 banned the video (without explanation). Outrage ensued. Aldean hit back, saying that not a single lyric in the song references race. He called the accusations of racism 'not only meritless, but dangerous'. So far, so grim. The argument depressingly encapsulates the increasingly brutal and brutish culture wars of our times. But the controversy only tells half the story. In a stark example that the law of unintended consequences is alive and well in the music industry, Try That In A Small Town has become a massive hit as a result of the row. This week it reached number two in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Streams of the song have risen by 999 per){kind=link}
The US country star’s new song has caused uproar, becoming a lightning rod for the Left and the Right. But there is only one winner
Eleven days ago, US country star Jason Aldean released a new music video via his social media accounts. The video was for a ballad called Try That in a Small Town, which the 46-year-old singer explained in his posts was about the declining sense of community and respect in modern America. “I hope my new music video helps y’all know that u are not alone in feeling that way. Go check it out! [sic]” wrote Aldean.
But the video was much more. It comprised footage of clashes between protestors and police, of Molotov cocktails being lit and of shops being robbed by men in balaclavas. “Stomp on the flag and light it up/ Yeah, you think you’re tough/ Well, try that in a small town,” sings Aldean. “See how far you make it down the road/ Around here, we take care of our own.” The message in the lyrics was clear: protest all you like in the city, but break the law in small town America at your peril. We’ll get you.
The most shocking thing about the video, however, was the footage of the Stetson-wearing Aldean and his bandmates performing the song. They’re filmed in front of Maury County Courthouse in Tennessee, the site of the 1927 lynching of a black man called Henry Choate. The video immediately took on racial connotations, with some observers accusing Aldean of releasing a pro-lynching song. Country Music Television (CMT) banned the video (without explanation). Outrage ensued. Aldean hit back, saying that not a single lyric in the song references race. He called the accusations of racism “not only meritless, but dangerous”.
So far, so grim. The argument depressingly encapsulates the increasingly brutal and brutish culture wars of our times. But the controversy only tells half the story. In a stark example that the law of unintended consequences is alive and well in the music industry, Try That In A Small Town has become a massive hit as a result of the row. This week it reached number two in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Streams of the song have risen by 999 per cent from 987,000 to 11.7 million in a matter of days, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The video has been watched 18 million times on YouTube, up from 350,000 when CMT banned it a week ago. And the song is currently at number 26 in the UK charts – Aldean’s only single to reach the Top 40 in this country.