Jason Aldean Performs Controversial Song Despite Alleged CBS Ban

Jason Aldean is once again making headlines after performing his polarizing song “Try That In A Small Town” despite reports that the track had been flagged as off-limits for a New Year’s Eve broadcast. The country star’s decision to move forward with the song reignited a firestorm that has followed the track since its release, with critics accusing Jason Aldean of glorifying vigilantism and stoking cultural division, while supporters praise it as a reflection of small-town values and community loyalty.

Released amid heightened political and social tensions, “Try That In A Small Town” quickly became one of Aldean’s most debated songs to date. While Aldean is not credited as a songwriter on the track, consistent with most of his 27 career hit singles, he has publicly defended its message.

In a statement released alongside the music video, Aldean described the song as reflecting what he sees as an “unspoken rule” for people raised in small towns. “We all have each other’s backs, and we look out for each other,” Aldean said at the time.

The lyrics, however, paint a stark contrast between urban and rural life, opening with references to crimes often associated with cities, including assaults and carjackings, before building into a chorus that many critics argue carries an implicit threat toward outsiders. “Well, try that in a small town / See how far you make it down the road / Around here we take care of our own / You cross that line, it won’t take long / For you to find out, I recommend you don’t,” he sings.

The tone escalates further with a reference to gun ownership, which intensified the debate surrounding the song’s intent. “I got a gun that my granddad gave me / They say one day they’re gonna round up / Well that sh-t might fly in the city, good luck / Try that in a small town,” he sings later in the song.

The controversy surrounding Jason Aldean’s song only heightened as he rang in the new year with CBS. Aldean was part of CBS’s “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” lineup, where he sang “My Kinda Party” for fans. However, when the station cut to a commercial, he had other plans.

According to multiple videos shared on social media, Aldean launched into his controversial song, “Try That In A Small Town,” during a commercial break, effectively bypassing the alleged network restriction while still playing it for the live Nashville crowd. CBS cameras cut away, but phones in the audience didn’t.

One viral clip claimed, “CBS wouldn’t allow Jason Aldean to play this song live… so he played it for all of Nashville while they were on commercial,” a caption that helped the video rack up hundreds of thousands of views and thousands of comments within hours.

Fans immediately flooded the comment section, cheering the move as a quiet act of defiance. “Play your songs anyway, Jason,” one user wrote. Another added, “This is why he’s my favorite. He does what he wants and doesn’t care who likes it.”

As clips of Aldean’s off-air performance continued to circulate, the comment section quickly turned into a digital rally, with fans loudly backing the country star and slamming CBS for cutting away. “That is B.S. He doesn’t back down to people, and I love it!” one supporter wrote, while another demanded, “Boycott CBS! Big respect for Jason!!”

Several attendees who were actually in the crowd weighed in as well. “I was there, and it was amazing,” one user shared, while another urged him to double down, writing, “SING IT LOUDER JASON.”

Despite the criticism and the reported attempts to sideline the song from certain platforms, Aldean has continued to perform “Try That In A Small Town,” showing that he has no intention of backing away from the message or the controversy surrounding it.