Now With #1 Album, Aaron Lewis Continues to Backpedal From Country Comments
Boy the wily media will sit like snakes in the weeds waiting to twist your words into unsavory headlines if you let them. Or in the case of Aaron Lewis, he can do all the twisting, backpedaling, and playing both sides all by himself.
Celebrating the #1 record in country this week with his Big Machine Records debut Sinner responsible for 39,000 copies sold, Aaron Lewis continues to try and walk a difficult line between being a major label country artist, a traditionalist who wants to talk smack on the industry, all while wearing the baggage of being the successful frontman of the rock band Staind.
Lewis made headlines earlier this month when video of a rant on stage went viral.
“Sometimes the things I say get me in trouble, and I don’t really give a fuck. That being said, I want to thank a few people for inspiring me to write this next song,” referring to his single “That Ain’t Country.” “I’d like to thank Sam Hunt – oh, I know, he’s so pretty to look at. I’d like to thank Luke Bryan, for most of his stuff – he surprises me every once in a while. I would like to thank Dan + Shay. I’d like to thank Cole Swindell. And every other motherfucker that is just choking all the life out of country music.”
But when pressed on the issue by Bobby Bones, Aaron Lewis backpeddled, saying “This was a motorcycle rally in Colorado where everybody was on their way to Sturgis. This was a bunch of black leather-clad wearing, older folks. I was playing to the crowd. I was just trying to play to the crowd I was playing in front of and make a statement. Maybe I didn’t need to call out anybody’s name … [I wasn’t] trying to piss in anyone’s Corn Flakes.”
Now Aaron Lewis has backpeddled even further. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Aaron Lewis says he doesn’t think the songs he’s criticizing are necessarily bad, and even admits they might get stuck in his head.
“I’m not saying they’re not good songs, I’m not saying they’re not catchy,” Lewis explains. “I’m not saying that I’m not stuck just like everybody else singing them all day if I hear them earlier in the day. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m simply questioning the connection between that and the music that defined the genre.”
So wait, Aaron Lewis is now saying those songs from Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, and Cole Swindell are not bad songs? And shouldn’t what the songs are labeled factor into the quality of the material?
With the #1 album in country music right now, it’s hard to say that whatever Aaron Lewis is saying isn’t working for him at least in part. He’s certainly grabbing headlines. But through his own efforts, he has become one of the most polarizing characters in country. Half of listeners (including many Staind fans) see him as a country music savior, while the other half see him as an interloper who folds like wet cardboard when called out on calling out mainstream country.
Ultimately the music should speak for itself, and Aaron Lewis’s Sinner is definitely country. But if he wants to win over country music’s speculative traditional and independent country fans, perhaps he should work harder at letting the music precede his words. Because when Aaron Lewis speaks, he’s not helping himself with either side.
September 28, 2016 @ 8:43 am
I have to agree with Aaron on this one. Many of the songs he talked about are catchy and in there own way some are okay to listen to. The big problem I have is they are not country and shouldn’t be labeled that way.
September 28, 2016 @ 9:14 am
Look, everyone has guilty pleasures or can be susceptible to tapping their toe to a catchy Luke Bryan song. The difference here is Aaron Lewis is attempting to soften the blow of previous comments by saying he’s not against the songs, but against calling them country. I’m against calling them country too, but that’s certainly not the point he was making before. And most of these songs are terrible. He would be better off ingratiating himself to true country fans by just not saying anything and letting his music speak for itself. The more he tries to clarify his statements or speak out against the direction of country, the more he erodes his position and looks like a hypocrite.
If he doesn’t think that music is country, then why did he sign up with the biggest label releasing that music in Big Machine? THAT would be taking a stance.
I like Aaron Lewis’s new album. I think it’s country, and good. But all these comments are doing are fanning the flames, and even I’m getting flamethrown for not being harsh enough on him, while his core fans think I’m being TOO hard on him. That’s how you know you’ve got a polarizing artist.
September 28, 2016 @ 8:47 am
Don’t know him and don’t know that rock band.
After what he keeps saying I’m not even interested in checking out his album.
September 28, 2016 @ 8:53 am
The dude is smart and knows how to play the game. He’s stirring the pot, and keeping his name in the headlines in the process. Additionally, as a performer, if you aren’t pandering to your crowd and getting them at least a little riled up, you aren’t doing your job. It’s called “entertainment” for a reason.
