Why Beyoncé’s #1 in Country Doesn’t Really Matter

Beyoncé currently has the #1 song in country music according to Billboard. On the latest update to the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” is at #1, while the other song she released recently called “16 Carriages” sits at #9. This makes Beyoncé the first ever Black solo woman to ever top the country charts.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” also currently sits at #54 on the Billboard Airplay chart, though the song wasn’t initially serviced to country radio after its release. It’s official add date at radio was February 20th, and according to chart expert Chris Owen, “Texas Hold ‘Em” was the most added song on Mediabase that day with 75 adds.
As you can imagine, the news of the #1 has been met with with praise for Beyoncé breaking down barriers and shattering glass ceilings in country. And though it is heartening to those who wish country music had greater representation from Black and Brown artists for Beyoncé to achieve this feat, this #1 is more about the global megastar worth $800 million cutting in line in front of artist native to country to earn this achievement instead of breaking down barriers, including cutting in front of Black and Brown performers and Black women already in the country genre.
Billboard has made the decision that “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” are country songs. This is divergent from the decision than Billboard made when Beyoncé released her 2016 track “Daddy Lessons” that some also claimed to be country. Billboard also came to this decision despite the original metadata on the tracks being marked as “pop” by Beyoncé’s label. In the Billboard article officially announcing Beyoncé’s #1, the publication even starts off by describing her as a “Pop and R&B/hip-hop superstar.”
Sure, if a Black woman either native to country music or coming up through the country music ranks would have achieved a similar goal, it would speak to the opening up of the genre to women of color. But that’s not what’s happened here at all. Instead, Beyoncé is leveraging her global superstar status earned in the pop and R&B/hip-hop world, the enthusiasm of her Stan army the Beyhive, and the coercion of country music’s institutions to ensconce herself atop the genre.
Beyoncé isn’t the first to do this of course. When Bebe Rexha collaborated with Florida Georgia Line on the track “Meant To Be” in 2017, the song spent a history-making 50 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. At the time, some characterized this as an achievement for the women of country, who’ve had similar struggles achieving representation on country’s charts. But Bebe Rexha wasn’t a country woman, and has since done nothing in the genre. She hadn’t even met Florida Georgia Line at the time the track was released.
Bebe Rexha’s “Meant To Be” dethroned Sam Hunt’s “Body Like a Backroad” as the longest charting #1 in country history. Hunt had spent 34 weeks at #1 earlier in 2017. What “Body Like a Backroad,” “Meant To Be,” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” all having in common is they were put at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart through benefiting of cross genre radio spins and appeal.
Most country music fans aren’t listening, streaming, or downloading Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em.” In fact, most country fans don’t even consider it a country song. In a poll conducted by the major country music Instagram account and publication Country Central, out of 7,496 respondents, 6,299 agreed with the statement “Beyoncé shouldn’t be considered a country artist.” That is 84% of country fans who do not believe Beyoncé’s songs shouldn’t be considered country.
Though “Texas Hold ‘Em” is at #54 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, it’s at #38 on the Pop Airplay chart, which pulls from a much bigger audience and data set than country. The fact that “Texas Hold ‘Em” is performing significantly better on the pop radio format than country could be yet another sign that the greater masses consider it a pop song, even if Billboard does not.
But most important to note is that in 2012, Billboard changed its chart rules for genre-based charts to allow radio spins on other formats to count towards a single’s chart performance on its native genre. In other words, all the radio spins “Texas Hold ‘Em” is receiving in pop to place it at #38 are counting in the ranking on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Of course, even if “Texas Hold ‘Em” wasn’t being played on the radio at all, it would still be at #1 on whatever chart Billboard placed it on. This is due in part to members of Beyoncé’s Beyhive downloading the track en masse and spinning it in a purposeful manner to rack up points. Ironically, this is similar to what Jason Aldean fans and conservative influencers did to get his song “Try That in a Small Town” to #1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, and also factored into Oliver Anthony’s #1 for “Rich Men North of Richmond.”
This has nothing to do with country music embracing Beyoncé. This has everything to do with Beyoncé’s established army of pop and R&B/hip-hop fans driving the song to #1, as well as pop radio playing a song that Billboard has chosen to designate as country. Not only is Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” an aberration on the country charts, since most country fans don’t consider it country, Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart is not representing the country music community.
Billboard has a right to designate “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” as whatever genre they wish. But the question is, did they truly have any choice? If Billboard had decided otherwise like they did for Beyoncé “Daddy Lessons” in 2016 and Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” it would have been chaos. There would have been boycotts, social media swarming campaigns, attacks on advertisers and revenue streams, and other coercive tactics against the publication.
The same goes for country radio stations. They must add “Texas Hold ‘Em,” even if their listeners do not want it or think it’s country. This precedent was set when Oklahoma radio station 100.1 KYKC in Ada was attacked and became a national news headline after they initially said they would not play “Texas Hold ‘Em” because the track had not been serviced to country radio, and was designated in the metadata as pop. No other radio station wants to be on the national news being called racist for not adding the song.
As some have pointed out though, when listening to “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and then listening to other songs previously released as country such as songs from Sam Hunt or Florida Georgia Line, or the song “Fancy Like” from Walker Hayes, it would be comparable to “Texas Hold ‘Em” in how they’re pop songs, but with a country flavor.
But what theese arguments don’t take into consideration is the dramatic move in the last few years by the country format to more country sounding songs. In 2016 when “Daddy Lessons” was released, perhaps this case could be made. In 2024, Florida Georgia Line is no longer around. They officially broke up in 2022. “Fancy Like” was topping the charts in 2021. The last two singles from Sam Hunt have failed to reach the Top 10 and he’s considered semi-retired by the country industry.
Meanwhile, it is more country-sounding performers like Luke Combs and Zach Bryan that are defining the mainstream country genre, while Lainey Wilson is the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, and won Album of the Year at the ACMs, CMAs, and Grammy Awards for the more traditional-sounding Bell Bottom Country. Even Morgan Wallen comes with a host of traditional-sounding country songs to go with his pop country tracks. Unequivocably, country is sounding more country at the moment that it has in the past 15-20 years.
Along with composition of the song and the intention of the artist, Billboard also claims to take into consideration “the musical history of the artist, airplay the song receives and how the song is platformed on streaming services” when deciding which genre to slot it in. In this case, by Billboard’s own proclimation, Beyoncé is a “Pop and R&B/hip-hop superstar.” She is also receving significantly more airplay in pop than in country at the moment with “Texas Hold ‘Em.”
But Billboard has made its decision, and it would be suicide to reverse it now. And it is fair to point out that over the last 10-12, you can find comparable tracks to “Texas Hold ‘Em” that Billboard allowed on chart in country as well.
Still, there is nothing organic about the appeal and support for “Texas Hold ‘Em” in country. Saving Country Music was accosted by Beyhive trolls simply for not reporting her country #1 revealed earlier this week in a timely manner. This same kind of coercive-based compliance regime is being enacted across country music, with Program Directors at radio, chart managers, and everyone else being forced to accept the song as country to avoid being called out and ridiculed publicly like 100.1 KYKC was.
Meanwhile, the biggest concern for many actual country fans is that all the attention going to Beyoncé will take important attention away from country artists native to the country genre, including if not especially women, along with Black and Brown artists who already face an uphill battle in the genre.
This is what country and roots artist Rhiannon Giddens expressed concern about when Beyoncé appeared on the 2016 CMA Awards. Giddens felt like Beyoncé’s moment singing “Daddy Lessons” took away from the one she shared with Eric Church through the song “Kill A Word,” which was a #6 hit on country radio, and #9 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
The top comment on Country Central‘s Instagram poll of country fans reads, “I’ll say it again. I really hope Beyoncés ‘country song’ doesn’t get nominated for anything at the CMAs, because there’s a lot of country artists that are TRYING and actually deserve to be nominated.”
Rhiannon Giddens appears on “Texas Hold ‘Em” playing banjo and viola, and roots music steel guitarist Robert Randolph appears on “16 Carriages.” But these aren’t direct collaborations with these artists like we saw when Zach Bryan took songs with Kacey Musgraves, Black country soul duo The War & Treaty, and independent roots artist Sierra Ferrell, and made them to their best chart placement respectively with the release of Bryan’s 2023 self-titled album.
We will have to see if Beyoncé’s upcoming album has any direct collaborations with Black, Brown, or women country artists on it, or if her entrance in the genre in any way materially helps country music’s native Black or Brown performers, or ultimately hurts them as many are concerned it will. We’ll also have to see if anything on the new Beyoncé album more resembles country music.
And of course, if you do anything other that shower Beyoncé with adulation in this moment, you are subject to claims of racism as the nuance and complexity of your perspective is drained out of any discussion. But Saving Country Music made the same exact case that Bebe Rexha’s #1 in country with “Meant To Be” was meaningless in 2018 due to Billboard’s chart rules, and her status as an established pop star.
