UPDATE: The RIAA has since come forward to dispel the report, confirming that Lil Nas X has gone Triple Platinum, but not diamond…yet.
They always said that country music pays, and Lil Nas X is living proof. Deftly swooping in to win over a pair of disparate markets, the breakout star has found himself reaping the spoils of one of the biggest songs of all time. Really. “Old Town Road” is breaking so many records it’s ridiculous. At this rate, it’ll hold damn near every conceivable title by the time 2020 rolls around. Who’d have thought a cheeky, country-rap borderline satire track held the answers? In any case, “Old Town Road” has spread like wildfire, becoming the year’s first track to earn the RIAA’s diamond certification, having pushed over 10,000,000 album equivalent units.
It’s unclear how Lil Nas X is expected to follow up the success of his debut single, but damned if the young man hasn’t earned a little time off. The news is especially monumental given that only four albums have gone gold or platinum as of 2019’s midway point, and only two singles have gone multi-plat: J. Cole‘s “Middle Child” and, of course, “Old Town Road.”
Whether you deem it a mere passing fad or a masterful stroke of crossover genius, Lil Nas X stumbled upon a winning formula. And no amount of hate can take that away from him. Congratulations to the young man, and best of luck in the steps to come.
