Photography Charlotte Wales, styling Tom GuinnessMusic / NewsMusic / NewsPeople keep stealing ‘Old Town Road’ signsFeeling the effects of Lil Nas X’s rise to fameShareLink copied ✔️August 11, 2019August 11, 2019TextThom Waite It’s no secret that, since his success with “Old Town Road”, Lil Nas X has spread about as fast as… well, an internet meme. He’s definitely difficult to miss online, weighing in on the Area 51 situation with an animated video and featuring Walmart kid (i.e. Mason Ramsey) on a Young Thug-led remix. The real world also appears to be feeling the effects of the longest running US number one of all time, though, especially towns that happen to have an Old Town Road in them. Yeah, you guessed it (or just read the headline): people have been stealing the road signs. The Swellesley Report, a site about Wellesley, Massachusets (cute pun) reported on the thefts earlier this week. They say at least three signs have gone missing since Lil Nas X’s song blew up, sometimes hacksawed off their metal posts, and highlight the costs and potential dangers of removing signage. Obviously, though, that probably isn’t going to stop country-trap enthusiasts and/or potential thieves doing their thing. Wellesley apparently isn’t looking to replace the signs until things cool off (which might be a while). Sicamous, British Columbia (which also, evidently, has an Old Town Road) has taken a different approach, producing replica signs for $25 after a similar string of encounters with pop culture outlaws. Road trip, anyone? Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MOREIn pictures: Taiwan’s spiritual temple ravesListen to Sissy Misfit’s essential afters playlistSamsøe SamsøeSamsøe Samsøe wants you to take in the sights for SS26Addison Rae, KATSEYE and more attend Spotify’s pre-Grammys bashICE Out, the Grammys, and the fight for cultural power in the USGrammys 2026: The biggest snubs from this year’s awardsThe only tracks you need to hear from January 2026This new event series aims to bring spirituality back to live musicMargo XS on the sound of transness: ‘Malleable, synthetic and glossy’The Boy who cried Terrified: Ranking all the tracks on fakemink’s new EPA massive exhibition on Black British music is coming to V&A EastAtmospheric dream-pop artist Maria Somerville shares her offline favouritesEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy