Which artist recorded the 2019 hit "Old Town Road"?

The artist who recorded the 2019 hit "Old Town Road" was Lil Nas X. The song became a global breakout by blending trap production and Southern hip-hop with country-inspired sounds, eventually turning its young rapper into a mainstream star.

Lil Nas X first released the track independently on December 3, 2018, after purchasing Dutch producer YoungKio's instrumental online for $30. It spread rapidly through TikTok videos before Columbia Records re-released it in 2019. A remix featuring country singer Billy Ray Cyrus arrived on April 5, 2019, helping the song reach an even wider audience.

The 2019 date refers to the song's major commercial breakthrough, although the original recording technically came out in 2018. "Old Town Road" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, then a record-setting run at number one. The song also became notable for crossing genre boundaries: Billboard removed it from the country chart, while its trap rhythm and country imagery fueled debate about how music genres are classified.