I listened to that Jason Aldean song out of curiosity after reading about it. Even if you put the controversy aside, it’s just a really bad song. And I’m not someone that can’t ever enjoy some corny mainstream country.
Unfortunately he’s gonna do even bigger numbers from now on, lotta white people wanna sing songs like that
About Aldean: so there are the people who are gonna gobble up the song and the video BECAUSE it is VERY CLEARLY about keeping the good old days alive when you could murder Black people for being Black and/or speaking up and get away with it consistently (ok still can with a badge or in Florida but I digress). And they’re bad people but we probably already knew they were bad people—not hard to know where you stand when you’re like that. But what’s almost as insidious, and possibly even more harmful overall, are the people who will say something like “well I don’t have to agree with all the politics I just like the music!!” It’s the “white moderates” from Letter from Birmingham Jail, the white people, especially in the south, who think they’re just being “neutral” and allow this shit to keep happening forever. Aldean will lose some fans; there are a hell of a lot of Black people in the rural south and despite what the CMT awards look like a lot of them like mainstream country music. But what he loses will be outweighed 5x over by the fervor of the racists. He’s their #1 hat boy now sources cited: mississippi resident 1997-2005, kentucky resident 2005-2016, am related to at least 5-6 people described above (in both categories) /rant
This song is seeing the Wallen Effect, where it's going to have a hugely successful chart week because of this. I've distanced myself from country music a lot in the past couple of years because of shit like this, and the fact that it keeps happening just puts a really bad taste in my mouth about so much of this music. I feel like I have to vet country artists before I listen to them now.
Not that I ever listened to Aldean, who was always clearly a dumbass IMO, but I feel like there are so many other artists, songwriters, producers, etc. in that galaxy of music that will just let stuff like this slide. I hoped their would be more Nashville people calling Aldean out, but of course it was just the usual crowd of Isbell, Margo Price, etc.
“Don’t You Wanna Stay” and “Burnin’ It Down” are the only Aldean songs I’ve ever really liked (and I legit love them), so it’s not a loss by any means if I never heard him again (outside of those songs; Kelly go re-record it with someone likable challenge). I’m also disheartened by the Wallen bounce more than anything. I don’t know more than 1-2 people who even listen to either artist, and yet they’re huge. I guess Jake Owen is starting beef with Isbell over it, too? So bizarre.
Yeah I mean it’s on me for expecting better from white people with a platform at this point, but I would have thought this kind of thing would cross a line for some people that maybe other previous dumbassery from Aldean and others did not
Somebody sent me this just now. Used to work with this dude before he was fired for sexually assaulting a direct report on a company trip. Real standup folks who apparently are not the problem with this country supporting this trash just like we all expected.
he literally said he was dehydrated from golfing all day as his reason for cancelling a show like a wk ago lol, I couldn’t believe it so I looked it up
https://consequence.net/2023/07/jason-aldean-try-that-in-a-small-town-no-2/ Never thought I’d be glad to see that Morgan Wallen clung to the No. 1 slot, but here we are.
not to beat a dead horse or anything but yeah that fuckin aldean song is hot liquid dogshit and its embarrassing seeing the usual sunglasses selfie pfps lapping it up
I love the dude's music, but he's been flailing about for the past year and hitting some pretty big whiffs on social media and with choices like this. I don't think he was totally ready for the level of fame he has now and is working through the growing pains. Not going to hold most of this stuff against him too much for that reason, but yeah, not thrilled about this one.