Ultimately, what Beyoncé debuting at #1 in country with “Texas Hold ‘Em” means is an established pop/hip-hop star worth $800 million has pushed every single other artist in the entirety of the country genre down a notch on that chart, including women and Black women who have devoted their lives to making country, and are fighting for every opportunity to find any sort of mainstream traction.
The country industry is complicit in how it is so difficult for women to find the support they need to launch sustainable careers, let alone successful ones. But since the beginning of the genre, this issue has been exacerbated when stars from other genres come in with established name recognition, release music that is questionable if it’s truly country, and take large sums of attention, radio spins, and awards away from country’s homegrown performers.
This is why Beyoncé’s immediate #1 with “Texas Hold ‘Em” feels virtually meaningless. Only when a Black woman who started in country can achive a similar goal through her own voilition should we really celebrate such an achievement. For now, Beyoncé is just another global superstar superseeding artists who’ve been working for years for this recognition.
READ: Beyoncé Songs Spur False Claims Country Music Erased its Black History
February 22, 2024 @ 9:55 am
Dude, you can’t take Josh Black seriously. He’s a comedian/grifter that plays the race card in everything he does for the clicks. He used to be a firefighter but sued Metro Nashville Fire Department for, you guessed it, racism, and rode that wave for social media eyeballs.
Zero shame with that guy.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:03 am
I don’t really know who Josh Black is, and am not sure that I really care. My only point is that multiple people in multiple tweets came at me on Tuesday because I did not immediately report the Beyonce #1, similar to radio stations and other outlets getting bombarded by Beyonce Stans, forcing the hands of these entities to comply or get called out nationally like the Oklahoma radio station. You’re not changing hearts and minds by forcing people to make decisions or face the repercussions of being called racist. If anything, you’re building resentment in the population.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:37 am
Fairly new here. Two questions. Does everyone have to fully type their user name and email every time they make a comment? There’s no way to stay signed in? (That’s ok, just want to make sure I’m doing it right).
Super stoked for the new corb lund album out tomorrow. Thats not really a question I guess. You gonna review it?
February 22, 2024 @ 12:03 pm
If you’re using the same browser and device, you should remain signed in each time unless you delete your cache and cookies, or your device or browser hides your IP.
The Corb Lund album is definitely on the radar and being considered for review.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:43 pm
Great. thank you
February 22, 2024 @ 3:57 pm
Thanks for the reminder on that CL album. Since Facebook’s only seen fit to show me suggested posts instead of posts from pages I follow and like, I had completely forgotten about it.”
February 22, 2024 @ 1:00 pm
So, you were accosted by someone whose tweet that you linked in your article had only 2 reposts and 14 likes? Seriously?
You are beyond pathetic at this point.
February 22, 2024 @ 9:15 pm
It’s just a highly contrived and well-strategized marketing plan, designed to promote Beyonce as a genre-shattering, paradigm-altering musical genius capable of redefining any genre she likes, whenever she pleases. Beyonce “being number one” on the country charts means nothing, as those numbers are heavily manipulated and/or skewed. Actual country music consumers aren’t racing to buy her new record, they’re Beyonce fans, who’d buy anything she released. She could do an album of Artery Eruption covers and the story would be “OMG Beyonce conquered pornogrind, and they’re afraid to admit it!”.
It’s not really in my wheelhouse, but I’m sure that at worst, her stupid country record will contain a bunch of competently-made, catchy, country-esque tunes, and the general consensus will be “meh, it’s OK”. Then the hype will die down til award season, when her fans demand that she be acknowledged, as if there’s any danger of that not happening.
February 23, 2024 @ 7:16 am
Blaming black people for assholes being racist is such a laughable take. Keep defending racism, Triggerman.
February 24, 2024 @ 5:28 am
Do you ever listen to yourself?
February 23, 2024 @ 12:37 pm
I hear you. The songs only hint at country with a recognizable game tag, Texas Hold’em and reference to my mom and dad’s troubles.
It’s mockery. She didn’t even alter her singing style to resemble folksy. It sounds like Hip Hop trying to render itself into something abstract, in fact foreign to Beyonce. Being born in TX doesn’t make you “country,” nor does wearing a cowboy hat.
February 25, 2024 @ 4:31 pm
Mr. Trigger explained his public dilemma as :
“You’re not changing hearts and minds by forcing people to make decisions or face the repercussions of being called racist. If anything, you’re building resentment in the population.”
in his role as owner of this website, he said this after admitting that he was forced by certain critics “to make decisions or face the repercussions of being called racist.”
He doesn’t explain why he even dignified the accusations to begin with, and after allowing this to happen, his newly defensive posture does a great job of building resentment in the population” by disclosing his reasons for having bowed to these bullies.
They won, Mr. Trigger. For the wrong reasons. And that’s not right.
Maybe next time you’ll tell the bad guys what’s up, and the real public will love you for it.
February 25, 2024 @ 5:12 pm
James,
You are taking commentary I included in my reporting on this matter, and seeming to twist it into me saying things directly about my decisions on how to cover this matter, which is a mischaracterization that I don’t appreciate. I absolutely did not admit that I did anything because I was “forced by certain critics.” I said other entities such as radio stations and chart managers were being forced into these decisions.
March 1, 2024 @ 5:51 am
Mr. Trigger,
I did not “twist” your statement, I merely repeated it word for word. Sorry.
In it, you spoke for yourself. You now say you didn’t mean to do that.
Permission is granted everyone to twist MY own previous statement:
“They won, Mr. Trigger. For the wrong reasons. And that’s not right.
Maybe next time you’ll tell the bad guys what’s up, and the real public will love you for it.”
I would gladly blame my position on my white guilt (if I could just find it….).
February 22, 2024 @ 10:11 am
RACIST!!!!! *kidding*
February 22, 2024 @ 1:12 pm
https://youtu.be/0ZGaLm9kU2Y?si=D3ODFO57Q4gIDhl5
Not sure who you are talking about but this is pretty funny.
February 22, 2024 @ 9:13 pm
Imagine thieves trying to gatekeep what they didn’t create. THAT is the privilege we refer to.
February 22, 2024 @ 9:27 pm
White immigrants primarily from the British isles in the Appalachian region of the United States created country music, with the help of Black minstrel players and later blues musicians. Nothing was stolen from anyone. If you believe that, it’s because you’re a victim of social media canards spread by the grossly and irresponsibly uninformed.
If you want to be informed, here are some resources:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/beyonce-songs-spurn-false-claims-country-music-erased-its-black-history/
February 23, 2024 @ 12:40 pm
Exactly. For years, Black and White musicians played the same music without strict titles. They influenced each other until racist record companies segregated them. Country was blues and blues had been country.It was a marketing strategy to appears a certain segment of America.
February 27, 2024 @ 11:02 am
Yeah, your right, no one should be gatekeeping, defining or proclaiming greatness in country, whether they are from the sticks in Appalachia or a billionaire from “Houston”….
February 23, 2024 @ 9:45 am
Oh man I had never even heard of him but since you do not seem to understand what constitutes racism I gave him a look and he’s really funny. Thanks for giving him the free advertising and letting others know about him!
February 22, 2024 @ 10:02 am
Other opinions aside, people agreeing with the statement “Beyoncé shouldn’t be considered a country artist” does not necessarily mean these same people also believe these new songs aren’t country. It’s asking a different question.
If Beyonce released a one-off, totally indisputable country album and went back to dance music I don’t think it would make her a country artist, but those songs would be country songs.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:16 am
“Texas Hold Em” is not #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart because of the consumption habits of country fans. It’s #1 on the country charts because of the consumption habits of pop and hip-hop fans. Country charts should reflect the sentiments and consumption habits of country fans, not pop/hip-hop fans.
This was the concern that came up when Billboard changed its chart rules in 2012. That concern was fully realized when Bebe Rexha went to #1 for 50 straight weeks in 2017/2018, and we’re seeing that concern reflected again now with Beyonce and “Texas Hold ‘Em.”
I understand the semantic argument about the wording of the poll. The vast, vast majority of country fans believe that Beyonce and “Texas Hold ‘Em” shouldn’t be taking accolades from country artists, and don’t consider this country.
I agree we need to wait for the full album to make more conclusive judgements.
March 28, 2024 @ 11:57 am
Next time Beyonce will pretend being a ballerina, and everyone will pretend she is, lol. However, it’s better to stick to truth and call her songs “pop”, ignoring calling out and ridicule.
April 1, 2024 @ 3:37 pm
That’ was the problem with the 2012/13 change to the billboards. It wasn’t just the country charts that were affected by it but it was the Hot Rap, R&B, Rock charts as well. You got certain poppy Imagine Dragon songs jumping to # 1 hella fast not because rock fans loved them. You had a K Pop song hitting #1 on the rap charts that had rap fans annoyed and confused. You had pop songs hitting number one on the r&b charts because they were by black artists. I get the struggle of adding downloads and then streaming to the charts when it come to genres but you would believe they would keep how they calculate airplay by the actual popular genre radio stations but nope they calculate the charts by using big pop stations aimed towards pop fans now. If Taylor Swift was to out of nowhere make a rap album it will jump to #1 on the rap charts fast because of her pop fanbase and rap fans will be pissed.
September 13, 2024 @ 11:44 am
You mention Taylor Swift – the country singer I assume. But haven’t seen anything from her after 2008. Guess she was one of those 2 albums sung and done artists.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:04 am
If she’s got the number one song, then neither Dan + Shay nor Tyler Hubbard do. So, I’ll call that a mixed verdict, and move on. 🙂
February 22, 2024 @ 10:24 am
That is incorrect. Both Tyler Hubbard and Dan + Shay both came up through the country music industry. You or I may shake our little fists and say they’re not country, but it was through country labels, country radio, etc. that they found their success. This is not the case for Beyonce.
I personally have not made any determination on whether I think these songs from Beyonce are “country” or not, and I have decided to reserve that judgement until the album comes out, because I think they both sit right on the bubble. But the argument here is not if they’re country songs. What I’m saying is there is little reason to celebrate this #1 by a Black woman in country, because it was built off of her popularity in pop and hip-hop, not her popularity or acceptance in country. I’m not saying it’s no victory at all. But it doesn’t in any way reflect a changing of sentiments or an accepting of anything by the country community. It simply is registering the consumption of Beyonce’s established fans.
February 23, 2024 @ 7:26 am
“Both Tyler Hubbard and Dan + Shay both came up through the country music industry. You or I may shake our little fists and say they’re not country, but it was through country labels, country radio, etc. that they found their success.”
Why does that matter? The sound of the songs should matter. If the country music industry embraced songs by those artists, then it shouldn’t matter that an outside artist released a song that’s just as country.
If “try that in a small town” can be a country #1, then so can these songs. Ultimately, we all know the #1 rankings is a racket, with labels colluding timing of plays for rankings. If records wanted a black woman at #1 before Beyonce, they could’ve done it. Beyonce isn’t putting anyone down, but yes it is a shame that the first #1 wasn’t by an authentic country artist, but who knows when that would have happened.
You said in your last article to let radio stations and the country industry decide if they’re country songs. Now you’re moving the goalposts.
There’s no evidence that country music fans don’t think Beyonce’s songs are country, just that she’s not a country artist. Those aren’t the same thing.
February 23, 2024 @ 10:07 am
Country fans don’t think these songs are country. And these radio stations are not deciding to add Beyonce by their own volition. They are being coerced to do so from the fear of being called racist.
February 23, 2024 @ 10:43 am
What country fans? You pointed to a poll that said country fans don’t think she’s a country artist. That’s a different question altogether. I’m a country fan, I think it’s country pop, which is still country. It’s a bad song, but so are most country pop songs. You won’t even say it is or isn’t country.
When you put out that article saying to let country radio decide if it’s country or not, wasn’t that already after the OK radio station blowup? It sounds like you wrote that article in bad faith, knowing that you were then going to make this argument for coercion.
Nothing you wrote in your article says that country fans don’t think this is country, just that it has massive cross genre appeal from the pop crowd because it’s by Beyonce, which is obviously true and a glaring problem with how these rankings are tabulated.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:04 am
Excellent post, Trigger. I made several of these same points elsewhere only to be shouted down by Beyonce stans who told me I didn’t know what I was talking. Shocking, I know.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:19 am
Nothing new here, it’s a revamped bro country tune. Furs, spurs, boots aka tight jeans, Lexus aka Chevy truck and rugged whiskey aka cold beer. She covered everything but the red dirt road that leads to the hot tub.
February 22, 2024 @ 1:12 pm
She wouldn’t be getting any of this criticism if only she’d included Mama, trains, trucks and prison.
February 22, 2024 @ 1:50 pm
Yes – the perfect country and western song!
February 22, 2024 @ 5:02 pm
Just realized she only needed Mama and trains. She took care of the truck and, as I noticed earlier, getting drunk. She might just get this genre eventually, lol.
February 27, 2024 @ 8:48 am
Would a red plastic cup change the hearts and minds of all the haters?
February 22, 2024 @ 10:23 am
I heard the song on You Tube . No worse than any other pop country crap that is played on country radio . I’m just glad there’s a classic country radio station in my area .
February 22, 2024 @ 10:28 am
I appreciate the fact this issue tends to get people riled up. Some think this will be the end of “their” country music while others embrace the addition. I personally could care less. Beyonce doing a “country” album will be another addition to the long list of pop musicians (black and white) that did the same and didn’t kill the genre.
In this world of 24 second news cycles it will be over as soon as the next “assault” on country music comes along. In the mean time, I will go back to listening to Sarah Gayle Meech.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:38 am
What a shit show. Fine, then us SCM readers are going to ban together and strongarm one of our songs to the top of the mainstream charts. We’ll need a name for our posse – “The Trigger-Hippies” or maybe “Death to Pop Country”? Is that already taken? Stop wandering the halls of the mansion and help me out JB.
Then we’ll need a song that we ALL agree on…… Forget it. That will never happen….
Bones will throw in for Jeremy Pinnell. Maybe we could rally around that?
February 22, 2024 @ 10:43 am
Genre classification will always be a stale and never ending discussion. Each genre has this debate among fans with certain records and artist . Zach Bryan has been crowned Saving Country Music artist of the year in the past and folks are still arguing whether or not he’s a true country artist. I would argue those stadium shows he is filling up currently are filled with fans of all genres including pop/hip hop fans of which you seem to disparage here in this article. Instead of the dismissive approach to the success of this record you have no idea if those same pop/hip hop fans that pushed this record to number 1 will continue to develop an interest of exploring the genre more and land right here on this site like I have so many years ago. I admire you for always fighting the good fight but lets see what else the album has to offer first before we throw it in the can.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:50 am
Zach Bryan has never been crowned Saving Country Music’s Artist of the Year, and specifically because he does not adhere enough to the roots of the genre, which is what that award is all about.
I certainly don’t think I “disparaged” pop and hip-hop fans here. All I did was advocate for country charts to reflect the consumption habits of country fans, just like the pop and hip-hop charts should reflect the consumption habits of pop and hip-hop fans. I certainly don’t want country artists nabbing #1s in other genres. We need to be good neighbors to other genres and not take attention away from artists native to them.
I agree that genre can be nebulous, and the discussions can become tiresome. I’m not even confident in saying these Beyonce songs aren’t country. The underlying point of this article was simply to explain how this #1 doesn’t really reflect on country music because it wasn’t country music consumers behind it. It was Beyonce fans.
I agree we should wait for the full album before making any hard and fast judgements.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:58 am
My apologies Trigger for the error. Nominee . No edit button so I will take this lost as a true professional ha. Keep on writing sir.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:45 am
“Only when a Black woman who started in country can achive a similar goal through her own voilition should we really celebrate such an achievement.”
I’m sorry but that absolutely strikes me as a really, REALLY provincial attitude. There are plenty of artists who either started outside of country or had significant careers outside of country who’ve had success in the field. Do Conway Twitty’s big hits somehow “not count” because he was initially a rock and roller? Jerry Lee Lewis’ hits? Is he an “interloper?” Is Darius Rucker? Steven Tyler? Morgan Wallen? Chris Stapleton? Kid Rock? Sheryl Crow? Kenny Rogers?
Yes, the Beyhive has an impact. But this argument that a woman born and raised in Houston, Texas is “cutting the line” by getting a #1 country song feels like it’s more about irritation with her previous success. There are plenty of artists who had success outside the country field who have “jumped the line” by that standard.
Is “Texas Hold ‘Em” my preferred sort of country music? No – but it is definitely a country song, with appropriate instrumentation, sound and feel to these ears – more so than something like “Try That in a Small Town.”
February 22, 2024 @ 11:09 am
Conway Twitty is an excellent test case.
Do you know how many solo CMA Awards Conway Twitty has? Zero. ZERO. The 2nd most #1 songs in country music history, one of the greatest-selling country artists of all time, and the only CMA Awards he won were with Loretta Lynn. Why? Because purists and traditionalists hated him because he wasn’t native to country.
Conway Twitty migrated to country for two reasons: He didn’t like seeing all the drugs and wildness in rock, and because he was trying to salvage his career. Same goes for Kenny Rogers.
Meanwhile, Beyonce is the biggest musical superstar in the entire world, has won more Grammy Awards than anyone else, and enjoys more favorable media coverage than any musical performer in history to the point where SNL is producing skits around it. You’re going to try and compare this with Chris Stapleton, who transitioned from a bluegrass band and a Southern rock outfit barely anyone heard to not getting any attention for his country debut until Justin Timberlake sang with him on the CMA Awards?
Apples and bowling balls.
“Yes, the Beyhive has an impact.”
I would say they probably do.
