Cowboy Carter

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Lore & Background

The album's foundation lies in Beyoncé’s discovery that historically half of cowboys were Black, prompting her to research the genre's African-American roots. This realization stemmed from her upbringing in Houston, where she attended the Livestock Show and Rodeo annually and listened to country music taught by her paternal grandfather. The concept emerged after the 2016 backlash to her performance of "Daddy Lessons" at the CMA Awards, an event that highlighted her exclusion from the genre space despite critical praise. Rather than retreating, she spent five years developing this project starting in 2019, recording during the pandemic as a creative response to critics claiming she did not belong. Collaborator Rhiannon Giddens noted Beyoncé intended to explore family roots rather than create a typical crossover album. The narrative arc redefines Americana boundaries by fusing Western film references like "Five Fingers for Marseilles" and "The Harder They Fall" with organic sounds such as wind, snaps, birds, and chickens.

In Their Own Story

Beyoncé recorded around 100 songs for the album, treating each track as a reimagined version of a Western film. The final product is cyclical; according to The Washington Post's Shane O'Neill, the last note loops seamlessly into the first track's opening line, "Nothing really ends," mirroring James Joyce's Finnegans Wake. Musically, she rejected digital perfection in favor of real instruments, including old guitars and organs that were not perfectly in tune to maintain an organic feel. The album features Stevie Wonder on harmonica, Paul McCartney and Nile Rodgers on guitar, and Rhiannon Giddens on banjo. A key narrative turning point occurred when Miley Cyrus presented the song "Shotgun Rider," which Beyoncé renamed "II Most Wanted." Released as the third single, this track won Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 67th Grammy Awards, where Beyoncé also became the first Black woman in 25 years to win Album of the Year.

Reader's Guide

Fans can navigate this era by recognizing its three official singles: "Texas Hold 'Em," "16 Carriages," and "II Most Wanted." The lead single, "Texas Hold 'Em," made history as Beyoncé's ninth US number-one single and the first country song by a Black woman to top both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts. In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and became her first to top the Top Country Albums chart, selling 407,000 album-equivalent units. The project drove significant cultural shifts, increasing country music listenership and boosting Western wear popularity. To support these releases, Beyoncé embarked on the Cowboy Carter Tour from April 28 to July 26, 2025. Critics praised the genre experimentation and expansive scope, noting how it aided an ambitious reimagining of country through Black roots.

Did You Know?

• Cowboy Carter was over five years in the making, with Beyoncé beginning to write it in 2019.
• The album is presented as a broadcast by a fictional Texas radio station featuring Dolly Parton, Linda Martell, and Willie Nelson as disc jockeys.
• "Texas Hold 'Em" became the first country song by a Black woman to top both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts.
• Beyoncé recorded around 100 songs for the album, each serving as a reimagined version of a specific Western film.
• The album's final note loops seamlessly into the beginning of the first track in the same manner as James Joyce's Finnegans Wake.