Jason Aldean cashes in on the right-wing fantasy of violent retribution

Like most Nashville stars, Jason Aldean spent years steering clear of politics to avoid alienating a portion of his audience. But with the rise of Donald Trump and the outspokenness of Aldean’s wife, a MAGA Instagram influencer, Aldean stopped hiding his conservative views.

The result — Aldean’s latest single, “Try That in a Small Town” — is an exercise in belligerent rural hostility, and it will almost certainly make him the right’s latest hero who was “canceled” for speaking the truth. Don’t be surprised if Republican presidential candidates start playing the song at their rallies.