On Aug. 3, 2023, SpaceXMania published an article positing that Jason Aldean, popular country music singer, had started his own music channel following a ban by Country Music Television (CMT). The article claimed that the independent channel would feature Aldean's music exclusively along with behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, live performances, and even a new reality show called "Living with Aldean."
SpaceXMania subsequently posted the claim on its Facebook page on Nov. 26, garnering 18,000 reactions and 1,600 comments, as of this writing.
The article began:
Breaking: Jason Aldean Launches Own Music Channel in Response to CMT Ban
In a plot twist that not even the most outrageous country music songs could predict, the “Dirt Road Anthem” singer, Jason Aldean, who recently faced a public controversy leading to his music being banned by CMT, has decided to fight fire with fire, and surprisingly, a banjo.
In the wild world of country music, the rule is simple: don’t get mad, get even. And that’s exactly what Aldean has done. The news broke this morning that he would launch his very own music channel, creatively and appropriately named ‘Aldean’s Uncensored’. Yes, you heard that right. The ban has pushed Aldean to create his very own platform, a “safe haven” for his music, his fans, and his hat – all untouched and ‘uncensored’.
This article was not a factual recounting of real-life events; Aldean has announced no such independent channel. The article originated with a website that describes its output as being humorous or satirical in nature, as follows:
Aldean was in hot water for a polarizing music video published in July, leading the CMT to ban that one particular video of his, not him as an artist. The music video in question, "Try That In A Small Town," featured violent scenes of clashes with police, convenient store robberies, destruction of property, etc. A Tennessee courthouse could be seen rising behind Aldean as he sings, an American flag prominently centered on the building.
That particular courthouse was the site of the horrific 1927 lynching of Henry Choate, an 18-year-old Black man, who was falsely accused of attacking a white girl. The chorus of the song is as follows:
Upon CMT's banning of the video, calls for a boycott reached all the way to former U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted on his social media platform Truth Social: "Jason Aldean is a fantastic guy who just came out with a great new song. Support Jason all the way. MAGA!!!"
Aldean responded to the backlash on X (formerly Twitter), explaining that:
We've previously debunked other rumors related to Aldean, such as that he refused $1 million to perform at the Super Bowl.
For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.
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