Jason Aldean Says Morgan Wallen’s Global Success Is Great For Country Music – “It’s Good For All Of Us”

Jason Aldean turned a lot of heads this week.

Appearing on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, the “She’s Country” singer sat down with the actor and dove deep into a plethora of different topics, ranging from the lasting effects of the Route 91 Music Festival shooting in Las Vegas and the backlash of his “Try That In a Small Town” music video, to the emergence of left-leaning stars in the genre.

On the topic of politics, Aldean got candid about his feelings about his fellow stars sharing their thoughts. Though he thinks everyone’s entitled to the way they feel, the Georgia native implored artists to engage in open conversation instead of attacking opposing ideas:

“I think everybody (should) feel how they want to feel. I think you do your homework and you make your own opinions. And that’s fine… I don’t think we all have to agree. But when it comes to anything, I don’t think anyone wants things shoved down their throat. Just because you believe this, doesn’t mean this is wrong.

I think that’s how it should be, and unfortunately, it gets a little muddy. I’m always open for discussion. Enlighten me, that’s my thing. Please enlighten me, tell me something I don’t know. If you can make it make sense, that’s cool. But I’m pretty firm in what I believe, and it’s gonna take a lot to change that.”

Late in the podcast, the pair diverged from the topic of politics, instead opting to talk about the history of country music. Touching on the fact that country’s roots are steeped in authenticity and relatability, Shepard would go on to note how the genre has always had a bold nature about it, essentially telling the listener, “This is how we live, deal with it.”

They would then transition to the thought of country music’s simplicity, something that Aldean noted has changed over the years due to influences from other genres such as rock, pop and rap:

“I think it used to be a lot more simple than it is. You used to hear people say, ‘Three chords and the truth. Three chords and you can play a million country songs.’ Which there is some truth to that. I think over the years, it’s gotten a little more complex. You know, different influences coming into our genre: rock influence, pop influence, hip hop, blues. I mean, Stapleton is bluesy as s***.”

After hailing Stapleton as the best male vocalist in the genre, the Georgia native went on to give flowers to Morgan Wallen. Noting the “Last Night” singer’s global influence, Aldean went on to say that his popularity is good for everyone in the genre:

“Morgan’s killing it, too. Morgan’s a great vocalist, too. You know, Morgan’s just on a global level. That’s awesome too, when you get a guy like that really brings a lot of different listeners into our format, ’cause he’s getting people to listen to his stuff who wouldn’t typically listen to country. Those kinds of things… it’s good for all of us.”

Like nearly everything surrounding Wallen as an artist, I think there’s a lot there’s some pros and cons to his popularity.

Stating the obvious, there isn’t another artist in the genre that can come close to his level of reach and overall influence. Sure, Zach Bryan, Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton have proven that they can draw crowds and chart both in the U.S. and abroad, but there’s simply no comparison between Wallen and his contemporaries in terms of popularity.

While yes, Wallen’s success could absolutely benefit everyone from himself to smaller, more traditional artists like, say, a Charley Crockett or Turnpike Troubadours, you have to ask yourself, “Are they attracted to Wallen because of his country elements or his pop/hip hop elements?” I think it’s much more likely to be the latter compared to the former, especially for non-country fans.

There’s always the argument to be made that Wallen can serve as a gateway to country for many, especially with tracks such as “Don’t Think Jesus” and “Thought You Should Know.” With that being said, however, those are the seemingly rare instances of the Tennessee native fully committing to a true country sound. Though there are some out there, I don’t see a majority of people hearing a song like “Wasted On You” and then subsequently diving into the world of traditional or even red dirt country.

Overall, it’s always good to see an artist in the genre (or at least labelling themselves in the genre) experiencing what can only be described as unprecedented, given the fact that there’s an off-chance that a few listeners will grow to love and expand their knowledge of country music. With that being said, I truly feel that Wallen’s success mainly benefits himself and the world of mainstream/pop country. Sure, it will boost the genre’s overall popularity when it comes to streaming and chart numbers. However, his success has not and will not retroactively move the needle for any artist who exists outside of the Top 40 on country radio. If anything, it may open the door for even more pop artists to enter the space.

Watch the podcast here:

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