In the coming week’s Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, charting the top songs in the United States, it is widely expected that three country songs will dominate the top tier led by the controversial “Try That In A Small Town” by Jason Aldean, followed by also-accused-to-be-racist Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” (a 14-week #1 hit, fifth longest of all-time) and Luke Combs’ cover of the Tracy Chapman classic “Fast Car.”
Never in history have three country titles led the pop charts. And you would have to go back to the early 1980s when Rabbitt’s “I Love a Rainy Night” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” were the top two titles.
All this, led by a very average song that made no waves when it first came out two months ago in May. “Try That In A Small Town” was released to zero fanfare, a terribly average song with not much melodic variation. While Jason has been at this for decades, his last appearance in the top 10 was two decades ago, but his consistency on the touring front and regular radio output has made him beloved in the country circles.
Suddenly in July, after playing the video on rotation for three days, CMT pulled it, citing backlash from certain groups who found issue with the location this song and video were filmed at. This was a location used in many previous country music videos. But coupled with the lyrics of the song, conservatives rallied behind Jason and went on a mass purchasing spree, bringing the song to #1 on iTunes and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Despite the attention coming in the middle of the tracking week, Jason was actually a contender for #1 and was only a few points behind the overall leader this week, BTS’ Jungkook’s latest single, “Seven” featuring Latto, which is the most popular song right now worldwide. Jason will likely hit #1 next tracking week as sales remain brisk. He will dethrone “Seven” this coming week.
Regardless, the other two country titles which could vie for the top spot were also mired with some controversy. Morgan Wallen’s hugely successful hit was despite attempts to cancel him for supposedly problematic statements in the past, which he has since retracted and clarified.
Same with Luke Combs, who the left accused of culturally appropriating a black female anthem and classic for commercial gain. It’s racist or something, never an honest respectful tribute, in their eyes.
But the left is the primary driver of this assumption of malintent. When one drills down to those statements as well as the lyrics of “Try That In A Small Town”, it can be argued that the malicious racial intent that they are railing against is a “fill in the blank” response full of misguided assumptions, far detached from reality in 2023. There is zero mention of race in the lyrics of the song and the idea that they used a courthouse where a lynching took place in the video that was used in many other music videos and movies is a stretch.
I would argue that the left has been racist toward white Americans and country music in general for decades. When I told people I liked country music in urban New York, where I went to college, it was the source of laughter and mockery. Decades later, it is not shocking that this became the outlet for conservatives to push back and say “we will not be smeared and maligned as racists” anymore.
Let’s look at facts and reality. Country music gave black artist Darius Rucker a huge platform and second act after Hootie & The Blowfish fame. It also has welcomed foreign artists like Keith Urban from Australia to dominate the airwaves. The integration of rap into country from Florida Georgia Line’s collaboration with Nelly on their huge hit “Cruise” 10 years ago became the start of a persisting trend.
The bottom line is if liberals didn’t cry wolf at every instance and take things too far, like on these three artists and songs, they are going to send more “racist” titles up the charts. As they did with “Sound of Freedom,” the indie movie that is breaking records left and right, for its expose on human trafficking. For many Americans, it’s clear: the left is projecting their own racism (and general hatred) on the right.
I have said this many times in my writings in articles and in my book “The Minority Retort.” My experiences do not lie. On aggregate, I have experienced more racism from the left in cities than I have from small conservative rural towns.
And nowhere is it more obvious and recent than in obviously left-heavy communities like those who listen to pop music. I was eyeing some online pop forums about this face-off on the Billboard charts, where I saw surprisingly racist content against Asians. These pop “Stans” complained about the current Billboard charts and reluctantly supported K-Pop’s latest blockbuster in Jungkook’s “Seven” to block the supposed racists. But not without spewing their own racist stuff against Asians and K-Pop. Seems kind of hypocritical to make a point about how racists need to blocked from dominating the charts, while being racist against a successful Asian group dominating the global charts.
In the end, for the “love is love” folks, maybe look within at your own hate you put out in the world. Despite your hatred against Asian and white people, especially those you call “dumb rednecks” all the time, these are the people who are actually the mainstream and are winning the culture war.
Marc Ang (marc@aib2b.org) is a community organizer in Southern California and the founder of Asian Industry B2B. He has written many pieces on pop culture and it’s context in the world and politics with a different “minority” angle. Marc’s book “Minority Retort” was released on November 9, 2022, through Trinity Broadcasting Network available on Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble and many more outlets.
