Cowboy Carter
2024 studio album by Beyoncé From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2024 studio album by Beyoncé From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cowboy Carter (also referred to as Act II: Cowboy Carter) is the eighth studio album by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé, released on March 29, 2024, via Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. A concept album, Cowboy Carter is the second of a planned trilogy of albums, following Renaissance (2022). Beyoncé conceived Cowboy Carter as a journey through a reinvention of Americana, spotlighting the overlooked contributions of Black pioneers to American musical and cultural history.
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| Released | March 29, 2024 | |||
| Recorded | 2019–2024[1][2] | |||
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| Length | 78:21 | |||
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Mostly labeled a country and Americana album, Cowboy Carter blends diverse musical genres including R&B, blues, folk, zydeco, rock and roll, pop, psychedelic soul, hip hop, bluegrass, and opera. Conceptually, the album is presented as a radio broadcast by a fictitious station called "KNTRY Radio Texas", with country singers Dolly Parton, Linda Martell, and Willie Nelson acting as disc jockeys. The album's songs feature lesser-known Black country artists such as Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Shaboozey, and Willie Jones. The music is driven by a range of acoustic instruments played by musicians including Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Nile Rodgers, Jon Batiste, Gary Clark Jr., and Rhiannon Giddens.
Cowboy Carter was met with widespread acclaim upon release; critics felt that the album's genre experimentation, expansive scope, and eclectic references aided an ambitious reimagining of Americana and country through the lens of their Black roots. The album ignited discussions on Black musicians' place within country music, boosted the listenership of Black country artists and country radio in general, and increased the popularity of Western wear and culture.
Cowboy Carter debuted at number one in various countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, and broke several chart and streaming records. In the United States, Cowboy Carter became Beyoncé's eighth consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200 and the first album by a black woman to top the Top Country Albums chart. Two co-lead singles—"Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages"—supported the album, with the former becoming Beyoncé's ninth number one single in the United States and the first country song by a Black woman to top the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts. "II Most Wanted", a duet with Miley Cyrus, was released as the third single.
Beyoncé was born and raised in Houston, where the city's cowboy heritage and country and zydeco music played a role in her upbringing.[3][4] She listened to country music from an early age, particularly from her paternal grandfather, and her family attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo every year in western clothing.[5] She performed at the Rodeo four times between 2001 and 2007, and has continued to celebrate her country and Southern roots throughout her career.[lower-alpha 1]
I grew up going to the Houston rodeo every year. It was this amazing, diverse and multicultural experience where there was something for every member of the family, including great performances, Houston-style fried Snickers, and fried turkey legs. One of my inspirations came from the overlooked history of the American Black cowboy. Many of them were originally called cowhands, who experienced great discrimination and were often forced to work with the worst, most temperamental horses. They took their talents and formed the Soul Circuit. Through time, these Black rodeos showcased incredible performers and helped us reclaim our place in western history and culture.
— Beyoncé to Harper's Bazaar in 2021[11]
In 2007, Beyoncé performed a bluegrass-inspired version of her hit "Irreplaceable" with country duo Sugarland at the American Music Awards.[12] She first released an original country song in 2016: the track "Daddy Lessons" on her sixth studio album Lemonade.[13] Beyoncé, together with the Chicks (who had previously covered the song), performed the track at the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 2, 2016. The performance was largely praised by critics and gave the Country Music Association Awards their highest viewership in history; however, it was also met with backlash, with some country music fans criticizing Beyoncé's attendance and claiming she did not belong in the genre. The Country Music Association deleted all promotional posts about Beyoncé's performance, which was seen by some observers as succumbing to the pressure from conservative and racist viewers.[14][15] In December 2016, The Recording Academy's country music committee rejected "Daddy Lessons" for consideration for a Grammy Award, with publications reporting that the song was not seen as being "country enough".[16][17]
