Source: Jason Aldean/Youtube
Country Music Television (CMT) has sparked a wave of controversy by pulling Jason Aldean’s ‘Try That In A Small Town’ music video, which features scenes from Antifa-BLM riots, amidst media outrage.
The video, which depicts incidents of left-wing violence, specifically against law enforcement, has been deemed by leftists as ‘violent’ and ‘hateful.’
CMT confirmed on Monday that it had withdrawn Aldean’s music video, which had initially aired over the weekend. The music video, produced by Broken Bow Records/BMG and released on Friday (July 14), was on the CMT rotation till Sunday (July 16) during morning music video hours, according to Billboard.
In the video, Aldean can be seen performing in front of a courthouse, with an American flag hanging at the entrance. Intercut with the performance are clips of a burning flag, protestors attacking police, convenience store thefts, and riots during the “2020 Summer of Love.” A Fox News headline, “state of emergency declared in Georgia,” appears in the video.
Since its posting on Aldean’s Youtube account, the video has garnered over 770,000 views, demonstrating significant engagement from viewers.
The increased viewership has propelled the video onto YouTube’s Trending list for music, where it currently sits at number 19.
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The country music singer took to Twitter to address the controversy, saying, “In the past 24 hours, I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song and have been compared unfavorably to nationwide BLM protests. These references are not only meritless, but dangerous.”
The singer clarified that his song doesn’t reference race, and all the video clips used are real news footage.
“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,” said Aldean.
Aldean, who was present at the Route 91 tragedy where several lives were lost, expressed his anguish at the ongoing senseless headlines and families being ripped apart. He emphasized that his song was about the desire for a sense of normalcy and peace.
Aldean emphasized that the song’s focus was not on division or contention but on the inclusive values that formed the backbone of his upbringing.
“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,” said Aldean.
The singer also addressed his political beliefs in his statement.
“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,” Aldean concluded.
Amid the media outrage, the country music star is receiving a groundswell of support from fans and industry peers alike. Many have rallied around the singer and have called to boycott CMT, calling it the Bud Light of country music.
The song is available on all platforms. You can listen to the song here.
To watch Jason Aldean live, you can buy tickets here.
The post Country Music Television Pulls Jason Aldean’s ‘Try That In A Small Town’ Music Video Featuring BLM-Antifa Riot Amid Media Outrage (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
