LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 07: Jason Aldean performs onstage during the 54th Academy Of Country Music … [+]
This week, country musician Jason Aldean achieves a notable milestone in his career as his latest single “Try That in a Small Town” debuts on the Hot 100 at No. 2, coming in behind only Jung Kook’s unbeatable “Seven.” The placement marks his second top 10 hit, and it is his highest-charting single to date. The success of the song cannot be solely attributed to Aldean’s popularity, immense anticipation or even critical acclaim; instead, it owes its newfound success to a race-fueled controversy.
Back in May, when “Try That in a Small Town” was first released, it went largely unnoticed by the mainstream audience. It failed to make a significant impact on most Billboard charts and peaked at a modest No. 35 on the all-encompassing Hot Country Songs ranking. Additionally, it struggled to break into the top 20 on the Country Airplay tally, which tracks the most successful country radio cuts.
The fortunes of “Try That in a Small Town” have recently taken an unexpected turn. This week, the track returns to the Hot Country Songs chart, swiftly claiming the No. 1 spot after falling off the list earlier. It even manages to displace Morgan Wallen’s historic hit “Last Night” from the top position, which many singles have attempted and failed to do.
Aldean’s song has also gained momentum on the Country Airplay list, though its ascent remains gradual. With 228,000 copies of “Try That in a Small Town” purchased in just the past tracking week alone—and many of those purchases were in just a few days—the cut manages to score the second-largest sales sum in 2023. Now, the track also dominates the Country Digital Song Sales chart.
What caused this sudden surge in popularity for a song that had previously struggled to gain attention? The turning point came when Aldean released the music video for “Try That in a Small Town.” Unfortunately, the visual was criticized for containing racist themes and undertones, exacerbating existing concerns raised by the song’s lyrics. Though these themes were present in the single from the start, they became much more apparent and difficult to ignore when represented visually.
Unfortunately, but not entirely surprisingly, the ensuing backlash and media coverage only served to bolster the single’s success. Aldean’s fans, and even some who aren’t necessarily all about him, but who simply wanted to make a point, rallied to support him, purchasing, streaming, and requesting the song on radio stations.
The controversy surrounding the music video played into the ongoing so-called culture wars, with many conservative publications and news programs highlighting the heated debate surrounding the tune. This increased exposure led to thousands of people joining the fray and helping “Try That in a Small Town” soar to the top of the charts, introducing it to a broader audience who might not have been aware of it just days before—one that seems to enjoy being contrarian, no matter the cost or reason.
While using controversy as a marketing tactic is not unheard of in various industries, Aldean’s use of it in this case has been particularly sad to watch. He has not shown any sign of backing down or apologizing for the track or its controversial video. On the contrary, Aldean seems to embrace the attention and stands by his creative choices.
The success of “Try That in a Small Town” has undoubtedly pleased those who rushed to support it, regardless of the offense it may have caused to some individuals or what it might imply about Aldean or America in general. But one thing is clear: the song would not be a hit without this controversy, which the country singer needed to land himself another hit.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/07/25/not-many-people-seemed-to-care-about-jason-aldeans-song-until-it-was-called-racist/