This experience led to the creation of Cowboy Carter. Beyoncé explained how it was made clear to her that she was not welcome in the country music space, which encouraged her to explore the musical history of the genre rather than letting the critics force her out of it. She delved into the history of country music and Western culture and researched its African-American roots. She studied "our rich musical archive" and learned from educators who had long advocated for a re-education on the black roots of country music. She also read that, historically, half of cowboys were black, which made her realize how much of the Black, brown and Native cowboy stories are missing in American history.[18] This was the inspiration for her 2021 "Ivy Park Rodeo" clothing collection.[11] Following this research, Beyoncé conceived Cowboy Carter as a journey through a reinvention of Americana, in which she redefines its boundaries and spotlights overlooked contributions of African-Americans to diverse musical genres, Southern and Western culture, and American history.[19] Collaborator Rhiannon Giddens said Beyoncé did not intend to create a typical crossover country album, but instead wanted to explore her family's roots through music.[20]
Cowboy Carter was over five years in the making. Beyoncé began to write the album in 2019, then recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, which she described as her most creative period.[21] The album forms "Act II" of a trilogy project that Beyoncé recorded during this period.[22] The first act, Renaissance (2022), is primarily a house and disco record highlighting and celebrating the Black progenitors of dance music, leading some to believe that each album of the trilogy would aim to explore the Black roots of a different musical genre.[23] Cowboy Carter was originally intended to be released before Renaissance, but Beyoncé changed the order in response to the pandemic.[24]
Between 2020 and 2024, Dolly Parton often said that she would like Beyoncé to cover her song "Jolene". She first said that "nobody's ever had a really big hit record on ['Jolene']" in a December 5, 2020, interview with The Big Issue. She said that even though "the song has been recorded worldwide over 400 times in lots of different languages, by lots of different bands, [she'd] always hoped somebody might do [it] someday, someone like Beyoncé."[25] On March 10, 2022, when asked by Trevor Noah on The Daily Show about her 2020 statement, she said "I would just love to hear 'Jolene' done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney did my 'I Will Always Love You', just someone that can take my little songs and make them like powerhouses. That would be a marvelous day in my life if she ever does do 'Jolene'."[26] After publicly showing her support for Beyoncé's 2024 venture into country in February,[27] on March 8, 2024, in an interview with Knox News for the 2024 season opening of Dollywood, Parton said "I think she's recorded 'Jolene' and I think it's probably gonna be on her country album, which I'm very excited about..."[28][29]
The joy of creating music is that there are no rules. The more I see the world evolving the more I felt a deeper connection to purity. With artificial intelligence and digital filters and programming, I wanted to go back to real instruments, and I used very old ones. I didn't want some layers of instruments like strings, especially guitars, and organs perfectly in tune. I kept some songs raw and leaned into folk. All the sounds were so organic and human, everyday things like the wind, snaps and even the sound of birds and chickens, the sounds of nature.
— Beyoncé on Cowboy Carter[30]
Beyoncé recorded around 100 songs for the album.[31] Each song is its own reimagined version of a Western film,[32] including Five Fingers For Marseilles (2017), Urban Cowboy (1980), The Hateful Eight (2015), Space Cowboys (2000), The Harder They Fall (2021), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), Thelma & Louise (1991), and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000).[19]
While Cowboy Carter is generally described as a country and Americana album, the album blends together various styles of music that Beyoncé listened to when growing up in Texas, including blues, folk, zydeco, rock and roll, psychedelic soul, rhythm and blues, funk, gospel, bluegrass, opera, rock, honky-tonk and go-go.[33][34][35] The album also fuses in more contemporary and international musical styles, such as hip hop, pop, house, Jersey club, flamenco, funk carioca, fado and Irish folk.[36][37] Beyoncé's experimentation with musical styles on Cowboy Carter aims to break down the limitations placed on genre-based music, in the service of redefining the boundaries of Americana.[19][38] The album's genre experimentation received significant discussion in the media, with publications describing the album as "genre-busting", "genre-defying", "genre-bending", and "genre-blending".[39][40][41][42] Music critics differed in their classification of the album: some simply defined it as "country" or "country-and-Western",[43][44] while others opined that the album is not a country album per se but uses country signifiers to explore various genres,[45][46][47] such as Robert Christgau who regarded it an "eclectic pop" album with "countryish flavorings".[48] Beyoncé herself said about Cowboy Carter: "This ain't a Country album. This is a 'Beyoncé' album.", which USA Today's Kofi Mframa said was a "resounding testament to Beyoncé's long history of refusal to adhere to the traditional confines of genre".[45]
The album is presented as a broadcast by a fictional Texas radio station, with country singers Dolly Parton, Linda Martell and Willie Nelson acting as radio DJs.[49] The album features rising country artists Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Shaboozey and Willie Jones, and also features contributions by musicians such as Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Cam, Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers, Raye, and Jon Batiste.[19] The album is cyclical, with the final note looping seamlessly into the beginning of the first track (which begins "Nothing really ends") in the same manner as James Joyce's Finnegans Wake (1939), according to the The Washington Post's Shane O'Neill.[50] The album features a range of acoustic instruments played by musicians including Stevie Wonder on harmonica, Paul McCartney and Nile Rodgers on guitar, and Rhiannon Giddens on banjo.[51]
Beyoncé originally intended to release Cowboy Carter as the first installment of a trilogy of albums, but explained that "with the pandemic, there was too much heaviness in the world", and so released Renaissance first, because "[people] deserved to dance."[52]
On February 11, 2024, during Super Bowl LVIII, Verizon aired a commercial starring Beyoncé entitled "Can't B Broken", in which she tried to "break the Internet" through increasingly outlandish means, such as releasing a jazz saxophone record, performing on top of Sphere in Las Vegas, building an artificial intelligence (AI) version of herself, launching a collection of Barbie-like dolls dubbed "BarBey", announcing her candidacy for a fictional political position, and flying into space for a performance. After all of the ideas proved unsuccessful, Beyoncé concluded the commercial by remarking: "Okay, they ready. Drop the new music".[53]
After the commercial aired, Beyoncé released a teaser video for Act II on Instagram.[54] Directed by British artist and filmmaker Nadia Lee Cohen, the video pays homage to Paris, Texas (1984), references border blasters and features Chuck Berry's 1955 track "Maybellene".[55][56] The same day, the singer's official website was updated to announce her eighth studio album, with the placeholder name Act II, scheduled for release on March 29.[57] Subsequently, the album's two lead singles, "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages", were simultaneously made available for digital download and streaming.[58][59] On March 12, Beyoncé announced the album would be titled Cowboy Carter[60] via a teaser poster of a western saddle with a sash.[61] With this she listed album merchandise of limited-edition CDs with a bonus track, T-shirts, and vinyl variants in red, white, blue and standard black.[62]
On March 19, 2024, Beyoncé revealed the album cover via Instagram, and said there would be "surprises" and collaborations on the album.[2] On March 20, she revealed a limited edition exclusive cover, wearing a sash that reads "act ii BEYINCÉ", referencing her mother Tina's generational family surname.[63][64] Taglines and film stills for the album were projected onto various museums in New York City.[65] One of these was an unauthorized projection onto the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, who genially responded by posting Franz Marc's 1910 painting Three Horses Drinking with the Texas Hold 'Em-inspired caption "This ain't Texas".[66] Beyoncé also posted co-ordinates to the museum on her Instagram story.[67]
This album has been over five years in the making. [...] It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history. The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work. [...] I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound. I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop. This ain't a Country album. This is a "Beyoncé" album.
