Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' was released in 2018.

Posted by The Headlines, Sep 4, 2026Checked Nov 2, 2026

Polygraph verdictTrue

Sources: 5 support1 context
Said: 1 time·
Confidence: 90%

The HeadlinesSep 4, 2026

Multiple independent sources (NPR, Vox, Wikipedia, Smithsonian, Variety, American Songwriter) state that Lil Nas X released 'Old Town Road' in December 2018 (original release Dec 2-3, 2018), with the March/April 2019 Columbia re-release and Billy Ray Cyrus remix noted as later versions. The claim faithfully matches the passage, which said the song was 'originally released in 2018.'

What was said

… Now, Choose) in Texas has been in the number one spot for a whopping 20 weeks, edging out two other country infused mega hits, which had been tied for the record. We're going to play you a short bit of those two songs. See if you can name each one. First, this song was originally released in 2018. That was Lil Nas X's Old Town Road. She's in the back. And here is the other song that spent months and months in the number one slot. That one was A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozy. I'ma pull me up a doughnut, a shot of whiskey. They know me. …

The Headlines · Sep 4, 2026· from the transcriptPost →

What we found

Supports. NPR states Lil Nas X first released 'Old Town Road' in December 2018 and it quickly gained popularity on TikTok.[1]

Supports. Vox reports that in December 2018 Lil Nas X released 'Old Town Road' online, before it became a hit by April 2019.[2]

Supports. Wikipedia's entry says the single was first released independently in December 2018 (December 3, 2018 original), with a later Columbia re-release in March 2019.[3]

Supports. Smithsonian reports he recorded the song on December 2, 2018 and released it later that day under the name Lil Nas X.[4]

Supports. Variety states the record was released in December 2018, where it initially went viral on TikTok.[5]

Context. The 2019 re-release by Columbia and the Billy Ray Cyrus remix (April 2019) are later versions, not the original release, so they do not contradict the 2018 date.[3][6]