Jason Aldean is slated to perform at the 2024 Country Music Television (CMT) Music Awards despite generating considerable controversy last summer with his hit, "Try That In A Small Town" — which was criticized as being pro-gun and pro-lynching. The video, which shows images of a burning American flag and fights between police and civilians (which some have claimed is a criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement) is juxtaposed with lyrics like, "Got a gun that my grandad gave me / They say one day they're going to round up."
The country singer denied the claims in a tweet posted in July, writing, "These references are not only meritless, but dangerous." Aldean added that the song "refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences."
