Lil Nas X breaks Billboard Hot 100 chart record (image via Instagram)
“Old Town Road” — the country/rap smash hit single by openly gay 20-year-old Lil Nas X — has officially broken the record for most weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The record was previously held by two singles – Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day,” from 1995, and “Despacito,” the Latin-pop smash by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber – which each had held the number one spot for 16 weeks.
By scoring the top spot for 17 weeks, Lil Nas X now becomes the sole title holder of most weeks at number one.
The rapper kept his momentum going the past several weeks by releasing new remixes of the song. The remixes helped garner streams online as Billboard counts streams, along with downloads and radio play, in tabulating the singles chart.
Last week, Lil Nas X dropped a “Seoul Town Road” version featuring popular K-pop group, BTS.
During his run, he’s fended off challenges for the top spot from music stars like Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes and Ed Sheeran.
The rapper made a social media splash when he came out via Twitter during Pride Month in June.
He wrote, “Some of y’all already know, some of y’all don’t care, some of y’all not gone fwm no more. But before this month ends I want y’all to listen closely to c7osure.” He added rainbow and starry-eyed emojis.