— Beyoncé via Instagram in March 2024[2]
On March 27, Beyoncé posted a graphic to Instagram of the album's tracklist inspired by vintage posters from the Chitlin' Circuit era. It revealed collaborations with Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, as well as a cover of the former's "Jolene", and "The Linda Martell Show". The latter song references Linda Martell, the first Black woman to achieve commercial success in the country genre.[68]
The CD release comes in four variants, each with a different rear cover depicting Beyoncé. It was released in Japan on March 29[69] and on April 12 in Europe.[70] After the album's release, fans reported that their pre-ordered physical vinyl and CD copies were missing numerous tracks, with some asking for refunds.[71][72][73]
The Cowboy Carter album cover was shot by Blair Caldwell, a Los Angeles-based photographer who is from Texas. Much like the cover for Renaissance—which saw Beyoncé sitting atop a stationary disco ball horse—the Cowboy Carter artwork sees Beyoncé atop a gray horse at a gallop. She rides the horse while sitting sideways (historically, sidesaddle riding was associated with high-status women), dressed in red, white and blue clothing, wearing a cowboy hat and a sash reading "Cowboy Carter". She holds the horse's reins in one hand and a large American flag in the other.[74] The imagery is reminiscent of rodeo queens,[75] who often are asked to carry the American flag in a rodeo grand entry.[76][77]
The album cover was a topic of discussion and dissection by critics. Francesca T Royster, professor at DePaul University and author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions, wrote: "The aesthetic choice is bold and seems to be signaling the ways that Beyoncé is putting herself into conversations about nationalism, a theme very much central to discourses about country music, patriotism and authenticity, from the times of its origins."[78] Critics suggested a variety of inspirations and allusions for the cover, including presidential portraits, Jacques-Louis David's Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1801–1805), Marina Abramović's The Hero (2001),[74] Kehinde Wiley's Equestrian Portrait of King Philip II (Michael Jackson) (2009), the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo,[78] and Eadweard Muybridge's The Horse in Motion (1878).[75]
The album is titled after a character "Cowboy Carter", who is inspired by the original Black cowboys of the American West. Beyoncé explained: "The word cowboy itself was used in a derogatory way to describe the former slaves as "boys," who were the most skilled and had the hardest jobs of handling horses and cattle, alike. In destroying the negative connotation, what remains is the strength and resiliency of these men who were the true definition of Western fortitude".[19]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 8.4/10[79] |
| Metacritic | 91/100[80] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [81] |
| And It Don't Stop | A[48] |
| The Daily Telegraph | [82] |
| The Guardian | [83] |
| The Independent | [84] |
| NME | [85] |
| The Observer | [86] |
| Pitchfork | 8.4/10[87] |
| Rolling Stone | [88] |
| Slant |  [89] |
Cowboy Carter was met with critical acclaim upon release, with some describing it as a "masterpiece".[lower-alpha 2] Critics praised Beyoncé's blending of diverse musical genres and vocal performance, and described the album as both a grand political statement and a personal ode to Beyoncé's roots.[96][97][98][99] On the review aggregator website Metacritic, the album received a weighted average score of 91 from 100 based on 21 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[80]
Critics lauded Cowboy Carter as an exploration and reinvention of Americana, as well as a celebration of Black southern culture and its contribution to the country music genre. The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber and the Evening Standard's Gemma Samways noted that the album experiments with the touchstones and musical traditions of country and Americana in order to explore its Black cultural roots.[100][101] Maria Sherman of the Associated Press wrote that the "eclectic" and "epic" album "redefines American style" and requires close examination of its references, themes and messages for full enjoyment.[102] HipHopDX's Tai Saint-Louis described the album as a reclamation of both the "deep roots from which Beyoncé has crafted her artistry" and "the many branches that have sprouted from Black music in America".[103] Variety's chief music critic Chris Willman characterized the album as a "piece of agitprop and socially significant performance art" that both reflects and impacts the history of Black music and country.[104]
Critics commended the album for what they described as its ambitious experimentation with music genres, with Beyoncé reimagining country music in her image.[lower-alpha 3] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph felt the album pushed the boundaries of genres and mixed diverse musical styles as a polemic against the conservatism of the country genre.[82] Clash and Billboard characterized the album as an ethnomusicological study that venerates the breadth of musical subcultures of the American South,[109][110] while The New York Times critic Ben Sisario described the album as a "broad essay" both on popular music and on genre as a concept.[111] The Independent's Helen Brown and The Sydney Morning Herald's Robert Moran opined that Beyoncé's genre experimentation is in the service of celebrating the overlooked pioneers of country music while spotlighting up-and-coming Black musicians.[36][84] Robert Christgau said that, while the quality of the songwriting diminishes slightly toward the end, Cowboy Carter's confident and "impressive variety" shows Beyoncé to be "our greatest female pop singer", as well as a "pretty darn good songwriter", with a considerable stake in the country sphere.[48]
Many critics praised the album's "ambitious" scope and "cinematic" grandiosity, likening it to a Western epic.[lower-alpha 4] The Financial Times's Ludovic Hunter-Tilney compared the album to a blockbuster historical epic, with its "impressive, very American aura of importance" and "the sense that history is not only being told but also made".[115] NPR's Sidney Madden equated each of the tracks to a "full-length film full of scenic grandeur, character and conflicts" that can be dissected and discussed.[114] Sisario opined that the album in its entirety works as film, writing that Cowboy Carter is the central character in a narrative about tackling American cultural history.[118] Writing for the roots music journal No Depression, John Amen commented, "While 2022's Renaissance spotlighted [Beyoncé] as a global MC throwing the party of the decade, Cowboy Carter, framed as Renaissance's Act II, paints her as a torchbearer and synthesist, an auteur equally adept at playing the archivist and the cultural midwife."[119] Some critics felt that the album would fare better if it were split by musical style.[113] Petridis wrote that while the album may have worked better as a double-disc, "its wild lurches into eclecticism are the point" and demonstrates Beyoncé's "impressive" ability to "bend musical styles to her will".[33]
| Organization | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People's Choice Country Awards | 2024 | The Album of 2024 | Pending | [120] |
Following the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards's announcement of the nominations, numerous US and international publications and music websites criticized the awards ceremony's decision not to nominate Beyoncé and Cowboy Carter, as well as the lead single "Texas Hold 'Em", in their respective categories, despite the cultural impact and commercial performance to the country genre of the entire project.[121][122][123] The event was blamed for conservatism and racism against black artists,[124][125][126] also referring to the singer's performance with The Chicks at the 2016 CMAs, in which the artist herself said she did not feel welcomed by the award ceremony.[127][128][129]
Cowboy Carter landed Beyoncé her biggest streaming week ever and broke streaming records on several platforms.[130][131] On Spotify, the album became one of the most-streamed albums in a single day in 2024, the biggest debut of the year for a country album, and the biggest debut ever for any album by a black woman, with over 76 million streams globally in its first day.[132][133] Cowboy Carter also marks the most first-day streams for a country album by a female artist in the history of Amazon Music.[134]
Cowboy Carter also broke several chart records.[135] In the United States, Cowboy Carter debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with 407,000 album-equivalent units. In doing so, Beyoncé became the first woman and second artist overall to debut her first eight albums at number one. Cowboy Carter debuted at number one on the Americana/Folk Albums, Top Album Sales, and Top Country Albums charts, making Beyoncé the first Black woman to have a number-one country album.[131] The album remained atop the Billboard 200 for two weeks, her first multi-week number one since 2013's Beyoncé.[136] All 23 eligible songs on Cowboy Carter debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, giving African-American country artists Martell, Adell, Kennedy, Roberts, Spencer, Jones and Shaboozey their first chart entries and bringing Beyoncé's career total Hot 100 entries to 106, the third highest for a female artist.[137] Beyoncé also topped eighteen Billboard charts the week of Cowboy Carter's release, including the Artist 100, Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers; she also became the first artist to simultaneously hold the number one positions on both the Top Country Albums and the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums charts, with Renaissance atop the latter.[138]
