Lil Nas X continues to solidify his burgeoning legacy, laying a strong foundation many newcomers in the music industry can draw inspiration from.
As reported by Billboard, the country trap artist’s viral single “Old Town Road” has officially broken a new record, becoming the shortest single to chart at the No. 1 slot on the Billboard Hot 100 in over five decades.
According to Billboard, the song, which runs 1:53 in length, marks the shortest No. 1 single since Herman’s Hermits’ 1965 hit, “I’m Henry VIII, I Am.” The British band’s single clocks in at 1:49. As pointed out by the publication, the original version of “Old Town Road” follows a trend for singles to run on the shorter side. In 2017, Lil Pump’s “Gucci Gang,” which spans 2:04, became the shortest Hot 100 top 10 since 1975.
Last month, Billboard removed Lil Nas X’s genre-fluid track from the country music charts due to its failure to meet the genre qualifications the category historically requires. The move was met with instant backlash, leading Lil Nas X to strategically enlist country veteran Billy Ray Cyrus for an official remix. The collaborative single will be up for Billboard contention beginning next week.
Lil Nas X, who turned 20 earlier this week, took to Instagram to celebrate his successes, referring to his track and subsequent viral response as “legendary.”
The song is projected to reach 80 million streams this week. If the predictions are fully realized, the single will break through to the top 10 highest streamed singles in a 7-day period. As reported, Drake currently holds the record, logging 116.2 million streams for his track, “In My Feelings.”
As reported, on Thursday (April 11), “Old Town Road” appeared on the Country Airplay chart at the No. 53 slot, despite Billboard’s initial decision to remove the song from the genre-specific charts. The song’s inclusion could suggest the company is considering changing its initial verdict given its popularity, but at this time, the subject remains up for debate.
On the site, Billboard notes how the song’s standing on the airplay chart specifically has to do with how much the song was played on country music radio stations and is not indicative of its genre classification.
Check out Lil Nas X celebrating the success of “Old Town Road” below.