UPDATE: The rapper’s label, Columbia Records, confirmed in a tweet that there is currently an issue with “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” on streaming. The label released a statement, saying the song removals are “out of our control,” though they are working to “keep the song up on streaming services.”
It’s still unclear why the song has been removed from streaming, or which regions/countries are specifically affected.
ORIGINAL STORY (1:30 PM ET): Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” is currently topping the Billboard charts — but is the hit single’s days numbered?
On Tuesday (April 13), countless fans online reported that they could no longer stream the track, with many sharing screenshots and videos of messages telling them that the song was no longer available in their country or region.
“I was about to laugh at you guys for not being able to listen BUT I CANT ANYMORE EITHER!! I literally just listened to it on the way home last night like 20 times and now it’s UNAVAILABDNSKKWK,” one fan tweeted.
Lil Nas X warned his Twitter followers about the possibility that “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” could disappear from streaming. Tweeting about how grateful he’s been for all the support, the rapper recommended fans play the song on loop today before it’s (potentially) taken off the web for good.
“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!” he posted on Twitter.
Though the song appears to remain available for U.S.-based users to stream on Spotify and Apple Music, and it’s unclear just who is being affected in terms of region or country, the artist announced his plans to upload the audio to Pornhub’s site at 3PM EST today.
One fan took it a step further and encouraged others to take a screen-recording of the music video in case that gets taken down, too. The rapper co-signed the idea by re-tweeting it.
It’s unclear why “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” would be taken down from streaming. However, since its March 26 release, Lil Nas X been simultaneously praised and criticized for the song’s controversial music video, which sees him pole dance his way down to hell, where he gives the devil a lap dance.
The criticism has gone as far as to block his “Satan Shoe” collaboration, resulting in a lawsuit from Nike. “I haven’t been upset until today,” he tweeted about the lawsuit. “I feel like it’s f—ed up they have so much power they can get shoes cancelled. freedom of expression gone out the window. But that’s gonna change soon.”
Even though the internet may find ways to take down his anthem, Lil Nas X refuses to stay silent. And his fans will stand by him ’til the end.