2019 officially belongs to Lil Nas X. Yep, it’s officially official, the 20-year-old just made 
history. I’m talking chart history, black history, pride history, all of it! 
Lil Nas’ “Old Town Road” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, is now the longest leading 
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash of all time, as it just earned its 17th week at the 
very tippy top. That means the smash just surpassed 2017's "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi 
and Daddy Yankee, featuring Justin Bieber, 
and 1995's "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, both previously tied 
for the longest run in the chart’s six-decade history at 16 weeks. 
So, what’s been keeping “Old Town Road” at the No.1 spot for all this time? 
Billboard’s Senior Director of Charts, Keith Caulfield, has some thoughts: 
“So, for that to happen and for a song to spin so many weeks at number one it has to be 
a song that’s been embraced by more than just one segment of the population. 
And it’s one of those songs where little kids are dancing to it in school, grandmas and 
moms and dads who probably don’t listen to lots of contemporary music probably know 
this song and really really like it. And that’s those songs that spend a long time at 
number one. It’s because everyone truly knows this song.”
And of course, as Keith explains, teaming up with Billy Ray Cyrus sure didn’t hurt either.
“Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road' started off as just a Lil Nas X track, sort of a short track 
and then once it came out and then he started tweeting about it and he said ‘oh I 
should get Billy Ray Cyrus on the track’ and suddenly that actually happened. 
He got on the track, it made it more of a fuller song, a more complete song. 
That became a hit at radio. Everyone loved it.”
But we have to ask, could Lil Nas X just be a one-hit wonder? Keith?
“Tough to say. 'Panini’ his latest single is already doing pretty well so that’s a great sign. 
And his EP debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 Chart. It’s still on the top ten, 
so it’s doing well but it’s always tough to say, especially when you have a hit that is 
this big. It’s kind of hard to escape the shadow of it but he’s already off to a great start.” 
A great start might be a bit of an understatement. “Old Town Road” has also earned 
the newcomer eight VMA nominations, making him MTV’s top male nominee this year. 
Not too shabby! We’ll see how long he keeps this No. 1 streak going. 
My guess is 21 weeks! 
For Billboard news, it’s your girl Jordyn Rolling. 
