Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé Is Now Gold-Certified

Released on March 29, Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé is already breaking records just under a week after its release.

Beyoncé’s latest effort, Cowboy Carter, has already proved to be a force to be reckoned with. In just under a week, the 32-time Grammy winner’s album has already reached gold status, selling over 500,000 copies in the United States alone. This makes Beyoncé the fastest artist to reach the milestone this year.

Beyoncé’s 'COWBOY CARTER' is now eligible for Gold in the US (500,000; album). pic.twitter.com/AYl7G3gcIy

— music data (@music__data) April 3, 2024

The juggernaut began her Cowboy Carter era on the evening of Super Bowl LVIII, releasing the singles “Texas Hold Em” and “16 Carriages” on February 11. “Texas Hold ‘Em” became the first country song by a Black woman to top the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot 100 Country Songs charts, respectively.

Cowboy Carter was meant to be the first album in the “Break My Soul” singer’s three-act trilogy, but she decided to release Renaissance first in 2022. In a press release, Beyoncé stated, “I was initially going to put ‘Cowboy Carter’ out first, but with the pandemic, there was too much heaviness in the world. We wanted to dance. We deserved to dance. But I had to trust God’s timing.” Though mainly considered a country album, the singer’s eighth studio album has been dubbed a “Beyonce album” in its marketing.

Cowboy Carter examines Americana through a Black lens, paying homage to Black country artists and their influence. Up-and-coming Black country artists such as Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Shaboozey make guest appearances throughout the album. In addition, musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers, and Rhiannon Giddens play instruments on various tracks.

Beyoncé’s first main association with country music came in 2007 when she performed a bluegrass-inspired version of her hit “Irreplaceable” at the 35 American Music Awards. For her sixth studio album Lemonade, Beyoncé released an original country song titled “Daddy Lessons.” At the 50 Country Music Awards, she took to the stage with The Chicks to perform the track. Though lauded by critics, some country fans criticized Beyoncé’s attendance at the event, claiming she did not belong to the genre.

Born in Houston, Texas, Beyoncé has southern roots that may have gone unnoticed before the album. Her family attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo annually, and she performed there four times between 2001 and 2007.

In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Beyoncé reflected on her youth and how her surroundings inspired her Ivy Park Rodeo collection, “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.”

She continued, “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.”

Unfortunately, “Texas Hold ‘Em” faced a similar backlash. KYKC Radio refused to play the song at a fan’s request, assuming Beyoncé and the song were not country enough. Fans flooded the Oaklahoma station with requests to play the song and trended #BeyonceIsCountry online. Beyoncé’s resilience has paved the way for up-and-coming and future Black country artists while paying homage to those who came before her.

ALWAYS BEEN COUNTRY

New York #BeenCountry pic.twitter.com/1XAxVSasRP

— Beyoncé Access (@beyonceaccess) April 4, 2024

On April 3, Beyoncé launched a new website with the fitting domain name “Been Country,” leading fans to believe an announcement is imminent. On April 4, the “Texas Hold ‘Em (Pony Up) Remix” was released. Cowboy Carter is now available on all streaming services.