September 28, 2016 @ 9:11 am
I hope not many people are turning him off by his comments, because his record “Sinner” is one of the best I have heard recently. I wish he wouldn’t call anybody out, but when he did, he should own it. But, still, that’s not going to keep him off my listening rotation.
September 28, 2016 @ 9:16 am
They are. I’m hearing from them. Wheeler Walker Jr. is out there ripping him apart on Twitter, and people are eating it up. I agree it’s unfortunate, but it’s Aaron’s own fault.
September 28, 2016 @ 10:34 am
So what is Wheeler Walker Jr now? Is he still a parody of sorts, trying to rile folks up, or is he actually becoming a country artist and personality. I’m asking because I have no idea how to interpret anything he says.
September 28, 2016 @ 10:54 am
I have absolutely no idea, but he wields a big stick, and tons of people are paying attention. He has had a huge impact in the marketplace.
September 28, 2016 @ 11:43 am
I am one of those people (though nothing to do with Walker). I was thinking about going to his show since he’ll be playing up the street. I somewhat try though not to give my money to people who try to get ahead by acting like a-holes to other people.
September 30, 2016 @ 6:59 am
gotta crack a few eggs to make a cake Hoss.
September 28, 2016 @ 3:10 pm
Well I won’t let wheeler influence my listening pleasure. That’s why I won’t listen to him
September 28, 2016 @ 9:19 am
Sam, Luke and Cole are bro-motherfuckers. Aaron is just a motherfucker. They are family after all.
September 28, 2016 @ 10:36 am
I’m going to have to disagree with you on this one. Lewis plays Country music, the first three do not so as far as Country music is concerned no they are not family. As far as the motherfucker comment…… yes I’m sure Sam, Luke and Cole have had sex with bros, and yes Lewis has probably banged his share of moms.
September 28, 2016 @ 9:26 am
I think you’re taking this a little far in some respects. As you highlighted, he does say that he questions the connection between these songs and the songs that defined the genre. Has he backpedaled to a more eloquent and articulated approach? Yes. Has he completely retracted his statement? Not in the slightest.
I too wish he’d say, “Fuck yeah, I meant it,” but I don’t think he’s backpedaled as much as you’re saying he has.
September 28, 2016 @ 9:40 am
I wanna like him and what he’s doing, but softening his comments after an impressive sales showing makes it sound like “Oh, wait. I may actually be invited into the club? I better not piss anyone off”. If you wanna do the rebel thing, you kind of have to commit to it and take it all the way (like WWJr.) or, like you say, just let the music speak for itself.
September 28, 2016 @ 2:15 pm
”I wanna like him and what he’s doing, but softening his comments after an impressive sales showing makes it sound like “Oh, wait. I may actually be invited into the club? I better not piss anyone off”. If you wanna do the rebel thing, you kind of have to commit to it and take it all the way (like WWJr.) or, like you say, just let the music speak for itself. ”
This.
September 28, 2016 @ 10:00 am
I have a feeling Big Machine took him into their office, sat him down and gave him a nice long talking too about making nice with his label mates
September 28, 2016 @ 10:10 am
OH, who cares! Let the man say what he wants, and just let him be…he’s just as much of a suckup as the rest of them are! Everyone apparently has a price…even so called “real” country singers!
Can we please just focus on something positive about country music? Love your site, Trigger, but all this “backpedaling”, “backstabbing”, he said, she said, is starting to read like a really bad soap opera. I love the reviews, the stories about things that matter. This does not matter. He’s just another carpetbagger to country music…they pretty much all are, now. When the new wears off, and they get that first check, it’s all parties, glitz, glam, and good times, and schmoozing, of course…and who better to schmooze with, than the big head honchos of the industry that will shut you down, to shut you up, and blackball your ass like they did Clint Black so many years ago…They’re like Hitlery in evrey way…play my game MY WAY, or I will kill your career!
September 28, 2016 @ 10:53 am
“Can we please just focus on something positive about country music? Love your site, Trigger, but all this “backpedaling”, “backstabbing”, he said, she said, is starting to read like a really bad soap opera. I love the reviews, the stories about things that matter. This does not matter.”