And by the way, everyone lining up to say this article is “gatekeeping,” please understand the ultimate point of it, which is that if country music truly wants to celebrate the acceptance and support of Black women, they need to be native to this genre. Otherwise it’s a hollow victory. I’m not saying that Beyonce’s #1 doesn’t have some element of importance from a symbolic standpoint. But it absolutely does not signal that country music is ready to support a Black woman to #1.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:57 am
I think this post frames the issue incorrectly. Instead of stating someone from the pop realm worth $800 million “cut in line,” we should be looking at the fact that it took a Black woman with legions of fans, worth $800 million to make it to no 1. A Black woman has to literally be Beyoncé is order to achieve that, which is a huge indictment on all the amazing Black women artists out there trying to “pay their dues” to little chance of having a shot at the top spot because the system is so stacked against them.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:08 pm
That’s a fair characterization as well.
I just want to be consistent in protecting the creators native to country music: the little girls that are now women that grew up wanting to make country music, have spent their lives in that pursuit, and often are not getting the support their talent and merit deserves. When I see an artist like Beyonce enter this space, my fear is she will suck attention away from those performers. I also fear that some people think they can take their foot off the pedal now that a Black woman has achieved a #1. Even if I come across as alarmist, I’d rather do that, scrutinize this situation, and be wrong, than sit on my hands and hope it all works out.
February 22, 2024 @ 2:53 pm
“Even if I come across as alarmist, I’d rather do that…”
If that’s the case, perhaps you should change your pen name to Chicken Little.
Just saying.
February 22, 2024 @ 6:43 pm
Perhaps you should change your name to Troll, Kevin.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:15 pm
The Black part may very well by a hindrance, but the woman part is as well. Lainey Wilson is the only other female artist to have a solo #1 in all of 2023 and 2024 and hers was only on the airplay chart.
If you go back 50 years to 1974, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Tanya Tucker, Melba Montgomery, Anne Murray, Donna Fargo, Loretta Lynn and Lynn Anderson all spent time at #1. Dolly did it with three separate singles and had a fourth #1 that year with Porter Wagoner. Loretta also had a second #1 that year with Conway Twitty.
February 22, 2024 @ 4:03 pm
There haven’t been black female artists making music that is the best in the genre. Charlie Pride was able to do it in the 60’s. Maybe stop blaming others for the lack of top tier talent from a demographic. The cream rises to the top (No pun intended). So many people are conflating diversity with a reason to be at 1#. Conversely I think it’s racist that more white men in cowboy hat’s arent dominating the rap and pop charts. (since we are playing this stupid victim game I’m going to do it too.)
February 23, 2024 @ 8:04 am
You think the songs that reach #1 represents the best of the genre, the cream rising to the top? Are you kidding?
February 23, 2024 @ 11:10 pm
99% of the music on country radio now blows ass so I’m not a good judge of what is “1#” material. However 2005 and earlier, what black female artists have been excluded from the 1# position on country? – Nevermind that they held charting positions in other genres. Nevermind that Charlie Pride, Ray Charles, and Neil Mccoy had 1#’s. Please build your case for how country music has set it’s sights on specifically keeping out black women from the charts.
February 23, 2024 @ 1:02 pm
….”Instead of stating someone from the pop realm worth $800 million “cut in line,” we should be looking at the fact that it took a Black woman with legions of fans, worth $800 million to make it to no 1.”…..
Beyonce didn’t make it to number 1. She was placed at number 1 by Communists who hate C(c)ountry music and are in the process of eliminating it through cultural subversion.
Your inability to accept the fact that people must like something in order for it to become popular doesn’t automatically reserve people the right to success on the basis of anything other than their ability to become popular to a large enough segment of the population to gain them popularity.
February 23, 2024 @ 1:54 pm
Sorry…Instead of stating someone from the pop realm worth $800 million “cut in line,” we should be looking at the fact that it took a Black woman with legions of fans, worth $800 million to make it to no 1…..
The gatekeeping and line cutting is astounding.
The Queen, who has now set the bar is the new gatekeeper and shoved her way to the top with bullying, hegemony, stan armies. threats and money. Few if any stars or newcomers of any sort has those kinds of resources to do that.
That’s not “social justice”, that’s PRIVILEGE.
February 22, 2024 @ 5:00 pm
Sick and tired of “being born in Houston makes you contry”, it doesn’t. It makes you a Texan.
February 22, 2024 @ 8:24 pm
Interesting comment Penn. Never been there and don’t intend on going but I’m to understand Houston is a huge city. From my understanding there is a distinct difference between a city, and “the country.” And, as such perhaps “Houston country” could well be “Texas country” but country proper, hmmm. I tilt heavily into “western” country, Chris LeDoux for example, but could understand how it’s viewed as a sub-genre of “traditional” country. Cowboy music or what have you. Perhaps there is another sub genre of “millionaire urban country” that I’m not aware of? Tongue in cheek of course. Perhaps Trigger might enlighten us on all this but until then I’ll just continue to enjoy country music by and for folks from the actual country.
February 22, 2024 @ 9:23 pm
I think that everyone has a right to make country music, no matter who they are, or where they’re from, as long as they have a sincere love and respect for the music in their heart. I think it’s still up for grabs if Beyonce is one of these peopl. I’ve covered country artists from New York City, Sweden, Germany, and the former Soviet Republic of Georgia.
Does being from Texas, the rural south, the mountain West, Bakersfield, CA, etc. bestow you some bonus points when making country music? Sure. Is it necessary? Absolutely not. Does being from Houston make country music your birthright? No.
There is a list of talking points that is being parroted about through this whole Beyonce thing by 23-year-olds on Tik-Tok videos with millions of views that never even thought about country music until these Beyonce songs were released. Let’s appreciate that Time Magazine published an article that declared that Beyonce has always been country, every single bit of music she has ever released is country, and that white people have never been country. And when I tried to start a conversation with the author on Twitter, they blocked me. She’s a hip-hop writer who has never written about country music in her life, and Time Magazine gave her a platform to say this inflammatory shit.
We are seeing the greatest aberration of what “country music” is ever take place in the history of the genre. And I can’t even address it without my own readers telling me they’d rather read about an Emily Nenni album they already know about.
Fun times.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:46 pm
“, and Time Magazine gave her a platform to say this inflammatory shit.”
Get it Trig,
Not for being snotty sake, but for getting and being, damn real.
‘Bout phucking time.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:56 pm
Hey Trig, was wondering if you’ve read this Slate article about all this? Its conclusion is that skeptics about what Beyoncé at #1 means, such as yourself (and lil ole me), have well-founded reasons to be. I think they would agree on some of the arguments you made in your piece, but comes to a different conclusion.
They admit they’re a Beyoncé fan. I admit your knowledge of the current country scene and its history dwarfs mine (and almost certainly theirs) so I would love to hear your takes on their takes.
Totally understand if you’re ready to move on to the next subject, though. Thanks for your dogged, important work regardless.
https://slate.com/culture/2024/02/beyonce-texas-hold-em-country-song-billboard-hot-100.html
February 23, 2024 @ 8:18 am
I’ll check it out. Over the last few years, Slate has surprisingly had some of the more balanced takes on these things.
February 23, 2024 @ 4:16 pm
The Slate article hyperlinks one of your write-ups on the Lil Nas X ruckus.
February 23, 2024 @ 4:45 pm
I read the Slate article and I think it takes a good perspective. Then again, I may say that since it take a very similar perspective to mine.
This really has nothing to do with how anyone feels about Beyonce or her songs. It just doesn’t mean anything to country that she scored a #1 in country off the support from her established fans.
I’ve also seen some folks saying that my headline is unnecessarily incendiary. But it’s just the truth. The only reason some are taking it as incendiary is because it involves Boeyonce, and saying anything that could be characterized as a slight against her right now is considered verboten.
February 25, 2024 @ 12:35 pm
Interestingly though, even Pitchfork, which has fawning over Beyoncé practically written into its mission statement, isn’t all in on this Texas hold-up scheme.
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/beyonce-texas-hold-em/
February 28, 2024 @ 9:54 am
As Trigger said, this isn’t really about how much we like, or don’t like, Beyonce and the song. However, I do think there is a parallel between the music itself and the genre narrative.
Love the closing line of the Pitchfork piece:
“The ho-hey stomp-clap of it all, complete with an Andy Griffith whistle, veers dangerously close to the border of Lumineers car-commercial music; this is working-class music for folks who can afford to drive a Lexus”
Even if Texas Hold’Em sounded “authentic” and I loved the song (not mutually exclusive by the way), I would still not consider Beyonce a country artist for all the reasons Trigger outlines in his post.
February 22, 2024 @ 9:47 pm
Look at it this way, Clint Black was born in New Jersey, yet most identified with Texas scene.
Last time I looked country singers come from NY(eg: Hal Ketchum), California(too many to list), Illinois (John Prine) and Canada (Farmers Daughter, Julian Austin) etc etc.
Her elitist (stans, up threaders, and PR team) proclamations are shallow, uninformed and devalues other artists experiences.
So origins don’t count in making someone country; that’s my point.
February 23, 2024 @ 9:16 am
Which non-Texan was more identified with the Texas scene than Jerry Jeff Walker, from Oneonta, New York?
