Since its release on April 1, Beyoncé’s newest album, “Cowboy Carter,” has ignited debates, questions, and skepticism about the country music genre and its future. In this 27-track album, Beyoncé explores her Texas roots, delighting fans with blends of country, folk, Americana, and hip-hop styles.
This cavalier approach to sound and style has performed well on the Billboard charts, with Beyoncé topping 18 different lists, including Top Country Album and Hot Country Song. Yet the discussion surrounding the album has mainly centered on its genre. Is “Cowboy Carter” — and Beyoncé, for that matter — considered country music?
For that answer, we need to understand the context surrounding the album’s release and examine the content within.
‘Born Out of an Experience’
Beyoncé’s fifth studio album was first announced on a Verizon commercial aired during the 2024 Super Bowl. In an attempt to “break the internet,” Beyoncé announced her new country album, complete with billboards of her wearing a cowboy hat and boots.
The album’s first single, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” is a song meant for line dancing in sticky-floored bars. Complete with whistles, hand claps, and talks of tornadoes and liquor, this single immediately topped the country charts and paved the way for a true country album.
In an Instagram post announcing the larger work, Beyoncé revealed the album’s origin was from a poor and unwelcoming experience she had with country music and its fans.
“It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not
