As it turns out, the full story behind the McDonald’s ditty is part David and Goliath, part King Midas, and part “Mad Men,” with plenty that foreshadows both the 21st-century music industry and the culture beyond it. Music basked in the attention on Twitter, showing what a hold this multibillion-dollar melody still has on the popular imagination. The now- president of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. “I’m Lovin’ It” popped up in discussion again last month when word resurfaced of Pusha T’s involvement. And the jingle’s “ba da ba ba ba” vocal hook, originally sung by Timberlake, has grown more famous than Timberlake’s actual hits. Over the past 13 years, “I’m Lovin’ It” has gone on to become by far the longest-running McDonald’s slogan in history.
Tied around the slogan “I’m Lovin’ It,” the advertising blitz marked, surprisingly, the first time the venerable fast-food company had ever used a single message and set of commercials worldwide at the same time. "It was just fun watching two young people that collaborated on music share in the glory together," says Batshon.In 2003, Justin Timberlake helped launch an ambitious new McDonald’s marketing campaign. Producers and artists can now create a hit song "in their bedrooms."įor Lil Nas X and YoungKio, breaking a Billboard record is a testament to the shift in the music industry, as more self-made, younger artists climb the charts.
"Probably one of the biggest moments in the transformation of how music was made and sold has been the evolution of the accessibility of hardware and software tools," says Batshon. "Old Town Road" gained much of its initial traction on the video social media platform TikTok, where the remix featuring Cyrus has been used in over 11 million videos. Streaming services like SoundCloud, Spotify and YouTube allow artists to share their music with the world without going through the traditional gatekeepers at radio stations, with Spotify alone passing 100 million paid subscribers earlier this year. In June, he announced on Instagram that he signed a deal with Universal Music Group.īeatStars is one of many tools that support independent artists in an age where songs can go viral online before the artist is even signed to a record label. After the song exploded in popularity, the pair negotiated a new contract, said Batshon.įollowing the success of "Old Town Road," YoungKio's sales spiked on BeatStars. Lil Nas X purchased the beat in 2018 for $30, which came with limited distribution rights. Batshon said that the music on BeatStars ranges from $20 to $200 for a non-exclusive contract, with increasing prices for more exclusive rights.Ī 19-year old from the Netherlands known as YoungKio created the "Old Town Road" beat, incorporating a sample from the song "34 Ghosts IV" by rock legends Nine Inch Nails. The company has paid out over $50 million to producers since 2012, CEO Abe Batshon told CNBC Make It.
Producers pay a monthly fee to use BeatStars and get to keep 100% of their sales revenue when artists buy their beats on the platform. Lil Nas X wrote "Old Town Road" himself using a beat he bought for just $30 on the online platform BeatStars.īeatStars is a digital marketplace that allows producers to sell their original beats to artists. While the song has catapulted Lil Nas X from aspiring musician in Georgia to global superstar, it didn't take much money at all to create the smash hit. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, "Old Town Road" pulls ahead of an elite group of songs that held the record for the longest reign on top. The 2017 Latin sensation "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber and "One Sweet Day" released by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men in 1995 previously shared the record at 16 weeks, according to Billboard.