By its fourth day of release, Cowboy Carter was outselling the rest of the week's top five bestselling albums combined in the UK.[139] The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart selling 40,000 copies in its first week.[140] This became Beyoncé's fifth album to do so as a solo act, and her sixth including Destiny's Child's discography. The album also debuted at number one on the Official Vinyl Albums Chart and has spent eight consecutive weeks at number one on the UK Country Albums Chart, becoming the first album by an African American female artist to reach the top spot on that chart. With "Texas Hold 'Em" returning to number one on the UK Singles Chart concurrently with the album's release, Beyoncé topped both charts simultaneously for the first time since Dangerously in Love and "Crazy in Love" did so in 2003.[141] Beyoncé also became the first black artist to top the UK Charts with a country album and the first artist to simultaneously top the Album Chart and Singles Charts with a country album and a country single.[142]
In Canada, the album debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, becoming Beyoncé's fifth album to achieve this as well as her tenth top-ten project in the country. 20 out of 23 eligible songs on Cowboy Carter debuted on the Canadian Hot 100, giving African-American country artists Martell, Adell, Kennedy, Roberts, Spencer, Jones and Shaboozey their first chart entries and bringing Beyoncé's career total Canadian Hot 100 entries to 84.[143]
In Australia, the album debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming the singer's fourth consecutive project to achieve this since Beyoncé (2013). It also became the first country genre album by a female artist to top the chart since 2017, when the top position was occupied by Shania Twain's Now.[144] The album remained atop the ARIA Chart for two consecutive weeks.[145]
In Germany, the album debuted atop the German Albums Chart, becoming Beyoncé's first number one album as a solo artist since Dangerously in Love topped the chart in 2003.[146]
Cowboy Carter had a significant impact on music, fashion, business and culture, with Stevie Wonder and Variety's Chris Willman suggesting it may be the most-discussed album of the 21st century.[lower-alpha 5] Cowboy Carter was widely discussed in the media following its release, with all major news networks broadcasting features exploring the impact of the album.[lower-alpha 6] CNN released a documentary on Max titled Call Me Country: Beyoncé & Nashville's Renaissance, which explores the album's impact on the country music landscape and the inclusion of black artists within the genre.[157] An episode of Nightline focused on the album and its impact on the country music space.[158]
Cowboy Carter increased public interest in country music and made it more accessible to new audiences, with publications describing the album as "a cultural shift", "a watershed moment" and "a tipping point" in the genre's history.[lower-alpha 7] The album was credited by The Times as making country music become mainstream in the UK,[163] with one survey finding that 60% of British respondents started listening to country music following the release of Cowboy Carter.[164] A worldwide study found that over one-third of Gen Z respondents began listening to country music after Beyoncé entered the genre.[165] There was a 38% increase in views of country music videos globally on Vevo following the album's release, as well as a 40% increase in Black 18–34 year olds listening to country radio.[166] Cowboy Carter was said to redefine what it means to be a country artist, with Emi Tuyetnhi Tran from NBC News commenting that it will "open the floodgates" for other country musicians.[162][167] Cowboy Carter sparked discourse on the boundaries of the country music genre and its roots within Black music, igniting discussions on the inclusion of Black artists within the genre.[lower-alpha 8]
Linda Martell, who was the first commercially successful Black female country artist, saw a 127,430 percent increase in streams of her music after featuring on the album.[172] Other Black female country musicians also saw a significant increase in streams due to the album, such as Reyna Roberts (250%), Rissi Palmer (110%), Tanner Adell (188%) and K. Michelle (185%),[173] while Adia Victoria, Amira Unplugged, Brittney Spencer, Mickey Guyton, Rhiannon Giddens, and Sacha also saw increases in their music sales. Black-led country organizations such as the Black Opry also received a significant increase in followers.[174] According to NPR's Amanda Marie Martínez writes, the album revealed the "strong demand" for country music made by Black artists and a "growing community" of Black country fans.[167] In The Tennessean, Andrea Williams opined that Beyoncé opened the door for others in country music, proving Black songwriters, producers, and musicians belong in the genre.[175]
Shaboozey's co-manager, Jared Cotter, credited Beyoncé for knocking down doors that separated black artists and country music and explained that the release date of the single "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" was advanced by three weeks to take advantage of the opportunity created by the release of Cowboy Carter. The song would peak at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Songs, replacing Beyoncé's own "Texas Hold 'Em", becoming the first time in history that two Black artists led the latter chart back to back.[176]
