Need a couple number ones, Need a plaque on every song:
The narrative of Lil Nas X

Patricia Curtin’s 1995 study delves into the methodology of textual analysis in media communication studies (1995). Curtin notes that because words are “polysemic” (having more than one meaning) there can be multiple interpretations of one text; it is the job of the researcher to consider all interpretations, both dominant and alternative (1995).

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Textual analysis offers a pathway to provide insight into the media’s portrayal of Lil Nas X, and by extension, his public persona.

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Six publications that focus on music or pop culture were chosen as the sources to analyze — Slate, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Genius, and Billboard. Articles published between March 1, 2021, and October 31, 2021, were included in the domain. This timeframe comprises the date that Lil Nas X released his single “Montero” and the music video that accompanyed it received much coverage. His album “Montero” was released in September, so the examination extends through the month following the album’s release.

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Only articles with Lil Nas X’s name in the headline were looked at. If an article had his name in the headline but did not mention any of the coded words or phrases, it was removed from the study.

The publications examined were selected because they are mainstream pop culture and music publications. Because the number of articles available from each publication was so varied, the data was examined proportionally. In total, 59 articles were examined.

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Words related to gender, sexuality, and race were coded, as were words connected to the public’s reception of him and his relatability and words connected to religion.