Commercially, the album topped the charts in Australia, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden. It peaked at number two on the USBillboard 200, also entering the top 10 in numerous other territories.
In 2018, Lil Nas X released his song "Old Town Road", which set a record for the longest-charting number-one song on theBillboard Hot 100.[1] However, with some people dismissing his success as aone-hit wonder, Lil Nas X wanted to depart from thecountry trap sound of "Old Town Road" when working on his debut album; instead, he focused on rap, pop, and R&B, influenced byDrake,Nicki Minaj,Katy Perry,Miley Cyrus, andDoja Cat.[2][1][3] After releasing the EP7, he said he was working on an album, noting that it was going to be more personal.[4] In early 2020, he askedTake a Daytrip, a production duo who helped with7, to produce his debut album, and started recording a series of demos during the 2020COVID-19 lockdowns.
Months into production, Lil Nas X teased the album's lead single "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" on Twitter, with positive reception.[5][6] The track was later teased again in aSuper Bowl commercial for Swiss hardware manufacturerLogitech, before its release was announced publicly[7] alongside a music video directed by the Ukrainian music video directorTanu Muino on March 26, 2021.[8] The album's second single "Sun Goes Down" came shortly after on May 21, 2021, which followed the theme ofhomosexuality seen in much of the final release.[9] Both tracks were performed onSaturday Night Live just a day later on May 22, 2021.[10] After the release of "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)," the popular art collectiveMSCHF partnered with Lil Nas X to release a modified version of theNike Air Max 97 dubbedSatan Shoes which were temporally available on MSCHF's website.Nike was quick to sue MSCHF, which lead to a court case that was settled a month later.[11] As a promotional technique for the project's third single "Industry Baby", Lil Nas X took toTikTok to announce that a mock court hearing would be held on the single's release date on July 23, 2021.[12] The announcement was bundled with a promotional video featuring a fake court hearing which acted as the precursor to the song's music video, directed by Christian Breslauer of themusic video production company London Alley.[13] An early version of the album wasleaked with unfinished versions of songs online on July 27. Also, 13 songs were leaked by the same person that never made it to the final release.[14][15]
On August 26, 2021, Lil Nas X formally announcedMontero in a promotional skit posted onto hisYouTube channel.[16] In the promotional video, the track "Thats What I Want" was teased as the album's fourth single. On September 17, 2021, the song and its accompanying music video was released along with the rest of the project.[17]Sony Music Italy released "Lost in the Citadel" forradio airplay in Italy on April 8, 2022, as the album's fifth single.[18]
On March 26, 2021, following the release of "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)", Lil Nas X announced the title of the albumMontero onTwitter, along with a 2021 release date.[19] On June 29, 2021, a parody of theMarvel Studios production logo was uploaded toYouTube as a new trailer for the album featuring various clips from the music videos of his singles.[20] On August 23, 2021, a partnership withTaco Bell to promote the album was announced, with Lil Nas X playing a role in "menu innovations".[21] The album's release date was announced through another teaser video uploaded to YouTube on August 26, 2021.[22] The video acted as a continuation of the music video for the third single "Industry Baby".[23]
The track listing was announced on September 1, 2021. Alongside the announcement, collaborations withDoja Cat,Elton John,Megan Thee Stallion, andMiley Cyrus were revealed.[24][25] In early September 2021, Lil Nas X participated in a fakepregnancy photoshoot, with the supposed baby being his album. He was inspired to do so byMegan Thee Stallion's verse on the track "Dolla Sign Slime". To accompany this, he created a "baby registry" which was used to gather donations for variousLGBTQ charities.[26][27][28][29] The album cover was created by artistsPilar Zeta and Charlotte Rutherford.[30][31]
Montero was released on September 17, 2021, byColumbia Records.[32] The album's launch was preceded by a livestream on YouTube showing Lil Nas X being interviewed byMontero, played by himself, on a fictional daytimetalk show titledThe Montero Show,[33] before being sent to the hospital in an emergency to "give birth to his album".[34]