Come up here to the Upper Valley (Vermont and New Hampshire, midway up the state line) and you’ll find country folks, country singers, people living the country lifestyle, and people who love country music — even a half-dozen or more radio stations playing hot country, classic country, and even some of the artists mentioned in SCM. There are more BBQ places than there are Starbucks, plenty of hunting and fishing, even a gun factory (Ruger) in one of the little NH town just across the river from us. Yes, there are liberals here, too, but plenty of them hunt and fish, and at least one of them loves country music. Damn right origins don’t count.
February 23, 2024 @ 8:36 am
Love these comments! Check out Dixiebrownmusic.com. I love her country!
February 22, 2024 @ 10:54 am
I’m curious about Rhiannon Giddens in the scheme of things here. She went from (justifiably) criticizing Beyoncé for stealing the spotlight and being disingenuous about country music to featuring on Beyoncé’s big “country” hit.
Seems like a pretty dramatic about-face. What’s going on here? I guess she figured if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
Smart, but that kind of cynical opportunism from Giddens is disappointing.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:11 pm
She sold out.
Simple as that. They made an offer.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:55 pm
Rhiannon posted about the song on instagram. You can read her actual thoughts if you want.
But I mean, who seriously is going to worry about what charts a song might eventually end up on, if it’s even released, when asked to play on it? Or you just think she should have opposed Beyoncé having banjo on a song altogether? Makes no sense to me.
February 22, 2024 @ 1:39 pm
I guess I’m supposed to read between the lines because (based on her Insta and X accounts) Giddens seems to be playing coy and having it both ways – on the one hand implying she was “surprised” to hear her banjo on Beyoncé’s recording (plausible deniability), but happy it’s on there to spark interest in the banjo (credit for promoting the instrument, and her own brand). She’s no dummy, a Pulitzer winner knows what she’s doing.
She also calls Beyoncé’s new album “country-inspired” so she seems reluctant to call it “country”, but then again she couches “genre” itself as a capitalist ploy – like genre is meaningless outside of commerce. Again, having it both ways – bizarrely wishy-washy from a self-proclaimed music historian, albeit one who makes a living from selling music (both recorded and performed live).
February 23, 2024 @ 8:18 am
Genre is a capitalist ploy. Musicians from every era and every style regularly fight the industry’s attempt to label and classify their art in ways the artist never intended. You could say (and I’d reluctantly agree) that genre is a necessary evil to market music to potential audiences, but I think most any artist you ask doesn’t care if the person buying their albums and coming to their shows prefers “country” or “pop” – the music just wants to be heard.
February 23, 2024 @ 8:56 am
Well then, better shut this whole website down, give Beyonce the award for best country album of the year, and give the Rolling Stones the award for best hip-hop album of the year while we’re at it. Genre is meaningless outside of corporate marketing departments, after all. Can we even say what “country music” is? Apparently, no.
February 23, 2024 @ 9:14 am
Awards shows are also meaningless capitalist ploys.
February 23, 2024 @ 10:03 am
This genre argument is so stupid. Of course genres can be mixed, the lines can be moved or fused by artists, and that is sometimes an element of creativity. But genres are absolutely essential for helping people find the music that most appeals to them, and are more essential than ever now that there is more music than ever, and access to that music is so easy. Genre is the Dewey Decimal System of music. If every time you wanted to listen to a song, Spotify served you something from a completely random genre, you would waste hours of listening time each week. People looking for a classic string sonnet don’t want to sift through death metal selections to find it. If you’re looking for a traditional country song, you don’t want to pull up a gangsta rap track.
In fact, independent country fans are more apt to listen to old school hip-hop than they are mainstream country. That is why genre, subgenre, scene, era, and so much else must factor into curation points.
Is genre a “capitalist ploy?” Something tells me communist countries still have genres of music. Cuba has something like seven different types of traditional dance music. But guess what, we live in a Capitalist society in the United States. And yes, genre helps artists find the fans that will most find appeal in their music so they can put together sustainable careers.
This whole “genre doesn’t matter” or “genres shouldn’t exist” argument is super hip to say, but falls apart under the slightest of scrutiny. Without genre, this website doesn’t exist, and neither does your comment, neither does “Beyonce goes country.”
February 23, 2024 @ 12:03 pm
I think you misunderstood my comment, Trig. I was speaking from an artist’s point of view which is what Tex Hex was referencing in re: Rhiannon Gidden’s comments. Too often the music industry has latched onto these labels in ways that have been detrimental to artists careers. Take the term “alt.country” for example. Was it a useful way to get exposure for artists that were slipping through the cracks of 90s mainstream country? Yes. If you asked Robbie Fulks what kind of music he played in the 90s though, he’d say “country” with no qualifiers. Lucinda Williams would probably bristle at calling her music anything but “rock & roll”.
Another example from the rock world was “post rock” which described a bunch of unrelated bands in the early 90s who were using rock instrumentation to explore non-rock styles like jazz, dub, electronica, etc. But this was purely accidental and none of these bands really sounded alike or even knew each other. 10 years on from inventing this “genre” the term post rock began to coalesce around describing a specific sound of anthemic instrumental rock that was 1000 miles from what Tortoise or Moonshake were doing when the term was coined. In that sense, genre was a capitalist ploy to try and sell records and resulted in a watered down version of something that never really existed to begin with outside of a marketing context.
February 22, 2024 @ 3:06 pm
I doubt Beyonce even knows who Rhiannon Giddens is. She likely has no idea who has played on any of her albums.
February 23, 2024 @ 2:23 pm
I have been listening to country for 30+ years and I also respect Beyoncé as an artist. She is 100% aware of every single person participating in her album.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:03 am
“Feathered Indians” has been certified platinum twice over, “Lady May” and “White House Road” were both certified platinum once and “House Fire” was certified gold. None of them ever hit even the lower reaches of the country charts. “All Your’n” peaked at #46, which seems low considering that it too has been certified platinum. “In Your Love” did reach #7, but that didn’t translate to success on the airplay chart, where it only hit #43. “Shake the Frost” and “Nose on the Grindstone” have more plays on Spotify than two of those songs and could probably be certified if anyone bothered to fill out the paperwork. And neither of them were ever on the country chart either.
And that’s just one artist. I’m sure there are others I could have used to make the same case. Clearly the country chart and country radio are both fundamentally broken and no longer representative of the music country fans are listening to. It’s ridiculous that people are demanding that a billionaire pop star’s debut country single receive airplay (and eventually, I’m sure, recognition from the CMA and ACM), but have been completely silent while those same institutions ignored somebody who has been busting his ass in the country genre for well over a decade at this point. Of course, most of them only took notice of the country genre when Beyonce decided she wanted to be a part of it and couldn’t pick Willie Nelson out of a police lineup.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:13 am
#affirmativeaction
February 22, 2024 @ 11:40 am
For the record, Tyler Childers’ “Purgatory” has been and continues to be a mainstay on the Billboard Country Albums chart, and he continues to be one of the Top 10 artists in all of country music in regards to overall consumption and ticket sales.
That said, he’s never appeared on a radio chart, and only barely skimmed “Hot Country Songs,” which as you say, means that these charts are not actually representing the true consumption habits or sentiments of country fans, specifically because they also measure pop activity in the formula, unlike prior to 2012.
This is also why it drives me crazy when Jada E. Watson and others attempt to use radio charts to canvas the population of country artists. Country radio only represents country radio, not country music.
All of this was the reason I wanted to write my in-depth take on the 2024 Ameripolitan awards that happened last week in Austin before publishing anything else about Beyonce. When you get off the computer, get your nose out of the charts, and actually go out into the field, country music is way more diverse than you would ever imagine just hanging on X/Twitter. Is Tammi Savoy ever going to have the same attention Beyonce is getting right now? Of course not. And in my opinion, that is not fair.
For anyone that wants to read it:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/ameripolitan-comes-into-its-own-in-2024-offers-a-better-way-forward/
February 22, 2024 @ 11:09 am
Ray Charles did a country album decades ago and it still resonates . Yet, no one considered Ray a country artist…. Calm down. It only took 50 producers, 30 songwriters, , legions of musicians , and gallons of hair straightener and skin lightener to birth this schlock…. calm down.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:29 am
Neither the Byrds or Bob Dylan ever made the country charts either. They did their country projects because they actually respected the genre and wanted to pay tribute to it, not as a cynical ploy to stack up more accolades for themselves. I guess I don’t really understand the mindset of Beyonce and especially her fans. When Sturgill announced Sound & Fury, for example, my one and only hope was that it would be worth listening to. Not once did I think to myself, “I really hope he overtakes that Jack White or Foo Fighters album on the rock charts.”
February 22, 2024 @ 12:23 pm
Ray Charles was a country artist. He released seven dedicated country albums over two decades and is in the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was also an R&B artist. I have an article coming up about this and the erasure of his country legacy.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:16 am
Two points:
With the right “instruments,” the country Fandom could get Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, or Cody Johnson a number one R&B/rap/hip-hop single. It doesn’t make them any of those things.
