From Renaissance To Ranch: Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Surprises
There are few musicians on the planet who can capture the public’s attention quite like Beyoncé: she’s a bona fide transcendental superstar. And as March 2024 was coming to a close, she built on her legacy once more with the release of a brand new record. Titled Cowboy Carter, this country-inspired album has taken the music world by storm, offering up a host of fascinating talking points.
Following up a classic
It’s been two years since Beyoncé dropped her previous album Renaissance. But people still can’t stop talking about it — and for good reason. It’s a record packed with big themes, wrapped up in some banging tracks.
Then, there’s the cover art. Good luck finding a more striking image than a scantily-clad Queen Bey riding a horse. Talk about a bold choice! Something else stood out as well.
A musical trilogy?
Renaissance sported an intriguing subtitle — Act I. What did that mean? Could Beyoncé be using the traditional three-act structure found in narrative fiction to map out a trilogy? Or was it just a random addition?
Well, we got a better idea of that when Cowboy Carter dropped. Not only does the cover art showcase the singer riding another horse, but the album has a subtitle. Yep, it’s Act II.
Fits the bill
Now, in a three-act structure, Act I is usually referred to as the Setup. Then it transitions into Act II, which is known as the Confrontation. And boy, is that befitting when talking about Cowboy Carter.
This album broadly confronts the country music industry, while also provoking questions of the confines of genre. Beyoncé has a lot to say here, and it makes for captivating listening.
A lengthy listen
In terms of its scope, Cowboy Carter is an absolute monster of an album. It spans a whopping 27 tracks, with the overall runtime clocking in at around 79 minutes.
It’s not a quick listen, folks! Yet once it hooks you in with that opening song “American Requiem,” it’s hard to tear yourself away. Before you know it, you’ll have dropped everything to finish it.
“I did not feel welcomed”
So what prompted Beyoncé to go down this route? Why did she zone in on country music? Well, the superstar singer offered some fascinating insight in a post on her Instagram page.
She wrote, “This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed… and it was very clear that I wasn’t.”
Uncovering the catalyst
“But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of country music and studied our rich musical archive,” Beyoncé continued. “It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world.”
That raises the question, then: what “experience” could she be referring to here? A lot of folks believe that Queen Bey might be talking about a live performance from back in 2016.
The Country Music Association Awards performance
That year, Beyoncé took to the stage at the Country Music Association Awards. She was there to perform a track off her highly-acclaimed album Lemonade. The song in question? The country ditty “Daddy Lessons.”
The superstar musician wasn’t alone, either. The Chicks joined her in what was something of a dream live collab. But the reaction to it had been iffy to say the least.
Negative response
Beyoncé had to contend with cold looks and chatter tinged with racism from the live audience, while the online response wasn’t much better, either. It was a far cry from the usual reactions to her performances.
Going back to her Instagram post, she continued to speak about the impact of the unnamed “experience.” Beyoncé wrote, “The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me.”
“This ain’t a country album”
“Act II is a result of challenging myself,” Beyoncé noted. To conclude the post, though, she made a fittingly bold proclamation. She asserted, “This ain’t a country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”
And that’s arguably one of the biggest talking points to come out of Cowboy Carter since its release. Does it fit the genre that it’s challenging, or is it something else entirely?
Western inspiration
After the record came out, Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé’s production company, released an interesting statement. Apparently, every track on Cowboy Carter is intended to be looked at as its own mini-Western movie.
The statement read, “She took inspiration from films like Five Fingers for Marseilles, Urban Cowboy, The Hateful Eight, Space Cowboys, The Harder They Fall, and Killers of the Flower Moon.”
Country feel?
“[Beyoncé] often had the films playing on a screen during the recording process,” the statement added. Given the strong connection between country music and Westerns, it’s hard to claim that Cowboy Carter’s tracks don’t fit the bill.
On top of that, the album is filled with recognizable sounds and cues that are firmly tied to the genre. It’d be disingenuous to say they’re not there or barely play a part.
“Intimate jam sessions”
Cowboy Carter makes full use of hand-played instruments, ranging from strings to drums. It’s a complete contrast to the electro-infused aesthetic of Renaissance. Tracks such as “Texas Hold ’Em” and “16 Carriages” couldn’t be more country!
As NPR so succinctly put it, “Many moments on the album, even with their layered arrangements, feel like intimate jam sessions straight out of a Nashville writing camp.” Then there are the guest appearances.
Country legends appear
A number of country legends make their presence known across Cowboy Carter’s epic runtime. The likes of Willy Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Linda Martell all pop up at various points.
But here’s where the idea of genre-bending really comes into focus. Martell, who is quite possibly one of the most important Black musical figures of the 1970s, opens the track “Spaghettii” with some thought-provoking lines.
