Lil Nas X had a breakthrough hit with the viral song “Old Town Road.” The song, which blended elements of hip hop, R&B, and country music, simultaneously debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.
Unfortunately, it has now been bumped from the Billboard country charts.
Apparently, the country music snobs — who knew that could be a thing? — don’t believe that Lil Nas X’s viral hit is country enough to be represented on their chart. Rolling Stone was first to report on the news.
Billboard attempted to explain their decision to remove “Old Town Road” from the charts by saying it lacked enough of the “elements” required for country music.
“Upon further review, it was determined that ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X does not currently merit inclusion on Billboard‘s country charts,” they told Rolling Stone. “When determining genres, a few factors are examined, but first and foremost is musical composition. While ‘Old Town Road’ incorporates references to country and cowboy imagery, it does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current version.”
Judge for yourself.
https://youtu.be/5ho88VXJTBg
Lil Nas X had the perfect reaction to the news.
https://twitter.com/LilNasX/status/1111057092801163265
As you might expect, some Twitter users weren’t very happy with the news with some claiming racism and hypocrisy.
“No shade to Post but how tf @billboard take ‘Old Town Road’ off the country charts over ‘not embracing enough country elements’ but Post Malone, who says he’s not hip hop, can be on our charts? @LilNasX riding on a tractor w/ lean all in his bladder… if that ain’t country idk,” one Twitter user wrote.
https://twitter.com/TyShawnDion/status/1111309805124272128
Additional reactions can be seen below:
https://twitter.com/FTWAintDallas/status/1111019254424457221
https://twitter.com/THESLUMPGOD/status/1111208887888367616
https://twitter.com/heavenlymeep/status/1111219912515698688
https://twitter.com/1SabSad/status/1109637938344808449
https://twitter.com/sehmonb/status/1111299982500511745
https://twitter.com/MWEE13/status/1111315833505099784
https://twitter.com/aiadamermaid/status/1111308903847989253
https://twitter.com/tappcj/status/1111317270742163459
https://twitter.com/DiirtyBenz/status/1110642430368538627
Do you think “Old Town Road” should have remained on the Billboard country charts or was it the right move to remove it? Sound off in the comments section below with your thoughts.
Lil Nas X 'Old Town Road' Not Country Enough For Billboard & Twitter Has Some Thoughts
