7 Things You Need to Know About Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’
Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ is more than a country album, she still has smoke for “Becky with the good hair,” and five other things you need to know about the project
The curtain has finally risen for Beyoncé’s next act.
Cowboy Carter is an album that pays respects to the country, blues, and gospel legends of old, while also shining a spotlight on a new generation of artists in the space. Across the 27-song tracklist, there are appearances from country legends like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, as well as newer country stars like Shaboozy, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, and Willie Jones.
"This album took over five years," Beyoncé explains in her press release. "It's been really great to have the time and the grace to be able to take my time with it. 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."
As the name implies, Cowboy Carter leans heavily into the sounds of country music, but there are also shades of R&B, pop, house, and even Jersey club layered throughout the album. Songs like “My Rose,” and “Protector” sound like they could have lived on a Destiny’s Child album, and the Shaboozey-assisted “Spaghettii” is essentially a rap song with country inflections. Beyoncé does all of that and still leaves space to pay homage to country classics like Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”
These choices help make Cowboy Carter feel accessible to people who don’t often listen to country music, while also welcoming longtime fans of the genre who have an affinity for oldies.
With Beyoncé’s new era finally underway, here are seven takeaways from Cowboy Carter, including why I believe Cowboy Carter it’s the perfect way to get more people into country music (myself included).
Complex MusicNewsletter
Stay ready. The playlists, good reads and video interviews you need—delivered every week.
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our
Terms of Serviceand
Privacy Policy