Music critic Tom Breihan's "The Number Ones" column examines "Industry Baby," the 2021 collaboration between Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow that spent one week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Lil Nas X's third US chart-topper, following "Old Town Road" and "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," and the piece situates the song within his unusually turbulent seven-year run of fame, noting that he has recently gone through a difficult period following a widely publicised incident in Los Angeles.

The column, part of an ongoing series reviewing every Hot 100 number one since 1958, describes "Industry Baby" as a triumphant, boastful victory-lap track made while Lil Nas X was still working on his debut album and shaping his public persona. Breihan contrasts it with the artist's two previous chart-toppers, calling it more conventional than the viral novelty of "Old Town Road" or the shock value of "Montero," while still finding it an enjoyable addition to his run of hits.