The Year in Charts 2019: Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road,' Feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, Is the No. 1 Hot 100 Song of the Year
Lil Nas X’s record-breaking single “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, finishes 2019 as the year’s top Billboard Hot 100 song.
Billboard’s year-end music recaps are based on chart performance during the charts dated Nov. 24, 2018, to Nov. 16, 2019. Data registered before or after a title’s chart run is not considered in these standings. That methodology detail, and the December-to-November time period, account for some of the differences between these lists and the calendar-year recaps that are independently compiled by Nielsen Music.
“Old Town Road” was a runaway chart hit on the weekly Hot 100 chart, as it spent a record-shattering 19 weeks at No. 1. It surpassed the previous record for the most weeks at No. 1 on the weekly list -- 16 weeks -- held by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day.”
Explore All of Billboard's 2019 Year-End Charts
Lil Nas X, who turned 20 on April 9, is the youngest male artist with the year-end Hot 100 No. 1, and the second-youngest act ever to lead the year-end tally. He trails only a 19-year-old Lulu in 1967, who claimed the year’s most popular tune with “To Sir With Love.”
Elsewhere on the 2019 year-end Hot 100 Songs recap, Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower (Into the Spider-Verse)” is the No. 2 hit, while Halsey’s “Without Me” finishes at No. 3. Rounding out the top five are Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” and Post Malone’s “Wow.” at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively.
Marshmello and Bastille’s massive dance/pop hit “Happier” is the No. 6 Hot 100 song of the year, while Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” is, fittingly, No. 7. Khalid’s “Talk” and Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” are Nos. 8 and 9, respectively, while Jonas Brothers’ “Sucker” is No. 10.
Post Malone has two tracks in the top 10 -- a feat he also achieved in 2018’s year-end Hot 100 songs recap with “Rockstar,” featuring 21 Savage at No. 5 and “Psycho,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign at No. 6. In turn, Post Malone is just the second act, and first solo artist, to tally a pair of year-end top 10s in back-to-back years since the Hot 100 launched in 1958. Only duo The Chainsmokers has managed the feat previously, in 2016 and 2017.