Based on these first two songs (and do we *really* believe the album is any better?), that AOTY Grammy will pass by Beyonce again. Taylor Swift (who has won 4 times already) is about to soak up all of the oxygen with her new album in a few weeks. Good luck with that.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:31 am
A one-percenter bigfooting her way into another genre just because she can. But since I haven’t listened to country radio for years, whatever.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:46 am
Again she will not be the first pop artist to change her sound for an album. If your not a fan you will likely not hit play anyway. For me I’m taking the approach of if it leads to Beyonce fans exploring the rich history of country music then I look at that as a win.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:47 am
This headline feels a little inflammatory
I think it would be better characterized as “Why Beyoncé’s #1 in Country Doesn’t represent a watershed moment for black female country artists”. I think you make some good points.
Beyonce’s engagement with country may matter in other ways, by inspiring under represented groups to engage with country music. That impact may not be felt immediately, but may matter 5,10, 20 years from now. Its too early to say.
February 22, 2024 @ 1:24 pm
Kyle Coroneos is starting to become the Phil Mushnick of country music…
February 22, 2024 @ 2:19 pm
I don’t find that to be the case at all, his journalism is excellent, and the overall point being made in this article is well made. I just think the external engagement this article will get beyond regular readers of this site will make assumptions about the article and the writer based on the headline. He’s doing himself and this post a disservice with the headline.
February 23, 2024 @ 8:38 am
Trig clearly has certain axes to grind because he sees how this plays out behind the scenes in the industry. But the music industry has always had an element that uses strong arm tactics and extra-legal ways of manipulating sentiment and chart placement going back 70 years or more. (see: “Hit Men” for the long legacy of the mafia in the biz).
Through that lens, this is a tale as old as time. Trig is right to point out the inequity and unfairness of how this is going down on behalf of the many independent artists (many of whom are women and people of color) he champions.
It would be naive to assume that Beyonce is going to open the floodgates for more traditional Black country artists to start storming the charts. That’s just as much on the mainstream country music industry as it is Beyonce….BUT, and this to me is the most important thing and why I ultimately can’t be mad about what Beyonce is trying to do here: given her massive reach, it is reasonable to think that some (albeit miniscule) portion of her fanbase IS going to check out more authentic country music as a result of this album. If even only 12 of those fans become so enchanted with it that they end up picking up a guitar or a banjo and start writing heartfelt songs, well performed….well then thats 12 more new country artists that will keep this music alive for years to come. At the end of the day, isn’t that what we all want?
February 22, 2024 @ 7:58 pm
Hardly inflammatory.
How about the whole inflammatory are declarations greatness, vain glorious “reinvention of country” and “you will love me or else”. Please, enough with this.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:00 pm
This is hilarious …
Going to do what one of the SCM regulars frequently says. Going to pop some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the show.
But, Beyonce needs to raise the bar, show respect for her listening audience, as well as herself.
Elvis was RnR, Gospel, you name it.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:01 pm
I am not sure the charts really have the significance they once did. Who really pays attention to the charts and so much of the country charts is not really country. Beyonce is not country. I don’t think her song is country and it is not that good either. She is a big star and maybe some fans might listen to some country and start to listen to it. I am not sure she does any harm to country music as such because she is not really country. Her son will probably be top of the charts for a very long time. Good luck to her but her music is just not for me.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:12 pm
They got what they wanted. Infiltration into a historically American institution.
Billboard sold out.
February 22, 2024 @ 2:51 pm
You know very little about music, don’t you?
February 22, 2024 @ 4:40 pm
This situation isn’t about music, bub.
February 23, 2024 @ 6:00 am
Whoa there! “They” infiltrated “an American institution”? You or I may not be into Beyonce, but come on now! She’s American as hell. And she’d be welcome if she actually paid her dues writing and performing and everything. Enough with the dog whistles, your good old days are never coming back. That’s a good thing.
February 23, 2024 @ 8:10 am
How does an American infiltrate “a historically American institution”?
February 22, 2024 @ 12:33 pm
it doesn’t matter, because Beyoncé has a built in audience. She could label her music “Alternative Polka” and it’s gonna get downloaded 10 million times as long as it sounds remotely like a “Beyoncé’ song. She’s a poser and a fraud. A blonde wig and cowboy hat isn’t what makes someone a country artist, but her and fans are so vapid, stupid and consumed by image, they think it does. no glass ceilings are being smashed here. I do see a few graves being walked across tho.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:36 pm
Trig: I didn’t know what to expect with this post or where it might go. But then I got to the last paragraph and……..Bravo, my friend. Bra-vo.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:37 pm
The only thing that would be better right now is if MARIAH, put out a country single/EP/album.
And, a Seriously, serious, concert would be Mariah & Tanya Tucker dual headlining, and singing to the masses around the world. Dueting, bouncing off each other, pushing each other to their own limits.
Would pay serious bucks to go see those two together. Throw Pam Tillis in there, would be a hoot.
Mariah could knock all the “country” wannabes off their perch, with 1 country single
February 22, 2024 @ 12:42 pm
I’ve not heard the song on local terrestrial FM radio…. either country or pop stations. I scanned the lyrics via Google to curiously examine the songcraft in this song. Given that, has any music critic addressed the lyrics of “Texas Hold ‘Em” and is radio bleeping out the multiple curse words (‘b*tch’ and ‘sh*t’)? Just wondering…
February 23, 2024 @ 11:21 am
I love him, but this is one of the reasons Tyler Childers is not on the radio.
February 22, 2024 @ 12:48 pm
there’s going to be an artist that arrives and controls country, pop, hip-hop & r&b charts simultaneously – and long term. when he or she arrives critics and fans alike will agree on the undeniable authenticity in each space from that one person. the industry is getting ready for that person right now – or at least trying to. beyonce went number 1 on country, morgan went number 1 on hip hop – within 2 years of each other..
February 22, 2024 @ 12:57 pm
This is cultural appropriation.
February 22, 2024 @ 4:18 pm
It’s OK when they do it. I’m not worried about beyonce, she just follows the money. She will be all over some other thing soon.
February 23, 2024 @ 2:30 pm
Who is “they”
February 22, 2024 @ 12:58 pm
Trig I beg you don’t take cc polls seriously, these are the same people that downvote a song/artist if they’re by or are a woman
February 22, 2024 @ 2:06 pm
Definitely not trying to act like a Country Central poll on Instagram is Quinnipiac, but I do think the lopsided nature of the results speak to how country music fans are feeling about all of this. If it was 60/40 split, I think you could say that sentiments are mixed. At 84%, I think it speaks to how most country listeners are not on board with this.
In fact, I’m not really seeing anyone attempt to defend the song as being “country.” What you see, OVER AND OVER, is the same comment that goes something like “Well if Bro-Country is country, than this is too.” But that’s far from praise, and two wrongs don’t make a right. You also see folks saying, “Why does genre matter?” which isn’t really defending it as country either.
February 22, 2024 @ 2:59 pm
Don’t get me wrong I agree with all of your points just the cc reference threw me for a loop
February 22, 2024 @ 6:13 pm
“Well if Bro-Country is country, than this is too.” But that’s far from praise, and two wrongs don’t make a right.
Exactly right. I saw a quote from Twitter from one Rissi Palmer via the Houston Chronicle to the effect that if Morgan Wallen can use trap beats then this is OK. I’m just over here like, ”well, that’s just it, Morgan Wallen and his trap beats never should’ve been a thing in country music in the first place.”
https://twitter.com/RissiPalmer/status/1758247465772368295
February 22, 2024 @ 1:19 pm
If you can act pissy about country artists going pop for mainstream appeal like what was done about Kacey Musgraves or Morgan Wade then bitching about someone moving in reverse is just silly.
February 22, 2024 @ 1:53 pm
Not following the logic of this comment at all, and not really sure what you’re trying to say. I don’t think I’ve ever been “pissy” about anything Morgan Wade has done. Perhaps clarify and I will try to answer to it.
February 22, 2024 @ 2:17 pm
I can only speak for myself regarding Morgan Wade, but for me it was disappointment that she veered so hard into pop on the new album. Not disappointment in her, just my own because her second album did not connect with me as the first one did. I wish her the best of course though.
February 22, 2024 @ 1:54 pm
Trig, you need to calm down. Unless someone from outside country releases a country song/album chances of them getting any traction is zero especially when they are a black female. You need to accept the fact that “country” as a whole has failed people. Awards don’t mean anything at the end of the day it’s more of how people consume and receive your music. Say what you want about Zach Bryan but his single with Kacey has already gone double platinum and radio barely plays either act but you have someone like fancy like guy who can’t even sell out shows by himself. Old dominion can will the next vocal group award for the next 5 years and still most people can’t even name their songs or pick any of the band members from a lineup.
February 22, 2024 @ 2:16 pm
I’m truly not trying to be condescending, but there are some comments in this comments section that I cannot follow the logic of at all. They assign opinions or actions to me that are untrue, they draw conclusions that were not shared in this article, and in multiple cases, these opinions seem to be in the exact opposite direction than the ones I shared, and have shared here historically.
