, many, many people who believe in the exact things people are accusing Aldean of perpetrating in his song/video. That is the reason it is suddenly skyrocketing in interest. Own the libs, as they say.

It's that hard line between: do we draw attention and call out the situation even though it will inevitably give it MORE attention than it would've ever had, or do we ignore it and hope it goes away?

We're unfortunately going to be hearing this song so much more.

[aldo01]

This is the kind of backlash that will only help this idiot. He managed to put attention on this garbage song, get all the extreme right-wing supporters on his side and to play the victim. Even the people who did not like the song in the first place, and who were calling him a poser, will be on his side now.

This is what he wanted. I bet he couldn't be happier today.

P.S. is he the same guy who was singing about leaving a small town because it sucked in "Rearview Town"? The hypocrisy...

[Sugar Rush]

Country music fans never fail to disappoint me by giving this garbage human and his garbage music attention.

Seriously him and his fans are among the shit stains in the industry.

[.indulgecountry]

This song was by all accounts a total flop by his standards and was going to likely quietly go away in the next month or two given its current radio struggles, and while that may still be the case due to its polarizing nature there, it's definitely going to be a much bigger success for Jason Aldean now sadly. 😞

[kw9461]

My local news station picked up the story, so this story appears to indeed be taking off. The comments section was almost unanimously in support of Aldean
Feels like CMT did more harm than good on this one.