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Cowboy Carter received extensive praise from musicians.[177] Stevie Wonder declared Cowboy Carter a "masterpiece" that is "changing music and culture".[178] Paul McCartney, Nancy Sinatra and Martell all praised the album and shared their pride of receiving the "honor" of contributing to the album.[179][177][180] Jon Batiste characterized the album as "a work of such unimaginable impact and artistic firepower by a once in a generation artist" and thanked Beyoncé for allowing him to be a part of it. Batiste described the album as the moment "where we dismantle the genre machine", adding: "When many leading artists see a similar vision at the same time, that's when you know a major shift is happening. A new era, long time coming. Let's liberate ourselves from genre and break the barriers that marginalize who we are and the art that we create."[181]
Country musicians such as Dolly Parton,[182][183] Reba McEntire,[184] Brandi Carlile,[185] Melissa Etheridge,[186] Rosanne Cash,[187] Luke Bryan,[188] Miranda Lambert,[189] Jelly Roll,[190] Darius Rucker,[191] Lainey Wilson,[192] Maren Morris,[193] Mickey Guyton,[194] and Sugarland[195] all praised the album and Beyoncé's venture into country music. Country-pop singer-songwriter Shania Twain hailed Cowboy Carter and praised Beyoncé for bringing country music to new audiences and expanding its scope, which Twain said was reminiscent of how artists in her childhood (such as Johnny Cash) reshaped the boundaries of the genre.[196] Country singer-songwriter Carlene Carter, daughter of June Carter Cash, released a statement praising Cowboy Carter and describing Beyoncé as part of the Carter Family, writing: "In my book, she's one of us Carter women and we have always pushed the boundaries by trying whatever music we felt in our hearts and taking spirit-driven risks... I am here to let Beyoncé and all those nay-sayers know that I admire and love her and all she does."[197] Smokey Robinson praised Beyoncé for writing country music and described her as "one of the most talented people to come along in a long, long, long, long time".[198] Multiple celebrities, such as Kerry Washington, Kevin Bacon and Salma Hayek, expressed their anticipation and excitement for the album through social media.[199][200][201]
Cowboy Carter also received praise from political figures. Former First Lady Michelle Obama posted on social media about Cowboy Carter, writing that the album has "changed the game" by "helping redefine a music genre and transform our culture".[202] Vice President Kamala Harris also praised the album on social media, writing: "Thank you for reminding us to never feel confined to other people's perspective of what our lane is. You have redefined a genre and reclaimed country music's Black roots. Your music continues to inspire us all."[203] Martin Luther King III expressed his gratitude for Cowboy Carter and described it as "joyous, positive and reaffirming", while his wife Arndrea Waters King called Beyoncé "courageous" for stepping into the country scene and sparking conversation on the origins of country music in the black community.[43] Other politicians who praised the album include Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Texas Congressman Colin Allred.[204]
Beyoncé's embrace of country music and culture ignited fashion trends and boosted sales of Western wear.[205][206][207] Cowboy Carter helped transform cowboy fashion and aesthetics from a "caricature" into a "staple of the modern wardrobe" according to Vogue,[208] while Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic at The New York Times, wrote that Beyoncé has shifted the industry by mainstreaming Western aesthetics and determining the "look of the moment".[209] Cowboy Carter led to a surge in interest in Western clothing, including an increase in searches for Western-style jeans (610%), bolo ties (566%), flared denim (372%), cowboy boots (224%), and cowboy hats (213%).[210][211][212][209] Hat brand Stetson reported an increase in interest in their products following Beyoncé's embrace of Western lifestyle.[213]
Cowboy Carter led to a 326 per cent surge in sales of cowboy hats, while units sold of boots and fringed suede jackets both jumped by 45 percent.[214][215] Fast fashion retailers such as Forever 21 increased the amount of Western clothing available for sale by over 300 percent due to the album.[216] Inspired by the album, the prominence of Western and country styling within the fashion landscape increased by 45 percent.[209] The Ralph Lauren Corporation designer brand was inspired by the trend for their 2024 fall/winter collection.[217]
In the UK, a national survey found that 25% of respondents took up line dancing and 40% started wearing Western clothing following the release of Cowboy Carter.[164] Publications reported that the album aided a reclamation of country identity and western culture by black people.[171][218] The album had an impact on rodeos in the US such as the Calgary Stampede, broadening its audience.[219]
