Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” now holds the record for the longest-running No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. As of this week, the song has spent 17 weeks at No. 1, breaking the record previously held by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” as well as Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber’s “Despacito”.
“Old Town Road” was produced by YoungKio based on a sample of Nine Inch Nails’ “34 Ghosts IV” and was originally released independently in December 3rd, 2018. In March 2019, Lil Nas X signed to Columbia Records and that same month, “Old Town Road” simultaneously charted on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts in March 2019. Billboard later disqualified “Old Town Road” from its Hot Country chart, arguing that it did “not embrace enough elements of today’s country music”. Lil Nas X subsequently teamed with country music veteran Billy Ray Cyrus for a new version of the track.
Over the last 17 weeks, Lil Nas X has also released remixes of “Old Town Road” featuring Diplo, Mason Ramsey and Young Thug, and RM of BTS.
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