“Old Town Road” Breaks Billboard Record

Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray Cyrus continues to rule the Billboard Hot 100 with Lil Nas X as “Old Town Road” featuring Cyrus, ties the record for the No. 1 position in the chart’s six-decade history. “Old Town Road” also leads Streaming Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs for 16 weeks each, according to Billboard.

“This song has been a uniter not a divider. I’m giving God the glory now for allowing me the gift to be part of such a special song. It’s a unique moment in time where people from all over the world and all walks of life find they have more in common than they do different. It’s a moment we’ve all shared and I’m grateful for it,” said Cyrus.

At 57, no other artist has had a career like Cyrus. He ranks along Santana’s 30-year span between his first Hot 100 entry (1969’s “Jingo”) and first No. 1 with his own 27-year gap between “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Old Town Road.”  Along with daughter Miley, who topped the Hot 100 with her own “Wrecking Ball” in 2013, he joins an exclusive group of fathers and daughters who have led the Hot 100, a family tree whose branches include Frank and Nancy Sinatra. According to Billboard, “Old Town Road” is now one of the three longest-running songs in history:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1

16, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, beginning April 13, 2019
16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, May 27, 2017
16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995
14, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015
14, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009
14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005
14, “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997
14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996
14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994
14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992
(Source: Billboard)

The cultural phenomenon that is “Old Town Road” feat. Cyrus has achieved RIAA© Diamond status of more than 10 million units. The star-studded music video for the track has exceeded 200 million views since released in May. Recently, Lionsgate unleashed a trailer featuring “Old Town Road” to promote the September 20 release of “Rambo: Last Blood,” starring Sylvester Stallone.