Atlanta rapper Lil Nas X has made chart history.
His simple, hummable smash hit from 2019, “Old Town Road,” is now the highest-certified song ever by the Recording Industry Association of America. “Old Town Road” is 14 times platinum – accumulating 14 million in equivalent song units (according to the RIAA, one equivalent song unit equals a single digital song sale or 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams).
Lil Nas X originally released the country-rap song in December 2018; Billboard disqualified “Old Town Road” from the country charts after it reached No. 19 on the Hot Country Songs chart in March 2019, so the burgeoning hip-hop star responded by releasing a remix with country stalwart Billy Ray Cyrus in April 2019.
The new version went viral and eventually became the longest-running No. 1 single in Billboard Hot 100 history and in 2020 earned two Grammy Awards, including best pop duo/group performance. Lil Nas X followed up the success of his breakthrough which clocked in at barely two minutes, with the hits “Panini” and “Rodeo” from his debut EP, “7.”
In November, fans were greeted with a new single, “Holiday.” Lil Nas X recently released a children’s book (“C is for Country”) and is working on his full-length debut album.
On Saturday, he tweeted his excitement about the news.
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