Lil Nas X is always breaking barriers—his debut single, “Old Town Road,” has officially become the highest certified song in RIAA history. Since its 2018 release, it has gone 14x platinum. Technically, the song is past diamond status (10x platinum) and was the quickest song ever to do so.
On January 9, the 21-year-old artist took to social media to celebrate the historic win, writing, “OLD TOWN ROAD IS OFFICIALLY 14 TIMES PLATINUM! MOST PLATINUMS FOR ANY SONG EVER! LETS GOOO!” Billy Ray Cyrus, who was featured on the song’s remix, also hopped on Twitter to congratulate Lil Nas X on his accomplishment, thanking his fans and record label for the support.
Incredible. I’m speechless. #OTR is now 14x platinum and the most certified song in music history. Thank YOU! @LilNasX @YoungKio @Dopebyaccident @theRonPerry @ColumbiaRecords @bolooki pic.twitter.com/qXGJ1ytvLe
— Billy Ray Cyrus (@billyraycyrus) January 9, 2021
“Old Town Road” also made history in 2019, when the remix stayed in the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for a record-setting 19 consecutive weeks. This is still the longest a song has ever dominated the chart.
In September 2019, Lil Nas X announced he would take a well-deserved, small break from music. “It’s been a wild last 7 months and im ready to take a little time off,” he wrote to fans on Twitter. This came after landing multiple magazine covers, including Teen Vogue and Time, a slew of performances and the release of his debut EP, 7.
Later that year, he became the first openly gay, Black male rapper to receive a Country Music Award and then snagged a whopping six Grammy nominations. He and Cyrus went on to win two 2020 Grammys for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video. Forever keeping his momentum, he shared his first children’s book, C is for Country, through Random House publishing just last week. Lil Nas X is a shining example of the power of dedication and what can happen when you dream big.
Congratulations to Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus!