“All I Want For Christmas Is You” has become Mariah Carey’s unofficial signature song as a result of its popularity around the holidays (and her willingness to play into the jokey fervor surrounding her “Queen Of Christmas” persona). And now, it’s a record-making — and potentially record-breaking — hit, as it has tied another artist’s signature song for most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Streaming Songs chart. With 20 weeks at No. 1, it has equalled Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” a record set in 2019, just six years after the chart’s inception in 2013.
According to Billboard, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has hit No. 1 during December of every year since 2019 — when the Mariah meme first took off — except for 2023, when Brenda Lee came back for the “Queen Of Christmas” crown with “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and led for nearly the entire month.
Meanwhile, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” also holds No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, which incorporates sales, streaming, and radio. It’s become the best-selling holiday song in the US, the longest-running holiday chart-topper, and the first song in the chart’s history to reach the top spot in at least three separate chart runs. Earlier this month, it was certified 16× Platinum by the RIAA — after becoming the first holiday song with a Diamond plaque for 10 million units sold in 2021. Long live the Queen.
Montero Lamar Hill, famously known as Lil Nas X, is a shining testament to how overnight success can change a life. But, what is the star’s net worth in 2024? We’ll be looking at how the artist has been able to grow their wealth over their career.
Nas’ net worth is a result of a mix of raw talent, shrewd marketing, and a knack for creating viral content. The rapper shot to fame with his country-rap crossover hit “Old Town Road,” which took the world by storm. The song’s immense popularity on platforms like TikTok played a crucial role in propelling him to stardom and elevating his net worth.
Album sales significantly contribute to their net worth. His debut EP, 7, and his album Montero, featuring hits like “Panini” and “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” have amassed millions of streams, thus contributing to his overall income.
The Power Of Branding
Besides music, Lil Nas X’s net worth benefits from his unique branding strategy. The artist is renowned for his flamboyant style and bold social media presence, often resulting in trending topics. Furthermore, this strategy has enabled him to secure lucrative endorsement deals, thereby augmenting his net worth.
The Influence Of Streaming Platforms
In the modern music industry, streaming platforms are a major revenue source. For Nas, platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music have been pivotal in expanding his reach and increasing his earnings. The wide accessibility of his music via these platforms undoubtedly boosts his net worth.
Facing Challenges Head-On
While Lil Nas X’s rise to fame and wealth seems meteoric, it’s not without its challenges. The rapper has faced controversy and backlash, from the genre-blending nature of “Old Town Road” to his provocative music videos. However, the rapper has managed to turn these hurdles into opportunities, reinforcing his brand’s strength and appeal, and by extension, his net worth.
Moving forward, Lil Nas X’s net worth may continue to grow due to his innovative approach to music and branding. With the evolution of the music industry into more digital formats and the rise of NFTs, Lil Nas X could further amplify his earnings.
Conclusion/TLDR
In conclusion, Lil Nas X’s net worth as of 2024 is a testament to his strategic music creation, viral marketing, and innovative branding. Standing at $9 million, it mirrors his transformative journey from a little-known artist to a household name. The unique blend of his talent, charisma, and ability to engage audiences places him in a promising position for continued financial success in the years to come.
2019 was a phenomenal year filled with rap hits, as unconventional bangers closed out the decade. As social media, particularly TikTok, continued to shape the way music was consumed, Hip Hop saw a surge in diverse offerings. By 2019, the mumble rap subgenre also took the world by storm, although its critics were abundant. The year also saw interesting collaborations between rap artists and musicians from other genres. Most notably, “Old Town Road,” the genre-defying hit dominated charts across the globe.
Women in rap also enjoyed great success in the 2010s, and 2019 was no exception. Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Lizzo, and Nicki Minaj successfully blurred the lines between rap and pop, showcasing their exceptional international appeal.
Besides housing some of the best rap hits of the decade, 2019 also dealt some devastating blows to the Hip Hop community. The genre said goodbye to Nipsey Hussle, who left a lasting impact during his time. Also, newcomer Juice WRLD was unable to unlock his full potential due to his untimely passing. Nonetheless, Hip Hop had been at an all-time high in the late 2010s, and 2019 further solidified this.
“Wow” was released in December 2018, as the lead single from Post Malone’s third studio album, Hollywood’s Bleeding. The song features production elements that characterize Malone’s signature sound, blending elements of Hip Hop and pop. On the celebratory track, Malone reflects on his success, fame, and the lifestyle that comes with all of it. After its release, “Wow” quickly gained traction and became a commercial success. It would have climbed to the very top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but was restricted from doing so by Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings.” It was able to claim the top spot on the Hot Rap Songs chart, however, and stayed there for one week.
This collaborative effort by Cardi B and Bruno Mars combines elements of Hip Hop and R&B. What resulted was a smooth and seductive track. “Please Me” is known for its catchy and memorable chorus, which contributed to making the song one of the hottest rap hits of 2019. The song received positive reviews from critics, and was praised for its retro-inspired sound. Furthermore, the chemistry between Cardi B and Bruno Mars was lauded. Upon its release, “Please Me” was a success, reaching high positions on various music charts. On the Hot 100 chart, it peaked at number three, and on the Hot Rap Songs chart, it peaked at number one for one week.
Travis Scott’s “Highest in the Room” is his second solo appearance atop the Hot Rap Songs chart after 2018’s “Sicko Mode.” The song remains one of Scott’s most successful and recognizable rap hits. The single also contributed to further establishing the rapper as a prominent figure in contemporary Hip Hop. Upon its release, “Highest in the Room” became a cultural phenomenon, and was embraced by both critics and the general audience. Its hypnotic sound appealed to a wide demographic, which in turn, brought it significant commercial success. “Highest in the Room” debuted at number one on both the Hot 100 chart and the Hot Rap Songs chart.
“Roxanne” by Arizona Zervas was a viral hit on TikTok. It also played a significant role in the growth of Zervas’ musical career. The song was independently released by Zervas, and gradually gained popularity on social media platforms. Eventually, it became one of the defining rap hits of 2019. “Roxanne” is characterized by its catchy beat, as well as its relatable lyrics. The single tells the story of a tumultuous relationship with a woman named Roxanne. The song has achieved multi-platinum certification, and peaked at number four on the Hot 100 chart in 2019. It stayed on top of the Hot Rap Songs chart for four weeks as well.
Lizzo may have seemingly burst onto the scene with “Truth Hurts,” but her success was not overnight. The artist had been putting in work for quite some time before her breakthrough single sent her atop the charts. “Truth Hurts” was first released in 2017, but did not chart until two years later. In 2019, after a re-release, the song was finally appreciated by the masses and became a commercial and critical success. Another one of many rap hits to go viral on TikTok, Lizzo saw a huge surge in popularity in 2019. “Truth Hurts” is now certified 7x Platinum by the RIAA, and peaked at number one on the Hot 100. It was easily one of the biggest rap hits of 2019 and topped the Hot Rap Songs chart for an outstanding 13 weeks.
“Sunflower” was one of the singles released from the soundtrack of the animated film, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. The song was prominently featured in the film, where it served as the theme song for the main character, Miles Morales. The track’s inclusion in the film contributed to its popularity. “Sunflower,” one of many Diamond-certified hits by Malone, was the first song to top the Hot Rap Songs chart in 2019. Moreover, it enjoyed the top spot for 11 non-consecutive weeks.
This groundbreaking song is one of the defining tracks of the 2010s. “Old Town Road” is notable for its fusion of multi-genre elements, blending trap and pop with a country-inspired beat. This genre-crossing approach was both innovative and controversial, but in the long run, helped secure Lil Nas X firmly in the mainstream. Billy Ray Cyrus lent his star power on the song, effectively broadening the song’s appeal to a much larger audience. “Old Town Road” was a commercial juggernaut, achieving diamond certification and breaking streaming records. It also broke the Billboard Hot 100 record for longest-running number one single. Furthermore, the song is simultaneously the record-holder for the longest-running number-one single on the Hot Rap Songs chart as well, with a whopping 20 weeks. Of all the rap hits of 2019, “Old Town Road” reigned supreme, ending as the year-end chart-topper as well.
Montero Lamar Hill, famously known as Lil Nas X, is a shining testament to how overnight success can change a life. But, what is the star’s net worth in 2023? We’ll be looking at how the artist has been able to grow their wealth over their career.
Nas’ net worth is a result of a mix of raw talent, shrewd marketing, and a knack for creating viral content. The rapper shot to fame with his country-rap crossover hit “Old Town Road,” which took the world by storm. The song’s immense popularity on platforms like TikTok played a crucial role in propelling him to stardom and elevating his net worth.
Album sales significantly contribute to their net worth. His debut EP, 7, and his album Montero, featuring hits like “Panini” and “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” have amassed millions of streams, thus contributing to his overall income.
The Power Of Branding
Besides music, Lil Nas X’s net worth benefits from his unique branding strategy. The artist is renowned for his flamboyant style and bold social media presence, often resulting in trending topics. Furthermore, this strategy has enabled him to secure lucrative endorsement deals, thereby augmenting his net worth.
The Influence Of Streaming Platforms
In the modern music industry, streaming platforms are a major revenue source. For Nas, platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music have been pivotal in expanding his reach and increasing his earnings. The wide accessibility of his music via these platforms undoubtedly boosts his net worth.
Facing Challenges Head-On
While Lil Nas X’s rise to fame and wealth seems meteoric, it’s not without its challenges. The rapper has faced controversy and backlash, from the genre-blending nature of “Old Town Road” to his provocative music videos. However, the rapper has managed to turn these hurdles into opportunities, reinforcing his brand’s strength and appeal, and by extension, his net worth.
Moving forward, Lil Nas X’s net worth may continue to grow due to his innovative approach to music and branding. With the evolution of the music industry into more digital formats and the rise of NFTs, Lil Nas X could further amplify his earnings.
Conclusion/TLDR
In conclusion, Lil Nas X’s net worth as of 2023 is a testament to his strategic music creation, viral marketing, and innovative branding. Standing at $9 million, it mirrors his transformative journey from a little-known artist to a household name. The unique blend of his talent, charisma, and ability to engage audiences places him in a promising position for continued financial success in the years to come.
At this point, who knows how many “Carpool Karaoke” segments we have left, since The Late Late Show With James Corden is set to air its final episode on April 28. Corden is making the most of his final days on the show, though, by bringing on some heavy hitters for “Carpool Karaoke.” He hosted Bad Bunny a couple weeks ago, and on last night’s (March 27) show, it was Lil Nas X who hopped in the passenger seat.
The segment started with Corden taking notice of Lil Nas X’s shirt, which featured a bedazzled cross (certainly a departure from all the devil stuff). Nas explained, “Oh, this? You know, I’m having my, like, ‘woman of God’ moment. Like, hmm, Christian era.” Corden then joked, “I feel like Mary Magdalene,” a Biblical figure who was a Jesus Christ associate and is often portrayed as having been a prostitute. Nas didn’t get it, though, asking, “Who’s Mary Mag-dolan?” Corden replied, “It’s a long story, let’s not get into it.”
Aside from driving around and singing songs, the main attraction of this installment was Nas and Corden stopping by the Bold And The Beautiful set to film a scene for the long-running daytime soap opera. Nas was given the part of a waiter, while Corden was relegated to holding breadsticks in the background.
New year, new Dave East? During the rapper’s recent appearance on the My Expert Opinion podcast, East reflected on the backlash he received over his dislike for the song “Old Town Road.”
Back in April 2019, while Lil Nas X celebrated the song’s historic run on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, East, on the other hand, took to his Instagram stories writing, “This f*ckin’ ‘Old Town Road’ sh*t is f*ckin’ wack!” Later adding, “I ain’t no hater, man, but that sh*t is wack with a cape on it. It’s super wack.”
Now, nearly four years after his initial comments, the Harlem native rehashed the incident telling host Math Hoffa, “It’s like you can’t have an opinion on sh*t no more.”
“I said I did not like ‘Old Town Road.’ One day, I felt a way. I said, ‘I don’t like this record.’ You know their entire community ran down on me,” said East, clarifying, “I never said nothing about the [LGBTQ] community. I’m cool with the people in the community.”
Viewers took to Twitter to quickly remind East that he, in fact, does have a problem with the queer community after he used a homophobic Jamaican slur to comment on Lil Nas X’s Nicki Minaj-inspired Halloween costume the following year.
According to East, “You gotta know what comes with it,” but listening to the interview, it is clear he still doesn’t have a clue.
East doubled down on his disapproval of the song, saying, “I don’t like the song,” adding, “I don’t like the fact that it’s being played on New York radio, where I know it’s a thousand n****s right in the town. When I go to Atlanta, the radio sounds like Atlanta.”
Dave East has reflected on the controversy surrounding his comments on Nas-X” class=”text-word” target=”_blank” >Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.” Speaking with Math Hoffa for My Expert Opinion, East explained that he is “cool with” the LGBTQ community.
“I said I did not like ‘Old Town Road.’ One day, I felt a way. I said, ‘I don’t like this record.’ You know their entire community ran down on me,” East said firstly. “I never said nothing about the [LGBTQ] community. I’m cool with the people in the community.”
At the time, East remarked that the song is “fucking wack,” before adding, “I don’t know what the fuck is going on with hip-hop, with rap but… I ain’t no hater, man, but that shit is wack with a cape on it, It’s super wack!”
He also later used a Jamaican slur to describe gay men while reacting to Nas’ Nicki Minaj-inspired Halloween costume.
“It’s like you can’t have an opinion on shit no more,” East additionally said on My Expert Opinion. “You gotta know what comes with it. I didn’t say nothing about [Lil Nas X’s] preference as far as who he is as a person, I don’t give a fuck about that.”
He further added: “I don’t like the song. I don’t like the fact that it’s being played on New York radio where I know it’s a thousand n****s right in the town. When I go to Atlanta, the radio sounds like Atlanta.”
“Old Town Road” famously reigned atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a record-breaking nineteen weeks in 2019. Nas later released a remix with Billy Ray Cyrus, which helped continue its success.
Check out Dave East’s appearance on My Expert Opinion below.
For Lil Nas X, it all started with “Old Town Road,” his earth-shattering 2019 hit. Now, the song’s classic music video has entered rare territory, having just reached 1 billion views on YouTube (it’s at exactly 1,000,153,128 as of this post). According to data from kworb.net, the clip is just the 322nd music video to ever top a billion plays on the platform.
Nas had a celebratory reaction to the news, tweeting a photo of a woman at a party with a shirt reading “Old B*tches Winning” and writing, “WE DID IT!”
The official video isn’t the only “Old Town Road” clip with a high view count: The “Official Movie” has about 648 million plays and the audio of the Billy Ray Cyrus remix has about 580 million views of its own. In total, all the “Old Town Road” videos on Lil Nas X’s YouTube channel have about 2.4 billion views.
Just how uncommon is it for a music video to hit a billion views on YouTube? Well, let’s look at some data (which may not be completely accurate but is good enough for the purposes of this thought exercise). Per a July post from Earthweb, there are about 800 million total videos on YouTube. In 2019, Digital Music News noted that videos in the music category made up 5 percent of total YouTube videos in 2018. 5 percent of 800 million is 40 million. Not all of those 40 million are music videos, though, so let’s say (based on absolutely nothing) that just 1 percent of those 40 million videos are music videos, so 400,000. Of those, only 322 have hit a billion views, which is about 0.08 percent (or 8 percent of 1 percent).
For Lil Nas X, it memorably all started a few years ago with “Old Town Road.” The rapper really knew how to keep that song alive, too, as it was the No. 1 song in the country for a record 19 weeks. It was the biggest song in the world for a long time, but now Nas says he never again wants to “milk” a song of his like he did that one.
Last night, a Nas fan got on Twitter and asked for “unpopular” opinions about the rapper. Somebody responded, “i hate how fast the eras go like.. [‘Old Town Road’] was the only era i felt lasted a good amount of time. [‘Call Me By Your Name’] had potential to be so much bigger than what it was and longer at #1 if the era was longer.. same with montero.”
Nas responded to that tweet, writing, “how long did u expect [‘Call Me By Your Name’] era to be?” They replied, “u should’ve milked it like [‘Old Town Road’] idkkk hella remixes.. the song was HUGE but could’ve been bigger me thinks.” Nas answered, “i don’t wanna milk any of my songs like that again. it takes the fun out of creating new things.”
i hate how fast the eras go like.. otr was the only era i felt lasted a good amount of time cmbyn had potential to be so much bigger than what it was and longer at #1 if the era was longer.. same with montero
Nas also replied to other responses from the unpopular opinions prompt. One user wrote, “a lot of fans skew their opinions based on what the man himself thinks!” Nas replied, “it be the opposite way around too,” then clarified, “like i can love something then realize everybody else hate it then fall out of love with it sadly.”
Another user wrote, “He releases too many snippets!” Nas responded, “i’m just really impulsive when i create something.” The commenter added, “I love that. I just want to be surprised when the album comes out!” Nas replied, “i feel u.”
He releases too many snippets!
— Stacey | LTDP OUT NOW!!! (@InMyLife_25) July 8, 2022
Lil Nas X is set to make his voice-acting debut on an upcoming episode of The Proud Family: Louder And Prouder. The episode, appropriately titled “Old Towne Road,” begins streaming tomorrow on Disney+, and viewers will see Lil Nas X as a country singer named June Bug.
In the episode, Trudy (Paula Jai Parker) tracks her mother-in-law, Suga Mama’s (Jo Marie Payton) family history, leading the Prouds on a trip to Oklahoma. During their trip, Bobby Proud (Cedric The Entertainer) joins June Bug’s country band.
When Bobby asks June Bug where he can plug in his keytar, June Bug replies, “Nah cuh, I’m the only one who plays guitar around here,” then proceeds to hand him a washboard. “Give this a try, cuh, I love that for you.”
The band proceeds to play the hit that started it all for Lil Nas X, “Old Town Road.”
Lil Nas X is one of several musicians who were announced last year as guest stars for The Proud Family revival. Normani, Jaden, Chance The Rapper and Lizzo are also set to guest star this season.
Check out a sneak peek above.
Some of the artists mentioned are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.