This is NOT a pro-lynching song

[durangodawood]

A miscalculation of what their fan-base wants? Attempting to appeal to people who would otherwise never watch CMT? Your guess is as good as mine...

CMT dropped it because, like most mass-market product ad dependent media, theyre paranoid of even the slightest rumor or hint of being racism-adjacent (or pro-violence adjacent, etc). And this rumor can emerge from anywhere in the culture, not just from their own audience.

Such is life when art depends so heavily on commerce.

 

[durangodawood]

....The cornerstone of our freedoms is found in freedom of speech and expression. Free speech is messy, because it requires you to support the right for people to say things that you find "abhorrent".

Oh and I strongly support rights to free speech and expression.

But I do not support any sense of entitlement to having other entities host or promote your art. They are free to decide for themselves what to associate with.

When the govt exerts force to decide for people what to host or publish, thats where we should draw the line, except for the typical narrowly drawn exceptions.

 

[BPPLEE]

Oh and I strongly support rights to free speech and expression.

But I do not support any sense of entitlement to having other entities host or promote your art. They are free to decide for themselves what to associate with.

When the govt exerts force to decide for people what to host or publish, thats where we should draw the line, except for the typical narrowly drawn exceptions.

Hmm seems like something like that happened recently. I think it involved the FBI, Facebook and Twitter

 

[probinson]

CMT dropped it because, like most mass-market product ad dependent media, theyre paranoid of even the slightest rumor or hint of being racism-adjacent (or pro-violence adjacent, etc). And this rumor can emerge from anywhere in the culture, not just from their own audience.

Such is life when art depends so heavily on commerce.

So they caved to people pretending this song was in any way racist (it's not). They didn't respond to the fan base, as was the case with the Dixie Chicks. Which is why this is completely different, and is why I said when you introduced the topic that it was not applicable to this discussion.

 

[probinson]

Oh and I strongly support rights to free speech and expression.

Ditto.

But I do not support any sense of entitlement to having other entities host or promote your art. They are free to decide for themselves what to associate with.

Likewise. They just need to realize that if there is a backlash, they brought it on themselves by caving to people who couldn't care less about their brand.

When the govt exerts force to decide for people what to host or publish, thats where we should draw the line, except for the typical narrowly drawn exceptions.

Yeah. That happened recently too. COVID and all that. Missouri v. Biden has been an interesting case to follow.

 

[durangodawood]

So they caved to people pretending this song was in any way racist (it's not). They didn't respond to the fan base, as was the case with the Dixie Chicks. Which is why this is completely different, and is why I said when you introduced the topic that it was not applicable to this discussion.

Its all art playing in a market where people are easily offended, just like the DC's audience was. We're learning that the market includes ad buyers for giant corps.

Aldean has done pretty well playing in that market so far.

 

[Brihaha]

The Aldean song is mediocre at best. Never would of gotten to the position it is without the whining.

It's likely the reason Aldean released the video. Song wasn't making waves before he released the video. The video illustrates his position. If the song was truly about unity, Jason might have used the black community protests to demonstrate how that community is forced to take care of their own, just like those small town rednecks. He missed an amazing opportunity to bring us together by including the black community as fellow brothers who take care of each other too. And standing in front of the Maury County Courthouse where the lynching of the 18 year old Choate kid was carried out in 1927. The kid died in the spot where the flag hangs in the video. Southerners know full well the history of this place and the race riots that occurred there in 1946. You will never convince me the man had good intentions with this song. I have been a fan for over ten years and he is a tribal opportunist profiting from stirring up hatred and trouble. Just as his wife does on social media. She is one of the reasons Jason's PR firm for 17 years dropped him.

Jason Aldean dropped by PR firm after wife Brittany’s transphobic comments

“We aren’t the best people for the gig anymore,” the PR firm wrote.

pagesix.com

Yet the plight of the black community cannot be heard and understood by writing an offensive song. They are literally forced to protest over and over for hundreds of years, to take care of their own, and Americans Still can't hear them!

And now I can't enjoy his music and change the station when Jason comes on. His tribalism is more important to him than his music is apparently, or he wouldn't have alienated thousands of fans like me who value his talent, not his warped politics. He certainly ain't my kind of party any longer.

 

[probinson]

Just as his wife does on social media. She is one of the reasons Jason's PR firm for 17 years dropped him.

I was curious what she said that made his PR firm drop him. This was her comment on Instagram

I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life.​

Aldean responded in the comments.