“You need to accept the fact that “country” as a whole has failed people.”
You know I run a website called SavingCountryMusic.com, right? You know your statement has been the basic premise of this website since 2008, and over 8,300 published articles, correct? Do you think I am somehow defending the country music industry or something here? I don’t understand at all.
“Say what you want about Zach Bryan but his single with Kacey has already gone double platinum and radio barely plays either act but you have someone like fancy like guy who can’t even sell out shows by himself.”
I made that very Zach Bryan point in this article. I made it in a dedicated article previously. I have referenced it in now two separate articles on this Beyonce situation. I’m not sure what’s going on here.
” Old dominion can will the next vocal group award for the next 5 years and still most people can’t even name their songs or pick any of the band members from a lineup.”
I have made this very point over and over on this website.
So what do I need to clam down about?
“Unless someone from outside country releases a country song/album chances of them getting any traction is zero especially when they are a black female.”
I don’t know if that’s true at all, except for probably a Black woman. But that’s why you need to reform the system. Getting Beyonce to #1 is just a performative, symbolic victory for that cause. That is what this entire article was about.
February 22, 2024 @ 2:32 pm
I think what is strange about all this is the idea that it’s important for a person with x demographics to top the charts. Do I care if white artists chart in hip hop or rnb? Not really. If they organically succeed in that world, that’s kind of interesting I guess, but it’s not important. Similarly, if a black artist organically working in country music makes good country music hopefully it charts and does well, but if not, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything besides maybe there aren’t that many black artists working in the genre to begin with, so the odds of success are just lower. The problem is Beyonce isn’t from the genre, they aren’t really country songs (blues and gospel with all the call and response vocals and pop vocals style, yes, all day long) and it’s not a country listener base propping them up. I’m pretty sure it’s mostly Beyonce fans listening to this as a Beyonce event, so is it really correct to say it’s topping the country charts? Very similar to that child trafficking movie that was only doing well because the conspiracy theory maga crowd were watching it over and over, not because it was winning general audiences.
February 22, 2024 @ 6:56 pm
“Organically succed”…..yup, for sure…with a toxic stan powered 800 million dollar powered PR machine pronouncing their greatness of artistry and the ultimate SJW reinvention of country music (while trampling “EVERYONE” in in their way and denouncing “ANYONE” who has a differing point of view…..yup real organic
February 23, 2024 @ 8:52 am
In the 70s and 80s, Black radio regularly played Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, Boz Scaggs and other white artists that did R&B/jazz inspired music from the rock world. In those pre-MTV days, many of those listeners would go to the record store or a concert and be shocked that they were White, but bought the albums anyway because they knew these artists were approaching Black music with respect, but most importantly, with CHOPS and TALENT.
February 23, 2024 @ 12:23 pm
Those are some excellent examples. Beastie Boys are another, although with hip-hop, rather than R&B. If I believed for a minute that Beyonce had as much familiarity with country music as Steely Dan had with jazz and R&B, she’d be more qualified to be on country radio than anyone else on there these days, with the possible exception of Chris Stapleton. I do believe that the Byrds had that familiarity. I believe Bob Dylan and Don Henley do as well. As did Elvis, Leon Russell and Ray Charles.
Beyonce simply doesn’t and we know this because Destiny’s Child released their debut album in 1998 and in the 26 years between then and now she hasn’t deemed country to be worth even a filler track on one of her albums. Anyone who followed the first 26 years of Willie Nelson’s career were well aware that he loved traditional pop standards and Django Reinhardt, even if it wasn’t the music he was best known for. Al Green was covering Kris, Willie and Hank at the height of his career. If he announced a country album tomorrow, I’d be all for it.
February 22, 2024 @ 2:45 pm
This isn’t a knock on Beyonce but this can’t be good for the black artits and women who will be in country music before and after beyonce
February 22, 2024 @ 2:51 pm
It’s a lot of different debates happening all at once in the chat. I can see the fear of other lesser known artist being overshadowed in the overall structure of country music radio and the big machine but hasn’t that always been the case going back several decades? I don’t fully understand how “poser” and “fraud” can be tagged to an artist whom at this point (correct me if I’m wrong ) hasn’t personally called this record a country album nor called herself a country artist. I fully get the anger of underground artist being overshadowed due to this album rollout but I can’t see how anger can be placed on a artist expanding on their sound whether it’s for a song or an whole album cycle . Like it or not unless she recorded this album under a different name Chris Gaines style this was going to be a big deal . I initially read Triggers article as a negative dig on the artist but I understand now the fear of other marginalized groups and artist being left behind due this achievement. I agree Trigger hopefully this doesn’t slow down the support of lesser known artist but I’m not going to fault an artist for trying to branch out of their comfort zone musically .
February 22, 2024 @ 2:54 pm
Haven’t fully read the article yet but TikTok and Instagram pushed the song to 1#. All these people online use the music of that song with their stupid little videos and treat it as country and it’s gonna be hard to block the song from country now considering who the genre already accepts (Zach Bryan, Jelly Roll, Laney Wilson, Sam Hunt, Parmalee..basically all modern country on the radio.)
February 22, 2024 @ 3:43 pm
Alan Jacksons “Gone Country” repeats itself every few years with pop/rock artists who’s star is fading and looks to country for one last gasp of air.
-Kid Rock
-Uncle Kracker
-Darius Rucker (to his credit his first country album wasn’t terrible)
-Jelly Roll
-Sheryl Crow
Seems to never end. On the flip side you can tell the artists who really care about their music and legacy. They respect country for what it’s been, it’s history, and truly want to make a “country” album.
-Don Henley’s country album
-Dan Seals
-Conway Twitty (you can’t say most of his hits aren’t traditional country even if a lot are borderline creeper)
February 22, 2024 @ 3:58 pm
That Don Henley album was great.
February 22, 2024 @ 5:14 pm
There is probably more good pop/rock to country conversions but I was drawing a blank lol. I remember the review on this site about Henley’s album saying the Hag almost walked out of the studio. They kept re-recording the vocals because Don wanted it perfect.
February 22, 2024 @ 6:01 pm
It really was. Henley set the standard for how country music should be approached when people who have made their name in other genres want to do it.
Of course, it was helped a lot by the fact that he was actually a fan of country going all the way back to his days in East Texas.
February 23, 2024 @ 8:55 am
I mean, Don Henley arguably had as much if not more influence on 90s country than Hank Williams did.
February 23, 2024 @ 3:58 pm
100%. I would add 80’s, 90’s, and 2000’s country. I lost track of the country songs that tried to loosely copy Boys of Summer from his solo career. The Eagles’ influence on country was massive.
February 24, 2024 @ 8:22 am
Not wrong, but the fun part of that is that he was rather dismayed by that. He said this to the LA Times in 2002:
”It’s a constant source of irritation to me that great country artists like Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash and George Jones don’t get airplay on a great many country stations today…What they call ’young country,’ unfortunately, is an offshoot of what we used to do. It’s our fault. I’m so sorry. I apologize to the entire universe.”
February 22, 2024 @ 3:48 pm
The biggest thing to me is how they spammed the song to multiple charts including “gospel” which …wtf
February 22, 2024 @ 3:57 pm
Country artists have recorded songs that could be considered rock and certainly smooth or adult rock, but they never made it on the rock charts. Van Halen recorded a song that was emulating country, in the 90’s ‘Finish What Ya Started’ – it didnt chart on country radio. Jazz and Blues stations and charts aren’t held at social justice gunpoint to play songs that don’t fit into their genres. Beyonce knows her new songs aren’t “Country” and it’s why she had to show that she got a bikini wax in the promo photo. The same promo photo that nearly everyone crops. She is a product and not a true artist.
February 24, 2024 @ 12:08 am
“Finish What You Started?” Lol. Van Halen emulated country? What are you smoking, dude? That song was about as country as these Beyonce tracks. ????
February 22, 2024 @ 4:14 pm
It’s absolutely gospel, sixteen carriages is anyway. The call and response and way the lines repeat. Beyonce’s vox. The way the organ builds, the church choir backing vox, the presence of Kirk Franklin. It just sounds like gospel.
February 22, 2024 @ 4:28 pm
This seems to be more about ever changing Billboard chart rules than about country music.
Next, Kanye West will pose in a cowboy hat for his next single and that will go to #1 on the Billboard country chart.
February 23, 2024 @ 8:57 am
Kanye West’s and Jason Aldean’s fanbases cross over far more than Beyonce and Kanye these days.
February 22, 2024 @ 4:57 pm
I know it doesn’t drive traffic, but Emily Nenni has new single out and new album out in May. The Beyonce discussion is much ado about nothing. Just my thoughts.
February 22, 2024 @ 5:07 pm
These articles don’t drive traffic, they drive comments. They also broach critically important topics to country music. If I was into driving traffic, I wouldn’t be writing 30-paragraph articles about anything.
February 22, 2024 @ 8:58 pm
Fair enough. I am just one of those people who looks forward to your articles and reviews of country artists who could use some publicity.