“A funny little concept”
Martell says, “Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they? Yes, they are. In theory, they have a simple definition that’s easy to understand. But in practice, well, some may feel confined.”
That one statement perfectly sums up a huge theme on Cowboy Carter. Yes, it sounds like country. On a surface level it even looks like country. But Beyoncé refuses to tie the album down to the genre.
Mix of sounds
In addition to the country sounds, we get strong traces of rock, pop, and hip-hop, to name but a few. The track “Bodyguard” has an unmistakable Latin flavor to it, while “Amen” just screams gospel.
“Ya Ya” is another notable song, blending elements of Tina Turner, Nancy Sinatra, The Beach Boys, and Chuck Berry until the final note. And good luck naming all the different genre influences on “Sweet Honey Buckiin’.” It’s quite the ride!
Should this work?
It doesn’t end there, either. Take the track “Riiverdance” as an example. As the name suggests, it’s a song that brings Irish dancing into the light. Yet the sounds go beyond that.
Beyoncé fuses it with Appalachian cues and house music. Then, we’ve got “II Hands II Heaven” which mixes Western elements with rave sound. At a glance, none of this should work.
Fluidic brilliance
It feels akin to throwing different food dishes together with contrasting textures and flavor. How can a plate of pasta mesh with a filet mignon and scoop of butter slapped on top?
It should be a disaster! But it isn’t — far from it. Somehow, Beyoncé brings all these sounds together and creates a fluidic stunner. Cowboy Carter proves that you can be loose and play with genre successfully.
Taking on tropes
Mind you, Beyoncé doesn’t just experiment with sound on Cowboy Carter. One of her other missions on the record appears to be to challenge tried-and-tested country music tropes.
Stuff such as “damsel-in-distress infidelity,” that long punctuated the genre, gets turned on its head in fierce fashion. The best place to hear that is in Queen Bey’s cover of the classic “Jolene.”
Dolly’s dream?
As far back as 2022 Parton had been very enthusiastic for Beyoncé to put her own spin on the 1973 favorite. Why’s that? Well, the country icon touched on her hopes during an episode of The Daily Show.
She said, “I would just love to hear ‘Jolene’ done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney [Houston] did my ‘I Will Always Love You.’ Someone that could take my little songs and make ’em like powerhouses.”
No begging here!
Beyoncé duly obliged, adding the song to Cowboy Carter’s tracklist. But she did more than just turn it into a “powerhouse.” The singer completely reimagines “Jolene” in a way that’ll blow your socks off.
In the original version of the song, Parton’s pleading lyrics urge the titular homewrecker to leave her partner alone. Beyoncé isn’t having any of that, though. In her take, she’s very much on the front foot.
“You don’t want no heat from me”
Yep, Beyoncé essentially threatens Jolene to stay away from her man. “You don’t want no heat from me,” she growls. It’s a clever, modern spin on the track that does a great job of showcasing her creative talent.
By challenging the well-established tropes, Queen Bey continues to prove that she’s still one of the boldest artists in the entire industry. Cowboy Carter is just the next chapter.
Tackling another issue
Meanwhile, Beyoncé also uses her incredibly broad platform to shine a light on artists young and old on the album. By doing so, she’s attempting to address another issue found in country music.
Between the year 2000 and 2020, a research paper kept track of the country-artist demographics being played on the radio. And the results of that study made for sobering reading.
Shocking stats
During that time frame, a mere 29 percent of all the country music playing on the radio came from female artists. Given the breadth of talent in the genre, that’s an unforgivably low stat.
It gets worse, though. If you analyze the statistic further, songs by Black women made up only 0.01 percent of the total figure. How absurd is that? But this isn’t just a modern problem.
A pioneer
Going back to Martell, she fully deserves her status as a country-music pioneer. At a time when there was very little representation in the genre, she stepped up and became a star.
Her debut record, 1970’s Color Me Country, is a great showcase of what she was capable of. And Martell’s efforts did open the door for an historic performance that continues to resonate.
Making history
Yep, Martell took to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry in 1969. And in doing so, she became the very first Black female artist to sing at the iconic venue.
Unfortunately for her, though, everything soon fell apart. Not only did Martell’s label dump her after Color Me Country came out, but she had to contend with horrible racist abuse while touring America, too.
The end of a self-imposed exile
In the end, Martell had enough of it all, and she opted to leave the industry altogether. Yet thanks to Beyoncé and Cowboy Carter, this trailblazer for the genre has been brought back into the spotlight.
Maybe Queen Bey could relate following her own storied troubles at the 2016 Country Music Association Awards? And Martell isn’t the only female country artist to receive the superstar’s rub.