Lmao!! I’m glad they didn’t too, cause you and I wouldn’t have worked out.​

This was deemed "transphobic", and a 17-year representation was terminated.

 

[probinson]

he wouldn't have alienated thousands of fans like me who value his talent

You appear to be in the minority of his fans.

Jason Aldean's song hits number 1 as Country Music TV turns on him

A spokesperson for CMT confirmed to Newsweek that the music video is no longer on rotation on the channel.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Brihaha]

I was curious what she said that made his PR firm drop him. This was her comment on Instagram

I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life.​

Aldean responded in the comments.

Lmao!! I’m glad they didn’t too, cause you and I wouldn’t have worked out.​

This was deemed "transphobic", and a 17-year representation was terminated.

That ain't all she said. She got into it on social media with country singer Maren Morris and Maren called her the "insurrection barbie" lol. Quite apropos imo.

 

[durangodawood]

You appear to be in the minority of his fans.

Jason Aldean's song hits number 1 as Country Music TV turns on him

A spokesperson for CMT confirmed to Newsweek that the music video is no longer on rotation on the channel.

www.newsweek.com

Popularity is not a reliable guide to quality - neither artistic nor moral quality. Thats just a general principle

 

[probinson]

That ain't all she said. She got into it on social media with country singer Maren Morris

Who?

and Maren called her the "insurrection barbie" lol. Quite apropos imo.

So Maren picked a fight because she didn't like an Instagram comment? Sounds mature.

Celebrity drama has never been my thing.

 

[Brihaha]

You appear to be in the minority of his fans.

Jason Aldean's song hits number 1 as Country Music TV turns on him

A spokesperson for CMT confirmed to Newsweek that the music video is no longer on rotation on the channel.

www.newsweek.com

Yes, and that is why I said his tribalism is more important to him than his music. He knows most of his fans are simpletons too. I didn't care one whit about his politics until he started up with his divisive rhetoric and now music. It's his right, of course, to act however he likes. I simply listen to Chris Stapleton and Luke Combs instead of Jason now. Stapleton is far more talented anyhow. He could sing the Folgers coffee jingle and win a Grammy haha.

 

[probinson]

Popularity is not a reliable guide to quality - neither artistic nor moral quality. Thats just a general principle

True, but you claimed that there were "thousands" of fans (source?) alienated by this video. Perhaps that's true, but then there must have been MILLIONS who were not in any way "alienated" or the song would not have reached number one.

ETA: Oops. Confused my responses to different posters. My bad.

 

[probinson]

Yes, and that is why I said his tribalism is more important to him than his music. He knows most of his fans are simpletons too. I didn't care one whit about his politics until he started up with his divisive rhetoric and now music. It's his right, of course, to act however he likes. I simply listen to Chris Stapleton and Luke Combs instead of Jason now. Stapleton is far more talented anyhow. He could sing the Folgers coffee jingle and win a Grammy haha.

Excellent. As it should be. Listen to what you like and let others listen to what they like. Perhaps not denigrating those you disagree with as "simpletons" would be advisable also, but that's your right to free expression I suppose.

 

[Lukaris]

CMT has something at stake here. And its not any threat of the govt shutting them down. And also, if youre right, its not audience desertion. So.... what is it?

Corporate advertising?

 

[durangodawood]

....And now I can't enjoy his music and change the station when Jason comes on. His tribalism is more important to him than his music is apparently, or he wouldn't have alienated thousands of fans like me who value his talent, not his warped politics. He certainly ain't my kind of party any longer.

On reflection I think you nailed the real problem with the song: the commodification of tribalist divisions. Raised right small towners (of which Aldean isnt even actually one) vs degenerate city people. Its just more of the setting-against-each-other that American needs . If I believed in "dark forces" I think theyd be spreading their wings and rejoicing at the success of this sort of thing.

 

[BPPLEE]

Popularity is not a reliable guide to quality - neither artistic nor moral quality. Thats just a general principle

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I would guess quality is also

 

[KCfromNC]

Hmm seems like something like that happened recently. I think it involved the FBI, Facebook and Twitter

Was it this one - Trump's White House asked Twitter to remove Chrissy Teigen's expletive-filled tweet insulting the former president, ex-employee testifies
Good example of someone getting really offended by other's harmless free speech. I guess some people just like being offended.

 

[BPPLEE]

Was it this one - Trump's White House asked Twitter to remove Chrissy Teigen's expletive-filled tweet insulting the former president, ex-employee testifies
Good example of someone getting really offended by other's harmless free speech. I guess some people just like being offended.

No the one I was talking about was actually interfering with an election