Georgia country singer Jason Aldean landed his first ever No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, which covers all genres, with “Try That in a Small Town.”
The song’s popularity was fueled by controversy regarding its images of protesters and lyrics that reference crimes that usually happen in cities that would not be appreciated by folks in a small town while suggesting vigilante justice. Some social media critics also objected to the location of the video in front of Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, where 18-year-old Henry Choate was lynched in 1927.
Aldean said there was nothing racial about the song at all. And his record label said the video shoot location is a popular site for movies and TV shows.
The song debuted at No. 2 last week and moved to No. 1 this week. The No. 2 and No. 3 songs are also country, making this the first time in Billboard Hot 100′s 65-year history that the top three songs were in that genre.
Aldean has charted on the Billboard Hot 100 40 times over the past 18 years starting with “Hicktown” in 2005. A remix of “Dirt Road Anthem” featuring Atlanta’s Ludacris is his previous high peak song at No. 7.
Of course, the Macon native has had much greater success on the Billboard country airplay chart where he has 10 No. 1 hits and 37 top 10 hits. He has had at least one Top 10 country hit every year since 2005.
Billboard noted that just 21 songs have topped both the Hot Country and Billboard Hot 100 since the chart’s launch in 1958:
- “Try That in a Small Town,” Jason Aldean, 2023
- “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023
- “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift, 2021
- “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Taylor Swift, 2012
- “Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999-2000
- “Islands in the Stream,” Kenny Rogers, duet with Dolly Parton, 1983
- “I Love a Rainy Night,” Eddie Rabbitt, 1981
- “9 to 5,” Dolly Parton, 1981
- “Lady,” Kenny Rogers, 1980
- “Southern Nights,” Glen Campbell, 1977
- “Convoy,” C.W. McCall, 1975-76
- “I’m Sorry,” John Denver, 1975
- “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell, 1975
- “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver, 1975
- “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Freddy Fender, 1975
- “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” B.J. Thomas, 1975
- “The Most Beautiful Girl,” Charlie Rich, 1973
- “Honey,” Bobby Goldsboro, 1968
- “Big Bad John,” Jimmy Dean, 1961
- “El Paso,” Marty Robbins, 1959-60
- “The Battle of New Orleans,” Johnny Horton, 1959
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