Jason Aldean's absence from Billboard's "100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time" has sparked controversy, with his wife blaming the snub on political biases.
The New York Post reported that Billboard Magazine recently unveiled its "100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time," aiming to highlight the most influential figures in the genre over the past century.
Despite his substantial influence and success, Jason Aldean was not featured on this list, a decision that has stirred considerable discussion among fans and industry insiders.
Aldean, known for his 28 number-one hits and over 20 million albums sold, was recognized as the Academy of Country Music's Artist of the Decade. His omission has raised questions about the criteria Billboard used to select its honorees.
Brittany Aldean, Jason's wife, took to Instagram to voice her displeasure with the list, suggesting that their outspoken conservative political views played a role in his exclusion. Her post implied that the magazine's political leanings overshadowed its judgment.
"Remember when I said it’s been a journey standing up for what we believe in?? This is a prime example of Jason being left out of things in the industry," Brittany posted.
She accused Billboard of letting "wokeness" cloud their ability to acknowledge true talent within the country music scene, adding, "your wokeness obviously overrides your ability to give credit where it’s due, and it’s sad."
Aldean's bandmates, Tully Kennedy and Kurt Allison, also perceived the snub as politically motivated.
Kennedy expressed his thoughts on social media, appreciating the irony and reaffirming his support for Aldean. "Proud to make this music and be on that stage with ya every night @jasonaldean .. love ya brother," he wrote.
Kurt Allison echoed these sentiments, dismissing the list as a "joke" and questioning Billboard's credibility.
Jason Aldean himself commented on the situation, emphasizing the motivation it provides. "This shouldn’t come as a shock. And people ask if we still have a chip on our shoulder and feel like we have something to prove??? Hell yeah we do and this is a prime example of why!! We’ll just keep hammerin' and do what we do. Same as we always have."
The Aldeans have been vocal supporters of former President Donald Trump, often facing backlash from the entertainment industry and media. Jason Aldean has frequently spoken about the importance of traditional American values and encouraged his fans to vote.
"We’ve taken a lot of heat from the entertainment industry and the media for our support of @realDonaldTrump," Jason wrote.
He stressed the importance of voting to ensure a safe future for the next generation, adding, "I proudly voted for Trump and encourage everyone to get out today and VOTE!! IT MATTERS," with the hashtag #Noregrets.
Despite the controversies and the significant professional and personal costs, Brittany Aldean expressed that she wouldn't change their stance. "Even after all the media bashing, business deals lost, relationship changes, being left out of music industry events, and multiple attempts to vilify our character – I wouldn’t change a thing," she shared.
