How Jason Aldean's Single "Try That In A Small Town" Became A Political Controversy And Was Accused Of Being A "Racist Dog Whistle"

Country Music Television (CMT) has decided to pull the plug on Jason Aldean's music video "Try That in a Small Town", following criticism over lyrics perceived to glorify gun violence and convey traditionally racist ideas. Jason Aldean, the 46-year-old country music sensation from Macon, Georgia, launched the song in May as part of the promotion for his 11th upcoming album. The video, released on July 14, set off a wave of heated debates. According to Aldean, the song encapsulates an "unspoken rule" prevalent in small towns: the idea of community solidarity.

What Is the Controversy Over Jason Aldean's Single "Try That in a Small Town"?

However, the song wasn't accepted well by certain people and there have been strong calls to take the song down from streaming platforms. The lyrics suggest a dichotomy between the urban and rural milieu, narrating urban crimes and promising retaliation should they occur in a small town. Further, the song includes a verse referring to gun rights, a controversial topic in American society.

The video is equally contentious, interspersing scenes of Aldean singing with clips of vandalism, riots, and police encounters, which clearly are referencing the many violent protests that took place all around the country over the last few years in response to incidents such as George Floyd's death. These riots, as we know, wreaked havoc on the country and even resulted in deaths of innocent people, but the media did everything they could to make it seem like they were "mostly peaceful," despite multiple cities going up in flames (and many businesses boarding up their entrances) over the course of several months. But, of course some viewers looked at Aldean's video and were somehow reminded of racial injustice, so it is now being called a "racist dog whistle."

Adding to the controversy is the backdrop choice: the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, a site that was supposedly associated with racial violence in the past. In 1927, a white mob pulled an 18-year-old black man named Henry Choate from jail and dragged him through the city by car. Choate had been accused of attacking and raping a 16-year-old white girl. Choate was allegedly lynched at this courthouse, which was also the site of race riots in 1946. This unrest further entrenched the racial division in the region and symbolizes a painful chapter in the struggle for civil rights.

However, this courthouse is a popular location for many things that appear on TV or in music videos. The 2022 Nashville Country Christmas show on Paramount was filmed there, as was part of Hannah Montana: The Movie. Despite the backlash, Aldean staunchly defended his work, arguing that the song had no racial undertones and instead emphasized community bonding. Indeed, the song never mentions race, not even once. The production company, TackleBox, also defended their location choice, dismissing allegations of any ulterior motive.

Aldean is known for his candid expression of right-leaning political views. His music, often portraying rural, blue-collar life, has earned him five Grammy nominations. He has been seen golfing with former President Trump, and he and his wife, Brittany Aldean, have launched a conservative clothing line. The Aldeans have been outspoken about the trans agenda and how it preys on innocent children; they advocate for children to grow up without being told that they can pick their gender, let alone be offered hormone blockers at a young age.

Response to "Try That in a Small Town" has been predictably polarized. Progressives like Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, criticized the song for promoting violent retribution. Others perceived the song's portrayal of protests as a "racial dog whistle." Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow chimed in: “There’s nothing small-town or American about promoting violence. You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting. This is not American or small town-like. It’s just lame.” She and Margo Price have publicly denounced the song. Conversely, artists like Travis Tritt and Blanco Brown perceive the backlash as unjust social commentary.

Why the Political Controversy Over "Try That in a Small Town" Is Absurd

Many commentators and podcast hosts have been discussing the matter and pointing out how ridiculous the whole thing is. At every turn, the woke mob is desperately trying to find ways to call outspoken conservative people racist, white supremacist, etc.

"The specious claim against this song and video is 'oh so you must like lynching' which of course doesn’t make any sense to normal people, but the latest and most serious attempt to ban guns is to stigmatize self defense by conflating it with this heinous, racist crime," popular content creator, The Redheaded Libertarian (@TRHLofficial), said on Twitter. "This filthy, dishonest tactic was sent over from the filthy, dishonest Communist HQ in a letter to the filthy, dishonest American communists during WWII: 'associate what you want to control to a label that already stinks.' It is our duty to shut their censorship efforts down immediately, with transparency, truth, and better speech. CMT has already caved and censored the music video by pulling it. YouTube is probably not too far behind. So we are going to Streisand Effect the hell out of it here."

Candace Owens, podcast host and New York Times bestselling author, tweeted, "Anytime I see the word 'lynching' in the media, it’s a guaranteed hoax. Every. Single. Time." Owens is also a personal friend of the Aldeans and offered her thoughts on the claim that Aldean intentionally filmed his music video at a lynching site. "Columbia Tennessee is a wonderful small town that I spend time in. The building is iconic. They have filmed many movies in that square, including the Hannah Montana movie where Hannah walks outside of that courthouse. Jason and his wife are wonderful people," she tweeted.

She also points out something important: it's always the white liberals who are trying to decide what is racist and what isn't racist against black people. "They think they have the authority to be offended for us," she tweeted. "This non-issue was entirely concocted by limousine white liberals." It seems like white liberals are always looking for ways to be offended on behalf of black people in America, as if they need the constant coddling from their white saviors.

Ironically, despite—or perhaps because of—the controversy, "Try That in a Small Town" climbed the charts, reaching number one on iTunes and number two on YouTube's trending music videos as of midday Thursday.

It seems like this woke mob hasn't yet learned that the more they create a controversy out of nothing in an attempt to cancel people on the right, the more people will rally around it and boost its sales. Sound of Freedom became the most-watched movie and has earned $100 million at the box office already. "Try That in a Small Town" is the top song on streaming services. And let's not forget how much money Bud Light and Target lost when they doubled down on their far-left, transgender nonsense. The majority continues to speak loudly and make it clear where their loyalties lie.

Aldean released a statement on Tuesday and stood his ground.

"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."

On the political front, the right has celebrated Aldean and his music as embodying conservative values. GOP primary contenders like Vivek Ramaswamy, former President Trump, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis all rallied behind the artist. The latter commented, "When the media attacks you, you're doing something right." It looks like all this hoopla about nothing is only doing Aldean a favor and gaining him more and more popularity as the days go on.

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