Sharing a love for country music, Jason Aldean used that love to create a career that continues today. Winning numerous awards throughout his time on stage, the singer released 11 studio albums and had over 20 singles hit No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts. But while his songs surrounded love, drinking, and everything country, in 2023 he found himself at the center of controversy when he released “Try That in a Small Town.” Receiving backlash for the song and his political views, the singer recently discussed the online hate that followed and how the country music industry reacted.
Videos by American Songwriter
Wanting to connect with his fans, Aldean decided to have some fun with a special Q&A on Instagram. While most questions were simple, the singer watched as many wanted to know about the backlash he might have received. While the singer admitted no other artists in country music spoke to him directly, Aldean explained how the industry worked. “These days everybody likes to handle their business in the media. So you’ve got people that take some swipes in the media and that’s all fine and good.”
[RELATED: Jason Aldean Not Happy to Learn About 5-Year-Old Daughter’s Long-Term Boyfriend]
Knowing other artists have their own opinions, Aldean noted how he was never confronted and wasn’t afraid if it ever happened. “I’ve never had anybody come up and say anything. Feel free.”
Jason Aldean Has No Time For Online Hate
While no artists discussed his views in person, Aldean received more than enough criticism online. With the backlash online seeming to surround the country star, he found a simple way of fighting it. “I just kind of ignore it.” He added, “They are so irrelevant to me in my life, my business, it does not bother me. If somebody’s not a fan of mine, they’re never going to be a fan…And they just like to hate and not like the person. That’s completely fine. I’m not saying that everybody’s going to like me or my music or what we stand for. So if you like it, cool. If you don’t, that’s cool too.”
Even his wife, Brittany Aldean, added her voice to the conversation, warning, “I don’t like the negativity on my page. So if you follow me just to say things that are unnecessary, then I’m just going to block you and delete you and then we’re moving on.”
(Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images)
