When Lil Nas X’s country-trap track “Old Town Road” hit astronomical levels of virality earlier this year, it was unjustly kicked off Billboard’s Country charts (before being reinstated with a little help from Billy Ray Cyrus).
Since then, the song – which takes the yeehaw aesthetic to its limits – has become the longest-running US number one of all time, before being knocked off the top spot by Billie Eilish. Apparently, that’s not long enough for it to pick up any notable recognition at the Country Music Awards, though.
In what definitely looks like a snub, given the song’s history, it wasn’t even nominated for song or single of the year. In fact, Lil Nas X was only nominated for one award: Musical Event of the Year.
On the plus side, this does make him the first openly gay man to be nominated for a CMA. Of course, there’s a chance that this bias could account for his lack of other recognition; the rapper has previously spoken out about the reaction to his coming out, saying: “Within the country and the hip hop communities… it’s not really accepted in either.”
Lil Nas X did find success at the VMAs earlier this week (August 26), picking up the Best Song award for “Old Town Road”, so it’s not all bad for the cowboys of the awards show circuit.