Record label CEO blasts critics who call for artist to be canceled over controversial conservative, patriotic song: 'Message is speaking to millions of people'

Scott Borchetta, Big Machine Label Group founder and president-CEO, has issued a passionate defense of musician Aaron Lewis' latest single, "Am I the Only One," which lauds a conservative lifestyle over what he says is a damaging, invasive groupthink known as liberalism.

Borchetta's label has produced music for the likes of Taylor Swift, Florida Georgia Line, Rob Zombie, and even Sheryl Crow's 2020 pro-Kamala Harris song, "Woman in the White House."

What's a brief history here?

Lewis, Staind frontman, released the stand-alone single with Big Machine Records on July 2. The release marks Lewis' first solo release of 2021.

Some of the song's lyrics include:

Am I the only one, here tonight/ Shakin' my head and thinkin' somethin' ain't right/ Is it just me? Am I losin' my mind? Am I standin' on the edge of the end of time?

Am I the only one? Tell me I'm not/ Who thinks they're takin' all the good we got/ And turnin' it bad, hell, I'll be damned I think I'm turnin' into my old man

Am I the only one, willin' to bleed/ Or take a bullet for bein' free/ Screamin', "What the f***!" at my TV For tellin' me, yeah, are you tellin' me? That I'm the only one, willin' to fight/ For my love of the red and white/ And the blue, burnin' on the ground/ Another statue comin' down in a town near you

...

Watchin' the threads of Old Glory come undone/ I'm not the only one/ I can't be the only one

Am I the only one who quits singin' along/ Every time they play a Springsteen song?

Am I the only one sittin' here/ Still holdin' on, holdin' back my tears/ For the ones who paid with the lives they gave/ God bless the U.S.A.

According to a Monday report from Taste of Country, Lewis' song has become just the ninth song ever to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

The outlet added that as of July 12, the single is the No. 2 all-genre sales song in the country and has sold more digital singles in one week than any other country song over the previous three years, and Variety reports that Big Machine's subsidiary label Valory will start going for radio play on July 26.

What are the details?

According to a Saturday report from Variety, Borchetta heartily defended Lewis' single after leftist industry blogger Bob Lefsetz criticized the label for producing what Lefsetz said was a clearly divisive song.

In a Thursday blog post, Lefsetz castigated Lewis' single and wrote, "It's HEINOUS!"

"This middle-class, right-wing wanker has recorded a song that should have been played at CPAC in between speeches by nitwits like Lauren Boebert saying to refuse the 'Fauci Ouchie,'" he added during the takedown and personally slammed Borchetta for allowing the song to run.

He continued, "Why does Valory release such crap. Come on Scott Borchetta, David Geffen dropped the Geto [sic] Boys over their odious lyrics and now you're marketing this junk? ... Come on, Scott, get your head out of your rear end. How much money are you gonna make here anyway, and it is all about money at this point, right?"

In a response to Lefsetz's posts, Borchetta wrote, "Firstly, I believe in the First Amendment. My job has never been to tell my artists what to sing and write about."

He continued, "Aaron Lewis and I have political disagreements. But there are also things we agree on. I think that's the foundation for the idea of our country. It doesn't work if we're so divided that we can't reach across the aisle, have a conversation or an argument, and ultimately shake hands. If we can't do that, and this moment is so divisive, we may never get our country back."

"To just 'cancel' (drop) Aaron is ridiculous and I'm disappointed that you would even suggest such a thing," Borchetta added. "Comparing Aaron Lewis to the Ghetto Boys? That's a reach and a half. You don't have to agree or acknowledge, but Aaron's message is speaking to millions of people. Let it be a wake up call to reps and dems alike — be loud and be heard! It woke you up. It inspired you to make a statement. It worked. And it's working. It's inspiring conversation."

Aaron Lewis - Am I The Only One (Lyric Video)www.youtube.com