On April 26, 2022, Lil Nas X announced a concert tour to support the debut album,Montero. The tour, titledLong Live Montero Tour, was his first headlining concert tour, beginning on September 6, 2022, inDetroit, and concluded on November 17, 2022, inBarcelona.[35] Tickets for North American dates went on sale on April 29, 2022 with European dates on May 6, 2022. Mobile payment service,Cash App, held pre-sales for North American dates on April 27 viaTicketmaster.[36] In early September 2022, the artist announced that he would play an exclusive show inSydney. The show took place at theHordern Pavilion on January 4, 2023.[37]
Montero received acclaim from music critics, who often commended its bold and heartfelt subject matter, and the eclectic production.[51][52] AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received anaverage score of 85 based on 19 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[42] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.8 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[41]
Mike Wass ofVariety praises how the project isn't shy to "give voice to the fears and longings of a generation ofqueer kids", citing the project's lead single "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" to be "one of the most defiantly queer chart-toppers of all time" and that the track ranks as "the ultimateearworm on the album".[53] Meanwhile,Alexis Petridis ofThe Guardian gave the album a five-star review in which he praised the album's lyrics, variety and change in tone halfway through, while also noting the album rollout's use ofproduct placement, citing prominent advertising for American fast-food giantTaco Bell and the popular food delivery appUber Eats.[38] Melissa Ruggieri ofUSA Today highlighted the work of production duoTake a Daytrip, praising how the duo "pilot his music through valleys of beats and peaks of melody" and how it leads to "a pleasant exploratory ride" throughout the duration of the project.[54] Eric Torres ofPitchfork comments thatMontero helps "fulfills the promise of [turning Lil Nas X into] a new kind of pop star", mentioning that the album's contents are "radio-primed to work well besideOlivia Rodrigo'spop-punk or Doja's earworm rap".[39]
Reviewing the album forAllMusic, Neil Z. Yeung called it "A breath of fresh air" and "one of those instant classics, packed with as many catchy jams as introspective musings."[43] Concluding the four-star review forEvening Standard, David Smyth stated that "From slinky pop rap on 'Scoop' to torturedrock on 'Life After Salem', he's doing it all, and against the odds, proving that he has a long bright career ahead."[55] AtClash Magazine, Laviea Thomas gave praise to the album, for being "one of 2021’s most daring, riveting, and honest pop statement[s]."[44]
NME's El Hunt was amongst the few reviewers to give a more divided opinion on the album, claiming that "Without visuals to add a knowing wink and a flourish of pop absurdity, it sometimes settles into a comfortable groove of trap-influenced drum beats, moody instrumentals,Frank Ocean-y electric guitars and percussive brass peals."[49]The Observer'sKitty Empire was also mildly critical, stating that she felt Lil Nas X "resorts to mainstream genre cliches rather than razing convention as he did on 'Old Town Road'."[56] Reviewing in his "Consumer Guide" column,Robert Christgau gaveMontero athree-star honorable mention and named "Tales of Dominica", "Sun Goes Down", and "Scoop" as highlights, while summing up the release as "fluke country-rap meisterhitman croons songful enoughgay popbildungsalbum for a biz that has yet to generate enough of them".[57]
In June 2022,Rolling Stone rankedMontero #151 on its list ofThe 200 Greatest Rap Albums of All Time.[58]
Montero was the most pre-added album onApple Music two weeks preceding its release (August 27 to September 2, 2021), one place ahead ofABBA'sVoyage (2021).[67] The album debuted at number two on theBillboard 200 with first-week sales of 126,000 equivalent units, of which 22,000 were pure album sales.[68][69] The album also spawned threeBillboard Hot 100 hits: "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)", which reached No. 1 on April 10, 2021, "Industry Baby", which reached No. 1 on October 23, 2021, and "Thats What I Want", which peaked at No. 8 on April 2, 2022.
^"Czech Albums – Top 100".ČNS IFPI.Note: On the chart page, select38.Týden 2021 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
^"Slovak Albums – Top 100".ČNS IFPI. RetrievedSeptember 27, 2021.Note: On the chart page, select SK - Albums - Top 100 under the left field and "202138" on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data.
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg)
[43]
[46]
