Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” is a historically significant hit, but before it reached those heights, it had a bit of a sour relationship with the country music community. The song briefly appeared on the Billboard country charts before being removed, and some Wrangler fans boycotted the clothing brand after they teamed up with Lil Nas X on a promotional campaign.
Things turned around this summer, though, when it was announced that “Old Town Road” was nominated for the Music Event Of The Year award at the CMAs. The award show airs tonight, but ahead of then, it has been revealed that “Old Town Road” actually won. Producers are also credited in the nomination, and since the song samples Nine Inch Nails’ “34 Ghosts IV,” Trent Reznor has won his first CMA Award.
Congratulations to @LilNasX and @BillyRayCyrus for winning #CMAawards Musical Event of the Year for "Old Town Road (Remix)". The winner was just announced on @GoodMorningAmerica! pic.twitter.com/yWmTbr8UXI
— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) November 13, 2019
“Old Town Road” faced competition from some of country’s brightest, as it was nominated against Maren Morris’ “All My Favorite People” feat. Brothers Osbourne, Brooks & Dunn’s “Brand New Man” (with Luke Combs), Garth Brooks and Blake Shelton’s “Dive Bar,” and Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell’s “What Happens In A Small Town.”
Reznor recently praised “Old Town Road,” saying when asked if he likes the song, “It’s been stuck in my head enough. Let’s put it that way.”
