For the first time ever, country music stars have taken over the top three places on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs chart. On Monday, July 27, 2020, 46-year-old Jason Aldean's hit song “Try That in a Small Town” took the number one spot, followed by Morgan Wallen's “Last Night” and Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman's “Fast Car” in the second and third spots respectively. This is the first time ever that three country stars have held the top spots in a single week, dating back to the start of the chart in 1958.
Released in May, Aldean's song skyrocketed up the charts after he released its music video earlier this month and sparked a heated online debate. Critics argued it was “racist” and “pro-lynching” while supporters argued it isn't and instead showcases “small-town pride.” Regardless how one views the video, it wasn't long before Aldean's song shot to the top of the all-genre iTunes chart and streams of it have increased by an impressive 999%.
In response to the backlash, Aldean took to Twitter to thank his supporters, where he posted a clip from a show he performed over the weekend in which he addressed a fan's inquiry about singing the song. The post has been viewed over 1.8 million times.
“So, somebody asked me, 'Hey man, do you think you're going to play this song tonight?' The answer was simple,” Aldean told the crowd. “The people have spoken, and you guys spoke very, very loudly this week.”
CMT, who pulled the song's video due to the strong public backlash, has yet to comment as to why.
On a bit of a lighter note, Aldean has enjoyed much success ever since earning his first number-one hit on the Hot 100 chart back in 2005 with “Hicktown.” As of now, the singer has achieved 40 entries on the chart throughout his career.
Country music appears to be on a hot streak right now as Wallen's and Combs’ songs chart in the top 3. This weekend, it's clear that country music is alive and doing very, very well as fans eagerly await the next chart-topping country hit.
Thank u guys. Ready to see u back out there this weekend! 🇺🇸🤘🏼 pic.twitter.com/qtH8yUdpLy
— Jason Aldean (@Jason_Aldean) July 24, 2023
