Explosive Feud Erupts Between Mega Musicians Jason Isbell and Jake Owen Over Jason Aldean's Chart-Topping Track 'Try That In a Small Town'

Jason Isbell, Jason Aldean, Jake Owen. Shutterstock (3)

Jason Isbell and Jake Owen engaged in a social media feud regarding Jason Aldean's recent song controversy. On July 20, Isbell, 44, challenged Aldean, 46, via Twitter, daring him to write his next single himself, citing the approach taken in his small town. This occurred one week after Aldean's track "Try That In a Small Town" made headlines on July 14.

The song's original release in May was followed by the release of its new music video, which reignited controversy surrounding its lyrics among fans. In the song, Aldean sings about owning a gun given to him by his grandfather, and dismisses the idea that it would be accepted in a small town compared to in the city. Isbell further stood by his statement on Thursday, urging Jason Aldean to prove himself as a songwriter and artist by creating a song entirely on his own.

Aldean's call-out didn't sit well with Owen. He retaliated against Isbell, accusing him of hiding behind his keyboard and spouting off nonsense. Owen suggested that instead of tweeting, Aldean should confront Isbell face to face like a real man. However, Isbell remained unfazed by Owen's response. He pointed out that Owen's argument implied that if someone couldn't physically overpower him, they shouldn't be allowed to publicly disagree. Isbell questioned what this meant for individuals who aren't physically strong and suggested they would be silenced.

Owen chose not to directly reply to Isbell's recent tweet, however, he did provide a clarification as to why Isbell's criticism of Aldean struck a chord with him.

"I have dedicated my entire career to promoting positivity, whether it's during my performances, off-stage, or anywhere else. I firmly believe in unity and detest hatred or division. This is why I felt the need to respond to the previous tweet," Owen shared with his followers on Thursday. "I was compelled to respond due to @JasonIsbell's implication that not writing one's own songs equates to being inferior or not a genuine artist."

The singer of "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" acknowledged that he has written many songs and recorded a significant number of them throughout his career. However, he believes that being a songwriter does not automatically make him a true artist. He expressed gratitude towards the talented songwriters who have been creating music for many years.

"I have always been a fan of @JasonIsbell's music. I understand that his opinions can be divisive. I only speak up when I feel that unfair criticisms are being made," Owen clarified. "The notion of 'writing your own songs' hurts me deeply because I believe it is not the right way to support aspiring artists. And in all honesty, Jason Isbell's influence holds great weight. He is deserving of respect."

He admitted, "I jumped into the conversation with intensity because I have a deep passion for it. I enjoy listening to @JasonIsbell and @Jason_Aldean. Looking back, I should have made it clearer right from the start, but my emotions got the better of me. I know not everyone will agree with me, but I'm trying to make my point clear."

As for Aldean, he rejected the claims on July 18th that his song "Try That In a Small Town" was intended to provoke violence based on race.

Jason Aldean and Brittany Aldean. Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock

"In the past 24 hours, I have been falsely accused of promoting a pro-lynching song that has actually been released since May. Furthermore, I was unfairly compared to someone who expressed displeasure towards the nationwide BLM protests. These accusations hold no merit and are not only baseless, but also pose a danger," he stated on social media. "Not a single lyric in the song refers to race or makes any racial implications. Additionally, every video clip used in the song is authentic news footage. While I understand that people may have their own interpretations when it comes to music, this particular accusation goes too far."

Aldean's response came after some fans expressed surprise that he would be associated with guns, especially following the tragic mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas in 2017. During the incident, Aldean was on stage performing when a gunman opened fire, resulting in the deaths of 58 people and injuring 546 others.

Isbell isn't the sole individual who has responded to Aldean's provocative lyrics. Sheryl Crowe expressed her disappointment with the alleged message in the song via a tweet on Tuesday. She wrote, "@Jason_Aldean I come from a small town. Even individuals in small towns are tired of violence. Promoting violence has nothing to do with small-town values or being American. As someone who experienced a mass shooting firsthand, you should be aware of this."

Contrarily, up-and-coming artist Parker McCollum showed his support for Aldean by retweeting a message on Tuesday.

Author Matt Walsh's tweet, shared by McCollum, points out the irony of the media accusing Jason Aldean of promoting violence in his song, while disregarding the explicit glorification of murder, drug dealing, robbery, and other violent crimes in numerous rap songs over the past three decades.