Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” rockets back in atop Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart dated July 29.
The single re-enters at the summit after spending one prior week on the survey at No. 35 in June, following its release.
The track returns with the biggest sales week for a country song in over 10 years, after CMT pulled its video, which premiered July 14, from rotation after three days, resulting in a surge of attention.
Aldean achieves his 10th Hot Country Songs leader and 37th top 10 with “Try That in a Small Town,” which was co-written by Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, Kelley Lovelace and Neil Thrasher.
It becomes Aldean’s first Hot Country Songs No. 1 since 2014, when “Burnin’ It Down” dominated for 14 frames starting that August. He first ruled in 2006 when “Why” led for a week that May.
Meanwhile, with 37 Hot Country Songs top 10s, Aldean has now peaked in the top tier at least once each year dating to his first such hit, “Hicktown,” in 2005 – the longest active streak of annual top 10s on the chart.
“Try That in a Small Town” sold 228,000 downloads – up 27,625% – in the July 14-20 tracking week, according to Luminate. It awards Aldean his 11th No. 1 on Country Digital Song Sales. It also crowns the all-genre Digital Song Sales survey, becoming his second leader, after “Burnin’ It Down.”
“Try That in a Small Town” boasts the largest sales week for a country track since Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise,” featuring Nelly, sold 244,000, as reflected on the chart dated July 6, 2013.
Concurrently, “Try That in a Small Town” drew 11.6 million streams (up 547%). On Country Airplay, it holds at No. 25, with 6.5 million audience impressions (up 16%).
On July 18, Billboard confirmed that CMT had dropped the song’s official video, after three days in rotation; the network declined to say why. Following CMT’s decision, Aldean posted a message to his Instagram Stories addressing the various reactions that the song and video have faced.
The official video for the track, released July 14, features footage of an American flag burning, protesters in confrontation with police, looters breaking a display case and thieves robbing a convenience store. The clip has prompted a firestorm of opinions about it and the song’s intent and messaging.
Aldean addressed the polarized response during his Highway Desperado Tour stop Friday (July 21) at Cincinnati’s Riverbend Music Center. “It’s been a long week and I’ve seen a lot of stuff suggesting I’m this, suggesting I’m that,” he told the crowd. “I feel like everybody’s entitled to their opinion. You can think something all you want to; it doesn’t mean it’s true. What I am is a proud American. I’m proud to be from here … I love my country, I love my family, and I will do anything to protect that, I can tell you that right now.”
Meanwhile, “Try That in a Small Town” marks the second title that has re-entered Hot Country Songs at the pinnacle since the list became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958. Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” opened at No. 46 in May 2015 and re-entered at No. 1 that November. His first of three No. 1s led for two weeks, following his three wins at the 49th Country Music Association Awards.
