[Brother Leon]

Old Town Road: Lil Nas X beats US singles chart record
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49158984

Old Town Road, the viral rap song by Lil Nas X, has become the longest-running number one in US chart history.
The song has now topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 17 weeks, overtaking Luis Fonsi's Despacito and Mariah Carey's One Sweet Day, which both spent 16 weeks at number one.
It had 72.5 million streams and 46,000 downloads in the past seven days.
Carey sent "love and congratulations" to Lil Nas X, after hearing her 26-year-old record had been smashed.
The rapper, a college dropout from Atlanta, whose real name is Montero Hill, recorded the song last October, using a backing track he bought online for $30 (£24.70).
With its blend of country music and trap beats, it achieved notoriety on the social media app TikTok, where thousands of people filmed themselves lip-syncing to the song in cowboy boots and ten-gallon hats.
By March, he had signed a deal with Columbia Records, and the song gained early press coverage after Billboard banned it from their country charts, for allegedly failing to "embrace enough elements of today's country music".
The decision attracted criticism over the conservatism of the country establishment, as well as accusations of racism. Billboard denied that race played any part in its ruling.

Nonetheless, the added attention helped Old Town Road rise up the main charts, eventually hitting number one in April.
Its tenure at the top has been extended by the astute tactic of releasing remixes and alternate videos to top up its streaming numbers.
The most popular remix features country star Billy Ray Cyrus, while other versions contain cameos from Young Thug and RM of the K-pop band BTS.
And while the original video was created using footage from the Wild West video game Red Dead Redemption, the "official" clip - released in the seventh week of its chart reign - is a big-budget production featuring cameos from Chris Rock, Diplo, Vince Staples and Rico Nasty.
All the different versions of the song are close enough to the original, and so count towards one single total in the US charts.

Lil Nas X told BBC Breakfast he felt like he was "opening doors for more people"
On hearing that he'd toppled the Billboard record, Lil Nas X posted a long essay explaining the origins of his song.
"I went looking for beats on YouTube... when suddenly I came across a country-trap-sounding masterpiece," he wrote, "I immediately knew I would make something special out of it.
"I jokingly/seriously saw myself as a loner cowboy, needing to run away from it all. I went out on my sister's porch and listened to the beat over and over. Then it came to me!"
He added: "This song has changed my life and the way I see the world around me in less than a year.
"I'm so thankful this blessing has been placed upon me."
The rapper also shared a few photos documenting the rise of Old Town Road, including a short video of him and Billy Ray Cyrus in the studio, on his Instagram account.
During the star's 17 weeks at number one, seven separate songs have peaked at number two - most notably Billie Eilish's Bad Guy, which has spent seven weeks in the runners-up position.
Old Town Road has also clocked up 18 weeks on the UK singles chart, two of them in the top spot.

Remarkable story and very well deserved

[JerseyWins]

I got the horses in the back
This song is a BOOOP

Can't nobody tell me nooothin

[reece(:]

Nicki must be seething

[Greg!]

Love this song and I'm not ashamed to say it! NickyBopping.gif

[iRyan]

And they said we’d never see a gay rap superstar in our lifetime...

[Alf]

Just listened to it.

First impressions? Shoite (that's Irish for sh!te)

[Nicky91]

Old Town Road BOP

[AnnieK]

My son is obsessed with this song, he plays it on a loop.....

[Crimson Dynamo]

never heard of it

just listened

awful i mean really?


and the thread Title should start USA: Old Town Road: etc


This is a UK site

[Nicky91]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

never heard of it

just listened

awful i mean really?


and the thread Title should start USA: Old Town Road: etc


This is a UK site

sooooo xenophobic of you again, that last bit

[Withano]

Streaming counts has made the charts completely pointless

[Greg!]

Originally Posted by Alf

Just listened to it.

First impressions? Shoite (that's Irish for sh!te)

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

never heard of it

just listened

awful i mean really?


and the thread Title should start USA: Old Town Road: etc


This is a UK site

Well there’s no accounting for taste is there dear!

[Crimson Dynamo]

and i hate these videos where the music does not start for like a bloody minute

[Cal.]

King

[Alf]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

My son is obsessed with this song, he plays it on a loop.....

Haven't you introduced him to the Stone Roses?

[JerseyWins]

In all honesty I’ve gotten a bit sick of this song

But only because this was basically me for a while

Originally Posted by AnnieK

My son is obsessed with this song, he plays it on a loop.....

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Alf

Haven't you introduced him to the Stone Roses?

No. Boring.

[MB.]

Nothing but respect for my president

[Saph]

gross. Mariah was robbed

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Alf

Haven't you introduced him to the Stone Roses?

Obviously.....he's a weird kid. I listen to mainly indie type music so he knows all the Madchester bands and loves the Arctic Monkeys, he spends a lot of time with my Dad (he helps with school run) so knows all the 60s/70s songs they play on Gold and then every so often I have to let him have his choice of radio station coz he knew none of the up to date stuff He has eclectic tastes

[Gstar]

Originally Posted by Saph

gross. Mariah was robbed

It’s okay sis she still holds the record for the longest #1 by a female artist

[Tom4784]

The tears of the country scene must be particularly delicious atm. Not only is the most successful country song in years performed by a rapper, he's gay as well.

I bet they are FUMING and the thought of it is satisfying AF given how they tried to prevent him from charting as a Country artist.

[armand.kay]

Originally Posted by Saph

gross. Mariah was robbed

Originally Posted by Gstar

It’s okay sis she still holds the record for the longest #1 by a female artist

also miss Mariah did it with pure sales, like the girls were actually leaving their homes to cop ha...

[Saph]

Originally Posted by armand.kay

also miss Mariah did it with pure sales, like the girls were actually leaving their homes to cop ha...

true

the ladies/gents of today will never

[Greg!]

His EP is really good

Rodeo, panini and c7osure are my faves