Lil Nas X’s ‘Industry Baby’, featuring fellow rapper Jack Harlow, has finally climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, two months after its release.
This marks Lil Nas X’s third number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, following ‘Old Town Road’ in 2019 and ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ earlier this year.
Responding to the news, Lil Nas X, took to social media to say he had written the song at a time when he didn’t know where his career was going.
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“Wow! Here were are, 3 number 1 songs!” he said on Instagram. “When I was writing industry baby I hadn’t released any new music in over a year. It became my manifestation song because I knew that no matter what people thought would happen to me (post-2019), I would have an amazing 2021!
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“Industry baby is my fight song, my motivation song, my “I’ll show you” song, and much more!”
He thanked Jack Harlow, his producers and co-songwriters, and “every single person on my team who made industry baby happen, and thank u to the fans who made industry baby your song of the summer! Love u guys!”
Related: Dolly Parton reacts to Lil Nas X’s version of ‘Jolene’
On Twitter, Lil Nas X said both he and Harlow got emotional at the news.
facetimed jack harlow yesterday morning to tell him industry baby went number 1, he cried, then i crew as well, we both crode. 💕
— MONTERO 🦋 (@LilNasX) October 19, 2021
The song marks the first appearance at the top of the charts for Louisville-raised rapper Harlow. He took to Instagram to say, “My first number one. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see this coming while I was writing my verse. Thank you for having me @lilnasx. This song is something I am gonna be proud to be a part of for the rest of my life. As for what’s next…buckle up…”
To mark hitting the top spot, Lil Nas X hired an open-top bus yesterday in Los Angeles, and went out with some dancers, dressed in the pink prison jumpsuits featured in the ‘Industry Baby’ video, to personally thank fans he came across.
Related: Lil Nas X dances naked in prison shower scene in his new video
Like much of his other work, the ‘Industry Baby’ video did not shy away from highlighting Lil Nas X’s pride in being gay and made waves with a (heavily pixelated) naked shower scene.
just went around hollywood thanking people for getting industry baby to number 1 pic.twitter.com/JOS6452vMi
— MONTERO 🦋 (@LilNasX) October 19, 2021
Lil Nas X’s ongoing success has seen him scale other new heights. Last week he moved ahead of Drake for the first time as the male rapper with the most monthly streams on Spotify.
Artists with the most monthly listeners on Spotify:
#1 @justinbieber 85.2M
#2 @edsheeran 75M
#3 @theweeknd 68.5M
#4 @DUALIPA 66.1M
#5 @DojaCat 63.69M
#6 @LilNasX 63.62M
#7 @Drake 63.3M
#8 @thekidlaroi 60.5M
#9 @JBALVIN 58.4M
#10 @ArianaGrande 56.5M— chart data (@chartdata) October 14, 2021
His debut album, Montero, is at number 6 on the Billboard album chart, marking four weeks in the top ten (it debuted at number two).
Mister P
I crode when I read this.
Way to go Lil Nas X.
Kenny C
His music is not for me…because I’m old…but I support this young man in all his endeavors. I feel like a proud auntie every time I see one of his projects.
Kangol2
So impressive. Lil Nas X has demonstrated he’s the real thing and not a one-hit wonder, and has done so as an out gay man. It’s refreshing and energizing to witness his success. He also seems like a decent, down-to-earth, very witty young man. I wish him the very best.
Oh: and song “Sun Goes Down” is one of the most poignant anthems about growing up Black and gay and in the closet and learning to accept yourself. He should feel very proud of all of his successes but especially proud of having written and released that song.
whateverokok
What the hell does it matter? So, he has a hit. A hit nowadays is nothing like a hit 30 years ago.
Kangol2
@Whateverokok, his success is eating you up, isn’t it? He has more than a “hit.” This is his third top charting hit, “Old Town Road” was a bigger success than many songs 30 years ago, and he is one of the leading young pop musicians today. And he’s Black and openly gay.
But seriously, if it doesn’t matter, why comment? No one’s forcing you to listen to his music or even comment on him in any way.
whateverokok
Not true at all. Many songs back 30 years ago had to have a physical single for purchase in order to even chart on the hot 100. So, those sales figures and charts are more representative of success than a song that is streamed. All 16 of Taylor Swift’s songs from Folklore charted. Do you see how ridiculous that is? And no, his success, is not eating me up. In 5 years I’ll still have a job and be able to support myself. While he’ll be struggling to make ends meat frying some of the Colonel’s chicken.
LumpyPillows
I like this guy.
PerhapsYesNoMaybe
Be nice if Spotify actually paid artists a decent amount rather than a pittance. With 63.62 million plays the payout is 278,000 – at the most. If 63.62 million bought a song on iTunes for $1.29 with a 0.09 pay to the aritst that would be $5,725,800.
whateverokok
That’s why I don’t use Spotify or any of the other corporate streaming services. And that’s why I have physical product to be sold. I’m no dummy.
Fahd
It’s so positive to see an artist so in charge of actualizing his talent and being so successful. Congrats!
Troyfight
…..I’m still in love with ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ ?? …such a sexy song