Jason Aldean's 'Small Town' video cut by CMT, song skyrockets to Number 1 amid backlash
The 'Try That in a Small Town' music video has been viewed over a million times on YouTube
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jason Aldean has lost the support of Country Music Television (CMT), with the network confirming to Fox News Digital it has pulled the musician's "Try That in a Small Town" music video from circulation.
A representative for the network did not provide more context for the decision, but Aldean has received immense backlash from the public, with some suggesting it is a "pro-lynching song" — a narrative Aldean adamantly denies.
In the video, Aldean's lyrics are sung while news coverage from the 2020 riots illustrates his message. "Cuss out a cop spit in his face / stomp on the flag and light it up," Aldean sings, along with footage of the described instances.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Aldean's tune has skyrocketed to success, sitting as iTunes' No. 1 song at the time of publication.
COUNTRY SINGER JASON ALDEAN ANGERS LIBERAL ACTIVISTS WITH ANTI-CRIME, PRO-GUN SONG ABOUT 2020 RIOTS
Jason Aldean's music video for "Try That in a Small Town" has been pulled by CMT. No reason was immediately given. (BBR Music Group/Jason Aldean/YouTube)
A representative for Aldean's record label, BBR Music Group, did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for comment, nor did representatives for the singer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TackleBox, the production company which produced Aldean's music video, shared in a statement to Fox News Digital that the location is a "popular filming location outside of Nashville," which Aldean did not select himself.
Jason Aldean was ridiculed online for his song "Try That in a Small Town," prompting the country star to speak out and defend himself. (Rich Polk/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
Several movies and music videos have been filmed at the location, including the 2022 Lifetime Original movie "Steppin’ into the Holiday" with Jana Kramer and Mario Lopez, the 2022 Paramount holiday film, "A Nashville Country Christmas" with Tanya Tucker and a Runaway June video for their 2019 track, "We Were Rich."
"Any alternative narrative suggesting the music video’s location decision is false," it added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Throughout the video, Aldean can be seen singing in front of the Maury County Courthouse, which has an American flag hanging from it. The government building can be found in Columbia, Tennessee. It was previously the site of the lynching of Black man Henry Choate, in 1927.
Jason Aldean reminded his followers that he was present at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas where a mass shooter killed 61 individuals. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
"Any alternative narrative suggesting the music video’s location decision is false."
On Tuesday, Aldean addressed the response to his song.
"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," he told his social media followers.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"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."
Aldean then referenced his direct connection to mass violence, reminding his followers that he was performing during the horrific Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas in 2017, where a man opened fire and killed 61 individuals, impacting the lives of thousands of people.
"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," he said in reference to the Nashville school shooting in March that killed six people.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jason Aldean was defended by his wife Brittany on social media. (Stephen J. Cohen)
"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."
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Aldean went on to stress, "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 got 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."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When the tune was released in May, Aldean said, "To me, this song summarizes the way a lot of people feel about the world right now. It seems like there are bad things happening on a daily basis, and that feels unfamiliar to a lot of us. This song sheds some light on that."
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Aldean was also defended by his wife Brittany, who shared a photo of the two on the beach with the caption, "Never apologize for speaking the truth."
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She had earlier shared to her Instagram story a more pointed statement, writing in part, "Media.. it's the same song and dance. Twist everything you can to fit your repulsive narrative."