People should be jumping Aaron Lewis’s ass for the drama, not mine. You should see the emails and comments I’m getting on this subject. I’m just trying to help folks navigate it.
Lots of people love to leave comments like this, but they read these stories 10 to 1 compared to things like the Americana recap I posted yesterday. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. The simple fact is most folks don’t read any of my positive coverage. But it’s there, and it is a priority. It’s a two way street here.
September 28, 2016 @ 4:48 pm
Trigger, for what it’s worth, I read your Americana article and bought two Tami Neilsen records based on it. I did listen to clips of Lewis’ Sinner and passed on it. I think what bothers some of us is that there are traditional country artists out there who don’t play the “bad PR is good PR” game and they will by and large go somewhat unnoticed. Your site is one of a very few who will give those artists a review or mention. I don’t dislike Lewis, but it is unfortunate to see him with so much publicity and a #1 record while other great artists who won’t play that game are struggling.
September 28, 2016 @ 5:20 pm
But even with a ton of press, there are plenty of great artists who are still struggling. Look at Brandy Clark. She’s received radio play, won industry awards, has everyone dropping her name, been on national television many times, receives incredible press, and she sold almost 1/4 of the albums Aaron Lewis did. Is that the fault of the press? No, it’s the fact that the public just isn’t paying attention. They don’t want Brandy Clark, they want Aaron Lewis, and his drama.
To get people to pay attention to any artist, there needs to be a narrative or a story that ingratiates that artist to you, like the story I had last week about Jason Isbell playing Merle Haggard covers at Robert’s. I wish I could write two of those stories a day, but unfortunately they’re just not out there. Meanwhile people are clamoring for me to address the latest Aaron Lewis hijinks, and not just because he’s more popular than someone else, but because his words and actions hit right at the heart of what Saving Country Music is all about. I think it is important to discuss his actions and words, and how successful his music has been. I had written 17 others articles between this one, and the last one that mentioned Aaron Lewis. Why does it feel like it’s every other one then? Because Aaron Lewis articles are getting the majority of the attention.
I hear what folks are saying, and I don’t want to cover every Aaron Lewis move blow by blow. That is why I combined a story on his #1 album with his recent comments. But at the same time, I can’t ignore the most important issues of the day. Aaron Lewis just released an album, and anytime someone releases an album like this, attention gravitates toward them for a while. Soon this will pass and we’ll be on to the next one. When Sturgill released his album, it was articles every other day about him. Now it’s maybe once a month.
September 28, 2016 @ 7:01 pm
Personally, Brandy’s first single, while catchy, didn’t have a long shelf life. Then that album just died. It may have been lost with other releases at that same time. As I recall, her album came out around the same time as Bentley and Shelton’s new albums.Like movies, good films can unfairly get overlooked when the big summer blockbusters are out too.
September 29, 2016 @ 11:47 am
My theory on Brandy Clark’s album not selling is the fact that she moved away, just enough, from her first album. My wife was obsessed with 12 Stories, but hated her newest one. Her songs aren’t as detailed as her last album. They tell broad stories, and I don’t think that is what Brandy Clark fans wanted. I could be wrong, but that is my guess.
September 28, 2016 @ 11:07 am
This album is excellent. I really like it.
I am not really bothered by this crap.
I understand what he is saying..
If these artists and songs were classified as pop or something, and not the face of country, it wouldn’t tarnish the roots and what people really feel country is all about.
People are gonna buy what they want.
Maybe a lil backpedaling.. So what.
I’ve seen Aaron, I like Aaron, I really like this album, and I just got tix to see him again.
I’ve been rotating this album currently with Whitey, Cody, Sturgill, Austin Lucas, E Church, Luke Bell, Margot, and Brandi, and it fits right the hell in.
September 28, 2016 @ 11:47 am
Here’s the thing, in reality those songs aren’t pop. We don’t want them in country, so we try to kick them out to another genre, that we maybe don’t like as much. But if you play any of those songs to someone who regularly listens to & likes pop music, they’ll ID them as country right at the beginning. Do those songs have pop elements? yes. Are they actually pop though? No
*this is a scale, 80’s Mercedes prob could get played on pop radio…but “Pan” all of my non-country fans ID’d as country in about a second, and the bro country crap is very quickly labelled country
September 28, 2016 @ 2:41 pm
” ….in reality those songs aren’t pop We don’t want them in country, so we try to kick them out to another genre, that we maybe don’t like as much. But if you play any of those songs to someone who regularly listens to & likes pop music, they’ll ID them as country right at the beginning. Do those songs have pop elements? yes”
seak05 I respectfully disagree that those songs aren’t pop .
