THE ARTS
Lil Nas X
Changing How Music is Marketed A L EXA ND R I A A R R I E TA
Lil Nas X has proven that he’s much more than a one-hit wonder. The 22-year-old artist has propelled himself into virality time and time again, not only through strong songwriting and production, but also by using a communication style that is distinctly meme-driven and keyed into the way that popular music moves on the internet. In my work for music organizations and my doctoral research at Annenberg about the relationship between popular music and internet memes, Lil Nas X continually comes to the forefront. After the success of “Old Town Road” had run its course, Lil Nas X admitted that he felt he had a lot to prove with his debut album, “Montero.” Any doubts about whether or not he was capable of capturing the attention of pop listeners were shattered with the release of his single “ Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” in March 2021. The track marked the beginning of a new era for him to expand the definition of what it looks like to be a queer rapper and chart-topping pop star, increasingly putting his sexuality at the forefront of his artistic
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RELEVANCE REPORT 2021-22
identity. When he received backlash for the sexually explicit nature of his new music videos, he was quick to point out that he was simply following in the footsteps of other pop stars before him. Lil Nas X also understands that highproduction music videos are only a part of what it currently takes to release a single in a pop music industry that is decidedly driven by TikTok. With each single, he introduces clips to TikTok months before their official release, so that in many cases, his songs have their own life as memes long before they debut on streaming platforms. Before releasing his debut album, he broke records and won numerous awards largely because he has been so successful at sustaining public attention through social media. For “Old Town Road” that meant 19 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, bolstered by constant remixing and meme-ing of the song across social media platforms. One of the most interesting things about Lil Nas X is his understanding of not only what will surprise audiences, but what will
