Try That in a Small Town
"Try That in a Small Town" is a song written by Kelley Lovelace, Neil Thrasher, Tully Kennedy, and Kurt Allison, and recorded by American country music singer Jason Aldean. It was released to country radio in May 2023 as the lead single to Aldean's eleventh studio album Highway Desperado, released on November 3, 2023.[2]
"Try That in a Small Town"
The song was the subject of widespread controversy and media attention following the release of its music video in July 2023, with accusations that the song was a coded endorsement of racism and lynching, which both Aldean and the video's producers have denied. Four days after the video's release, the television network CMT withdrew it from its rotation. After the subsequent extensive media coverage, "Try That in a Small Town" had a surge in popularity.
The track reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, Aldean's first on that chart to date,[3] and in late July experienced the biggest sales week for a country song in over 10 years.[4] It also reached number nine in Canada.
Content[edit]
"Try That in a Small Town" contrasts rural and urban lifestyles. It asserts that behavior such as flag burning, carjacking, or protests and attacks toward police officers will face stronger consequences in a rural setting than an urban one, stating, "try that in a small town, see how far ya make it down the road" and "if you're looking for a fight, try that in a small town".[5] In the second verse, Aldean sings about gun rights and not wanting his own to be confiscated.[6][7]
The song is composed in the key of C minor with a 4/4 time signature and approximate tempo of 72 beats per minute. It mainly follows the chord progression Cm-A♭-B♭.[8]
Commercial performance[edit]
"Try That in a Small Town" debuted at number 24 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart dated June 3, 2023.[38] On the Hot Country Songs chart dated June 3, 2023, it debuted at number 35.[39] After its video was released on July 14 and the attention drawn to it when it was pulled from CMT, it debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated July 29,[40] before reaching number one the following week, making it Aldean's first song to top that chart.
The week that it reached number one, Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" and Luke Combs's "Fast Car" sat at the number two and three positions, respectively, making it the first time in that chart's history that the top three positions were occupied by country artists.[3] The following week, "Try That in a Small Town" fell twenty spots to No. 21, making it the sixth song to fall out of the top 20 from number one.[41] It also peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming Aldean's first number one on that chart since "Burnin' It Down" in 2014,[42] and at number two on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.[43]
"Try That" stayed at number one on Billboard's Digital Songs chart for four weeks,[44] and the Country Songs chart for two weeks.[45]