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After Beyoncé referenced the American clothing company Levi Strauss & Co. on the Cowboy Carter track "Levii's Jeans", the company reported a 20% boost on their stock price.[220] The album singlehandedly generated an additional $1.2 million for the brand, from an increase of 1.5 billion impressions online.[221][209] Levi's also noted a 20% rise in footfall at US stores after the release of the album, while British retailer John Lewis & Partners reported that searches for "women's Levi's jeans" were up 263% since the record was announced.[222] In reference to the track name, Levi's added a second letter "i" to its name and logo on social media.[223][224] Levi Strauss CFO Harmit Singh described Beyoncé as "the center of culture, the cultural czar", adding: "We are humbled and honored that she chose us to talk about our brand."[221]
Following the release of Cowboy Carter, ridesharing company Uber offered 16% off to riders who use the code "16CARRIAGES", a reference to a song on the album.[225] In response, Lyft offered its riders 50% off with the code "SPAGHETTI24", another reference to a song on the album.[226] Lyft also changed images of cars on its map to white horses as a reference to the Cowboy Carter album cover.[227][199]
American sandwich chain Arby's released a limited-edition "Chardonneigh's Horsey Sauce" in reference to the horse on the Cowboy Carter album cover.[228] Restaurant chain Popeyes launched new "Cowboy Combo Meals" in tribute to the album.[229]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ameriican Requiem" | 5:25 | ||
| 2. | "Blackbiird" (with Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy) | Lennon–McCartney |
| 2:11 |
| 3. | "16 Carriages" |
|
| 3:47 |
| 4. | "Protector" (with Rumi Carter) |
|
| 3:04 |
| 5. | "My Rose" |
|
| 0:53 |
| 6. | "Smoke Hour Willie Nelson" (with Willie Nelson) |
| Beyoncé | 0:50 |
| 7. | "Texas Hold 'Em" |
| 3:53 | |
| 8. | "Bodyguard" |
|
| 4:00 |
| 9. | "Dolly P" (with Dolly Parton) |
| 0:22 | |
| 10. | "Jolene" |
| 3:09 | |
| 11. | "Daughter" |
| 3:23 | |
| 12. | "Spaghettii" (with Linda Martell and Shaboozey) |
|
| 2:38 |
| 13. | "Alliigator Tears" |
| 2:59 | |
| 14. | "Smoke Hour II" (with Willie Nelson) |
|
| 0:29 |
| 15. | "Just for Fun" (with Willie Jones) |
| 3:24 | |
| 16. | "II Most Wanted" (with Miley Cyrus) |
|
| 3:28 |
| 17. | "Levii's Jeans" (with Post Malone) |
|
| 4:17 |
| 18. | "Flamenco" |
|
| 1:40 |
| 19. | "The Linda Martell Show" (with Linda Martell) |
| Beyoncé | 0:28 |
| 20. | "Ya Ya" |
| 4:34 | |
| 21. | "Oh Louisiana" | Berry |
| 0:52 |
| 22. | "Desert Eagle" |
|
| 1:12 |
| 23. | "Riiverdance" |
|
| 4:11 |
| 24. | "II Hands II Heaven" |
|
| 5:41 |
| 25. | "Tyrant" (with Dolly Parton) |
|
| 4:10 |
| 26. | "Sweet Honey Buckiin'" (with Shaboozey) |
| 4:56 | |
| 27. | "Amen" |
| 2:25 | |
| Total length: | 78:21 | |||
Notes
Musicians
Technical
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[239] | 1 |
| Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[240] | 1 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[241] | 1 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[242] | 1 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[243] | 1 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[244] | 1 |
| Croatian International Albums (HDU)[245] | 9 |
| Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[246] | 5 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[247] | 1 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[248] | 1 |
| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[249] | 11 |
| French Albums (SNEP)[250] | 1 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[251] | 1 |
| Greek Albums (IFPI)[252] | 17 |
| Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[253] | 6 |
| Icelandic Albums (Tónlistinn)[254] | 2 |
| Irish Albums (OCC)[255] | 1 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)[256] | 6 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[257] | 45 |
| Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)[258] | 15 |
| Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[259] | 59 |
| Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[260] | 4 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[261] | 1 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[262] | 1 |
| Polish Albums (ZPAV)[263] | 3 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP)[264] | 1 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[265] | 1 |
| Slovak Albums (ČNS IFPI)[266] | 4 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[267] | 1 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[268] | 1 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[269] | 1 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[270] | 1 |
| UK Americana Albums (OCC)[271] | 1 |
| UK Country Albums (OCC)[272] | 1 |
| US Billboard 200[273] | 1 |
| US Folk Albums (Billboard)[274] | 1 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[275] | 1 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[276] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[277] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[278] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
| France (SNEP)[279] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
| Sweden (GLF)[280] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[281] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
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