Standout track
Rhiannon Giddens plays an integral role on “Texas Hold ’Em,” putting her banjo-picking skills to great use. Her talents earned her a Pulitzer Prize in Music in 2023, so Beyoncé certainly chose well!
But when it comes to naming the standout track that features other hungry country artists, you can’t look past “Blackbiird.” As you ight have guessed, it’s a cover of the 1968 ballad by The Beatles.
Celebrating up-and-comers
In Beyoncé’s version of the song, she’s joined by four Black female country vocalists looking to make a dent in the industry. The quartet are Reyna Roberts, Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell, and Tiera Kennedy.
They couldn’t have asked for better exposure than singing with Queen Bey on such a highly-touted record! It’s a heck of a way to gain the attention of the mainstream. The decision to cover that particular track was significant as well.
A meaningful choice
As the civil rights movement gained pace in the 1960s, Paul McCartney felt the urge to pen a track that would recognize the efforts of those involved. He specifically focused on Black girls.
And the title says as much — “bird” is an English nickname for women. So it seems only fitting that the song was covered by five very talented ladies of color here.
Change the landscape?
Will Beyoncé’s efforts have an effect on the genre? Can she really change the landscape of country music for Black artists going forward thanks to Cowboy Carter? You can’t rule it out.
You only need to see what happened when two of the album’s songs were released off the back of the 2024 Super Bowl. The tracks in question were “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ’Em.”
A notable bump
After those songs came out, several Black artists working in Nashville noticed that more people were starting to show an interest in their stuff. From social media followers to streaming numbers, everything jumped up.
If you ever wanted to see just how influential someone like Beyoncé can be, look no further. The future of the entire country music scene could get extremely interesting as a result of her involvement.
Bringing in the sales
When it comes to record sales, though, how has all of this translated? Have people embraced what Beyoncé’s tried to do with Cowboy Carter? Well, we’d say the answer to that is an emphatic yes.
As it stands, no other album in 2024 has been able to match its opening figures. In America alone, the first week’s number stood at a whopping 407,000 sales.
Queen Bey: Historymaker!
Due to that, Cowboy Carter reached the summit of the Billboard 200 all-genre chart, while also nabbing top spot in Billboard’s Top Country Albums rankings. The latter achievement is especially notable.
Since that chart got started some six decades ago, no Black artist had ever topped it. So Beyoncé made another bit of history there. Plus, she’s maintained a pretty remarkable run.
An unbroken streak
With Cowboy Carter at the top of the Billboard 200, Beyoncé can now say that all eight of her solo efforts have earned that accolade. It’s a streak that started over 20 years ago with Dangerously in Love!
Oh, and the streaming numbers are nothing to be sniffed at either. During its first week, the record accumulated a staggering 300 million streams: it seems folks just couldn’t get enough of it.
The critical reception
But could the same be said of the music critics? How did Cowboy Carter fare on that front? Well, its Metacritic rating is pretty telling. From 20 reviews, the aggregator has awarded the album with a score of 92.
Rolling Stone, which was part of that, gave it “Instant Classic” status. “It feels like after over two decades of being a performer, we’re just getting to meet Beyoncé for the first time through these albums,” the review said in reference to Act I and Act II.
Glowing reviews
Elsewhere, publications such as The Daily Telegraph and website The Independent both gave Cowboy Carter glowing five-star reviews. What’s more, it nabbed an excellent 8.4 rating on Pitchfork’s website, too.
Mind you, there have been a few critiques along the way. For instance, The New York Times offered an interesting view when comparing it to some of Beyoncé’s past efforts.
“A bumpier ride”
The review read, “Beyoncé has been a stalwart of the full-length album, sequencing and juxtaposing songs in synergistic ways. But Cowboy Carter is a bumpier ride than Renaissance, Lemonade or Beyoncé.”
“It suggests that Beyoncé wanted to pack all she could into one side trip before moving on elsewhere.” Speaking of comparisons, what’s the broad view of where Cowboy Carter ranks in her discography overall?
Differing views
Beyoncé fans are sure to have differing opinions on this, depending on their tastes. Vulture did its own rankings not long after Cowboy Carter’s release, and opted to stick it in fourth place.
Only Renaissance, Beyoncé, and Lemonade beat it, the last of which came out on top. Would you agree with that? We get the feeling that debate will rage for a while!
Looking ahead
Regardless of all that, though, one thing’s for sure: Cowboy Carter has opened the floor for a discussion about music genres in a way that few other albums have managed in modern times.
And lest we forget, this apparent trilogy isn’t complete yet. Do you know what follows Act II in a three-act structure? The Resolution. What might that mean for Beyoncé’s next record? Whatever the answer may be, we can’t wait to find out!