On Tuesday, Lil Nas X’s had some news: His No. 1 single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” will be removed from streaming services. Why? He did not say. Hours later, his label, Columbia Records, confirmed the news over Twitter.
Thanks for all your comments regarding @LilNasX “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” It’s unfortunately out of our control but we are doing everything possible to keep the song up on streaming services. We will keep you up to date as we hear more. Thank you for understanding.
— Columbia Records (@ColumbiaRecords) April 13, 2021
“Thanks for all your comments regarding @LilNasX ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name),’” the company wrote. “It’s unfortunately out of our control but we are doing everything possible to keep the song up on streaming services. We will keep you up to date as we hear more. Thank you for understanding.”
It was such a shock that some people assumed it was all a big joke. But Lil Nas revealed that it was all too serious.
not even joking. everybody stream call me by your name hard today because it may no longer be available tomorrow and there’s nothing i can really do about it. thanks for all the support tho!
— nope
(@LilNasX) April 13, 2021
everybody screen record the audio/video on youtube so you will have the song in your gallery worst case scenario https://t.co/pjGd1CP2tw
— nope
“Not even joking,” he wrote on Twitter. “Everybody stream call me by your name hard today because it may no longer be available tomorrow and there’s nothing i can really do about it. thanks for all the support tho! (white heart emoji).” He even told them to “screen record the audio/video on YouTube so you will have the song in your gallery worst case scenario.”
But there is some hope: One managed to get the controversial song to play on a Game Boy Advance, which even surprised the singer himself.