Lil Nas X might be making Billboard Hot 100 history very soon.
His hit “Old Town Road” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus has now been at number one on the charts for fifteen weeks straight. Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” and Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s (Featuring Justin Bieber) “Despacito” are the only two songs that have a larger run at the top with sixteen weeks apiece.
“OTR” also surpassed the 14-week mark set by several classic tracks including Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” Another song at that mark is Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight.”
Lil Nas, 20, now holds the record for the longest running number one single by an openly gay artist on The Billboard Hot 100 after beating Elton’s almost 22-year record. He also holds the honor of having the longest running Hot 100 debut single of all time after beating Los Del Rio’s “Macarena” which spent 14 weeks in the prime position.
Elton remade his version of “Candle” (originally about screen siren Marilyn Monroe) for Princess Diana after her death in 1997. That version debuted at number one and sold 3.5 million copies in the United States in the first week of its release.
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Lil Nas was shocked by the exciting news. He wrote an elongated version of the word “woo” on Instagram while thanking his fans for making it happen.
The “Panini” emcee came out on Sunday, June 30, which was the last day of Pride month. His decision has been met primarily with positivity from fans and celebs alike, notably Miley Cyrus, Dennis Rodman and Cardi B.