Look at the lyrics to ‘Mama Tried’ or ‘Ramblin Fever ” ” Cafe On The Corner ” or ” Smalltown Southern Man ” on the page without listening to the track Now look at the lyrics to just about ANY Luke Brian radio song on the page without listening to the track . THAT’s the difference . The lyric, the narrative ….the theme.
If you had a Max Martin arrange and produce a Luke Brian song you’d get why those songs are as pop as ‘ Teenage Dream” or ‘ Girl Crush ‘ . If you had a Max Martin produce a Merle Haggard song you’d be laughing yourself silly at the resulting mess .
Pop kids THINK LB is country cuz there’s an acoustic guitar , a banjo, a forced twang and a truck on the track and because THE MEDIA TELLS THEM he’s country . But in reality most Sam Hunt , Luke Brian lyrics are about as country as Maroon Five or Beiber . Kids are programmed to believe that ‘ BRO ‘ is country and that’s exactly what the labels want . If they THINK that’s country , that’s all that matters as long as they buy it and spread the word .
15 years ago flashing a backward ball cap , a chain and a pair of tattooed arms and a metro-bro 200.00 haircut while you shook your ass at a bunch of teenage girls would have ENSURED you’d NEVER be called country and you would more likely be playing a Village People convention,serving a sentence or clubbing on a night off from your job in the Merchant Marine whether you were singing ” Country Roads ” OR ” Papa Don’t Preach “. So now that look and that behaviour is stylish and expected- BUT THE LYRIC STILL ISN’T COUNTRY and nor are most of the arrangements and productions .
September 28, 2016 @ 11:28 am
“……..And it’s been a while…since I wasn’t a walking contradiction.”
September 28, 2016 @ 11:48 am
If you’re a musician with a contract, then you can choose to be an artist but you have to be an entertainer. Props to him for choosing to be an artist. That decision overrides anything he does or says to fulfill the entertainer part.
September 28, 2016 @ 11:49 am
I think the timing of his remarks becoming a big story was very well played by his publicity team. And hey polarization sells. But honestly, do your music, talk about your stuff, if you want me to respect you..do you.
September 28, 2016 @ 12:05 pm
Oh Aaron! I get what he’s saying, I do. But he stuck his foot in his mouth with those initial comments. He’s trying to be the “cool kid” by jumping the “real country” bandwagon. It’s annoying me. And I really think he’s a great talent. Loved him in Staind, but he’s really just playing a part to me. It’s fine, that’s the entertainment biz, quite honestly. But for some reason it’s totally turning me off to his new music. I can’t get over his new country persona. I want him to just act normal. Then maybe I would give his newest record a spin….
September 28, 2016 @ 12:41 pm
All this talk of Aaron Lewis I think I am going to pull out the IPOD and listen to Mudshovel.Great rock song pre It’s Been Awhile Staind.
September 28, 2016 @ 1:04 pm
I like Aaron’s first 2 CDs a lot, and I have (and like) all of his Staind CDs.
I have uploaded this new CD, but not listened to it yet.
I don’t like this vacillating about Bro Country music.
His opinion was straightforward and to the point, and it didn’t need any clarifications or attempted walk-backs.
He sounds like some PITA politician when he does that silliness.
September 28, 2016 @ 1:23 pm
I heard he and Ozzie Osbourne were going to due a full double disc of Hank Williams Sr. songs. Now that’s country!!!!!
September 28, 2016 @ 1:37 pm
Wow this guy sucks! Speaks out & then doesn’t have the balls to stand by his words. Sad very sad!
September 28, 2016 @ 3:14 pm
…I actually entirely agree with him.
“Leave the Night On” is a fine pop song, as are “I Don’t Want This Night To End” and “Play It Again.” “Summer of Nineteen You and Me” is decent too (albeit less so).
The problem isn’t that these are bad songs, as such. It’s that they’re flooding country radio, rather than some Southern Pop format.
September 28, 2016 @ 3:52 pm
My advice…. Take a breath…. Grab some good Kentucky bourbon (or Tennessee whiskey)….. Throw on some Waylon…. And forget about all this bullshit.
“One more, Moon!”
September 28, 2016 @ 4:45 pm
Trigger why must you make such dramatized headlines???? you usually trash the shit out of whoever in the article and then defend them in the comment section!!! There are more than a few of us out here laughing at you and shaking our heads
September 28, 2016 @ 5:06 pm
Sorry I can’t be more black and white for you. Sometimes issues are more nebulous.
September 28, 2016 @ 5:31 pm
I can understand a Luke Bryan getting a #1 record in this day and age, where country is a pop stars world. With that said, I am just dumbfounded by this guy having any success whatsoever in country music. His fans are the same people who say they are country, but listen to Colt Ford. There are so many good artists that go u recognized, and this tool finds success. He can’t even bash people right, or stand up for the genre without backpedaling. It just blows my mind
September 28, 2016 @ 5:41 pm
I can see where some people might take these comments as backpedaling, and maybe they are. However, I think what he is saying is pretty coherent. I get it. Many of us do things like this in our daily lives. He never really contradicted himself. I happen to like Aaron Lewis and I think that his new album is pretty good. Many of the songs on country radio are not bad songs, then again, many of them are. For instance, my wife loves Maren Morris. I think she has some really good “pop” songs. They just aren’t country songs. I feel the same about Kenny Chesney and Pink’s new song; good pop song, bad country song. I honestly love “That Ain’t Country.” It is a really good song. I think in order to “save country music” we need to embrace people like Aaron Lewis, who are working to achieve the same goal.
September 28, 2016 @ 7:03 pm
wordy
September 28, 2016 @ 8:27 pm
I like Aaron’s music, and really don’t care much about what he says. I’m sure someone at the label tapped him on the shoulder and asked him not to criticize thier other artists. He was trying to pump up his crowd, and probably now regrets it. He’s not the only one doing it. I respect you and your site Trigger, but you’ve beat this Aaron Lewis thing to death already.
Also, who cares what Wheeler Walker Jr. thinks? His music is terrible, and know one would give a crap about him if he didn’t say fuck every other word in his lyrics. Music for 13 year olds.
September 29, 2016 @ 12:37 pm
Have to agree. Wheeler is riding Aaron because he fancies himself the king of controversy but then here comes Aaron bashes a few bros and he has a #1 album. He would die to have that much success.
September 29, 2016 @ 8:59 am
At least he’s not a 1 trick pony, he makes shitty rock AND shitty country.
September 29, 2016 @ 9:17 am
I met Aaron Lewis several years ago. Right around the time his previous album came out. He came off like a total wannabe. Didn’t like him, hated the album. I’ve been wanting to give him another chance, and listen to his new album but every time he opens his mouth he says something stupid.
September 29, 2016 @ 12:27 pm
Somebody sat Aaron down and taught him the lesson that you don’t need to shit on other people’s product if what you’re selling is good. Pop country, bro country, ‘real’ country. There’s a market for everything. Some get bigger shares of the market but that’s life.
I really hate this bro country is the devil mentality. It does absolutely nothing to promote traditional country or traditional country artists. All you’re managing to do is turning off a large untapped market of consumers who if given the chance might actually enjoy discovering somebody like Brandy Clarke. All this negative bashing shit is just a waste of a good resource. It’s good for laughs and Twitter high fives but that’s about it.
September 30, 2016 @ 12:17 am
was really looking forward to this album, unfortunately i was quickly disappointed. Willie barely saved “sinner” and the only other song I found attractive was “sunday every saturday night” mainly because I like drinking whiskey. The cover of Stapletons “whiskey and you” was also done well but in comparison to Stapletons version its a little less…..emotional? for the record i thoroughly enjoyed Lewis’ previous album
September 30, 2016 @ 9:07 am
Going back on what you said to make it friendlier so people will lake you, that’s very rock and roll of you Aaron. What a badass. I’ll give the album a shot because good music is good music, but Aaron didn’t strike me as being such a pussy.