It has sold over 18 million records worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. In September 2021, the song has set the record as the highest certified song ever by the RIAA with 15-times platinum status in the United States, meaning it accumulated 15 million in equivalent song units. In October 2019, Nas X's label Columbia Records/ Sony Music Entertainment, won the Music & Sound Recordings Award from SAG-AFTRA "for work that exemplifies equal access" of LGBTQ and "other misrepresented or underrepresented groups." At the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, the remix featuring Billy Ray Cyrus was nominated for Record of the Year and won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video. The song was certified diamond by the RIAA in October 2019 for selling ten million total units in the United States, the fastest song to be certified diamond. One or more versions of "Old Town Road" have topped the national singles charts in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and have charted in the top 10 in various other markets. Though it was not re-entered onto the overall country charts, both versions of the song collectively peaked at number one on the general Billboard Hot 100, for a record-breaking nineteen consecutive weeks. The song reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart before the magazine disqualified it from the chart on the grounds that it did not fit the genre, sparking a debate on the definition of country music. The song initially gained popularity on the social video sharing app TikTok and eventually entered the Billboard charts in March 2019. At the time, he had been living with his sister after dropping out of college his real world struggles were an influence on some of the lyrics. Lil Nas X purchased the instrumental for US$30 and recorded "Old Town Road" in one day. The sample was placed behind trap-style Roland TR-808 drums and bass. It features a sample of " 34 Ghosts IV" by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Dutch record producer YoungKio composed the instrumental and made it available for purchase online in 2018. The song has been widely labeled as " country rap", a genre that had not often reached the mainstream prior to its release. Both were included on Lil Nas X's first EP, 7 (2019). Lil Nas X also recorded a remix with American country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, which was released on April 5, 2019. After gaining popularity, the single was re-released by Columbia Records in March 2019. He’s passing on the torch to Lil Nas X to take over." Old Town Road" is the debut single of American rapper Lil Nas X, first released independently in December 2018. Billy Ray finishes his verse with the line, “Wish I could roll on back to that Old Town Road / I wanna ride till I can’t no more.” Here, he’s telling us that he might be sick of fame and is ready to just chill out of the spotlight now. “Got no stress, I’ve been through all that / I’m like a Marlboro Man so I kick on back.” That line references the Marlboro Man, an iconic representation of a relaxed cowboy. He sings, “Hat down, cross town, livin’ like a rock star / Spent a lot of money on my brand-new guitar / Baby’s got a habit: diamond rings and Fendi sports bras / Ridin’ down Rodeo in my Maserati sports car.” There’s lots of name-dropping about expensive things, but hey, he’s a rock star, who can blame him? Billy Ray goes on to explain he has been through hardships in life and had to ride his own journey to success, like Lil Nas X. The beginning of Billy Ray Cyrus’s verse, on the other hand, is a huge flex on all our lives. Like, where is the Old Town Road? And why does Lil Nas X have a horse? Why was the song invoked in Lil Nas X’s controversial “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” backlash? What happened to his car? Check out our explainer below, and hopefully your (or mostly just my own) confusion is cleared up.Ĭolumbia Records And then Billy Ray Cyrus comes in. But the catchy hit is also super confusing. Since 2019, “Old Town Road” has completely blown up and even won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video at the 2020 Grammys. The hip-hop/country crossover was a musical shock at first, but once it started gaining popularity, it never stopped. Lil Nas X actually called the genre “ country trap,” but magical works too. When Billy Ray Cyrus hopped on the track for a remix, two worlds collided and something that can only be described as *magical* was produced. Two years ago, most people didn’t even know who Lil Nas X was and Billy Ray was not the Cyrus we thought we wanted new music from. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t heard “Old Town Road” at this point.