March 3, 2024 @ 4:44 pm
Thanks so much for this recommendation of Emily Nenni. I am listening to her on youtube and am enjoying her so much.
February 22, 2024 @ 5:10 pm
Good point Josh. Most if not all artist don’t have the good fortune of a multi-million dollar machine promoting their song(s). They also don’t have access to a very high tech production studio. Texas Hold Em for me doesn’t add anything special to the genre of country music. Sounds more like a Texas hoedown square dance song to me. The beat and tempo of the song are kind of generic for county dancing music. The lyrics seem more contrived than inspired . Now, the sidelining of black county music artist is well know , well maybe. Black artist were mentors to some of the greats like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. Black artist are finally been given the spotlight that was dark for decades. It’s been a long long road for them. Frame for white artist has also not come easy. So Bee, just remember that a cowboy hat is more than a fashion statement. It’s functional. It was designed too keep the sun out of ones eye so one could see. It prevents the top of one head from getting sun burnt and dusty. And the biggest, it kept ones head cool. Bee needs to put on her functional cowboy hat. ” Bringing ” country music back is hard work. It’s not a fashion statement.
February 22, 2024 @ 10:23 pm
A entire one houre segment on NPR was devoted to Beyonce’s last album..Call ins, critics, all praising and foaming about its magnificent splendor..Thats how powerful she is..The universal super star status ( Beatles, Michael Jackson, Elton John.) Comes with unavoidable pressure on anything struggling for attention in the same arena..We all know of area artist ” that should be at the top” It all falls into the pile that’s composed of talent, luck, big breaks, money for promotion, hard work and abstract elements..She’s a dance artist first and foremost as the world sees her..disposable pop music for partying..with a army of managers and promotion people sweating at keeping her at the top..art and commence rarely meet for long..This too will pass and the legons of great struggling artist will continue their grinding fight against the odds..same as it ever was.
February 22, 2024 @ 6:35 pm
All manufactured fake, big money, hot garbage. Neither Bey nor her husband have the slightest knowledge or care to know about actual Country Music. You really imagine either of them could name 5 songs by Don Williams, Merle Haggard, Larry Gatlin, Ernest Tubb, Dottie West, Patsy Cline, Patty Loveless, Tammy Wynette, Travis Tritt, Wynn Stewart or for that matter Bob Wills? Seriously? You think either of them blindfolded would be able to distinguish the production differences between say a Billy Sherrill produced record, compared to one produced by Tony Brown or Dave Cobb, Jimmy Bowen, or Lloyd Maines? Would they even have the basic understanding of how the Outlaw movement evolved in Austin, and perhaps name 5 of the original artists in that movement? How many Bakersfield artists could they name without Googling it? Could they distinguish Diamond Rio from Sawyer Brown, from Shenandoah in a blind listening test? Can they even name 5 of Charley Freakin Prides number one hits? Can either of them tell us how many dollars Hank Jrs New York buddy lost his life over in A Country Boy Can Survive? Could they name 10 influential Hank Williams songs? Or 5 of the greats by The Carter Family? Or the difference between claw-hammer and Scruggs-roll style banjo playing? What do you think? No on all counts. They are not from the country music culture, and simply put, its not in their wheelhouse. Beyonce is a near billionaire interloper looking to bag some more music hardware trophies for her “Legacy”. Jay-Z only see’s dollar signs. And she has an insanely vile fan-base of worshipping sycophants who have made their girl their religion. Her handlers have figured out how to game a totally weak and corrupt system to artificially place a song in Number 1 status that by far, most actual Country Music fans reject. And meanwhile Chapel Hart can’t buy a spot on the charts if their life depended on it. Same can be said about Tony Jackson, he gets encores on The Opry but will likely never see a chart without a telescope for cryin out loud. Folks, this isn’t about “the song” at all. its about forcibly using massive influence to game a corrupt system. Why the commenters here can’t see that is puzzling, its plain as day whats happened here. Scorched Earth Rant over and out.
February 22, 2024 @ 7:21 pm
Based on this music test you posted one could make a strong argument that the top selling country artist today would likely fail it too. We could agree that a bulk of artist listen to music outside of their genre so its not a huge stretch to think just maybe a woman from Texas has listened to country music before. Popular artist are often polarizing figures so I get it’s a hot button issue but I’m not sure it meets the level of conspiracies that you’re speaking of. Beyoncé ,Post Malone and recently Lana Del Rey will all be releasing country inspired records in the near future. I don’t think these records will impact the readers of this site all that much. Perhaps some will hit play and some won’t. You mentioned all legends of the genre but you weren’t born with this knowledge. Someone put you on to it or you sought it out yourself. Ignorance to me is to be firmly dismissive of the past. At this point in time I’m not sure we can jump to that conclusion when it comes to this artist connection to the genre because at this point outside of two songs we don’t know a damn thing about it.
February 22, 2024 @ 7:46 pm
I agree 100% with your sentiment. Everyone should be allowed to make a country record if it’s a good faith attempt. That does not seem to be the case with Beyonce. (although modern country ain’t country now. It’s just a convoluted re-hash of 2010 era rock music. Similar to how Contemporary Christian music in the 2000’s tried to copy secular rock music but was 10 years behind and also bad at doing so)
February 22, 2024 @ 7:55 pm
“Folks, this isn’t about “the song” at all. its about forcibly using massive influence to game a corrupt system. Why the commenters here can’t see that is puzzling, its plain as day whats happened here.”
Oh, we see it, & are smiling our behinds off.
This is putting all the Carly Pearce type “talent” on Pure notice.
Beyonce is totally stripping off the veneer of what has been passing for “talent” in country music.
Miss TAMMI SAVOY – Bring It, Sister!
YOU are what we have been waiting for in female talent.
THANKFUL for Dale Watson’s, Ameripolitan Awards, for Ms. Savoy, alone.
Kimmi Bitters gets an honorable mention, from Trig’s most recent article.
February 23, 2024 @ 11:51 am
I’m going to try this test. I don’t think I can get an A but I think I can pass.
5 songs by one of these artists? I’ll go Patty.
Here I am, I try to think about Elvis, How I can I help you say goodbye, You’ll never leave Harlan alive, I know you’re married (but I love you still).
I can do Dave Cobb.
Uhhh. Outlaw Movement. About getting away from Corporate control and having more creative autonomy.
Kris K, Willie, Guy Clark, Townes, and I think Cash was affiliated. (I know Kris, Willie, Townes and Guy are all from TX).
Omg, I stink at knowing about the Bakersfield sound.
Dwight Yokum, Merle Haggard
“Could they distinguish Diamond Rio from Sawyer Brown, from Shenandoah in a blind listening test?”
Ummmmm… no.
However, I do love “Some Girls Do” -Sawyer Brown, and Diamond Rio ” One Day more”.
Charley pride- no, but in my own defense I don’t think I had been born yet.
HWJr $ Dunno. When I hear it later I’ll be mad at myself though for forgetting. $5?
10 Hank songs.
There’s a Tear in my beer, Hey Good looking, Rambling man,
Crap, I forget. Dangit! I even used to have his greatest hits CD. I know, fail.
5 Carter Family- Will the Circle be unbroken, some others I forget.
Clawhammer vs. Earl Scruggs style. I don’t play so hard to describe, but I do know Molly Tuttle plays with a Clawhammer style on a regular guitar. Do I get bonus points?
To make up for some of my responses I’ll add Patsy as another artist.
Walking After Midnight, Sweet Dreams, Crazy, Back in Baby’s Arms, She’s Got You.
I would give myself either a C- or a D+, either way I pass.
February 23, 2024 @ 12:38 pm
Orgirl,
Good stuff! You know a thing or three about Country Music. Makes you good in my book. Bravo! Actually, I’d say you know quite a bit. This was all in fun.
Of course my ” quiz ” is just to illustrate the kind of stuff passionate country fans tend to know. And my bigger point is if you are attempting to gate crash an entire music genre, you haven’t been part of, haha…ugh contribute meaningfully to that is…it’s always helpful to bring some knowledge of the genre and its history, key players and so on. It gives you depth and a well you can draw from. Ray Charles did exactly that when he put out Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music vols 1&2. Ray was well acquainted with the music as he was a big fan of it. He chose covers of folks he deeply admired and respected. I guess you could say he came to this not looking to burn everything down and reinvent, but rather to pay homage to a glorious American art form. Along the way he be- friended folks like Willie Nelson, Hank Jr and many others. That’s the right way to do it.
Im not getting the same vibes from the nearly billionaire pop star, here. It’s looking like an attempt to hijack it entirely. Be that as it may, those of us who really love the music will keep on keeping on. We know how to find the gold.
February 22, 2024 @ 7:22 pm
Not heard the song, not planning on listening to it, nor do I know any of Beyonce’s music. Gave up on most Top 40 Country years ago.
February 22, 2024 @ 7:39 pm
.”….For now, Beyoncé is just another global superstar superseeding artists who’ve been working for years for this recognition….”
Let alone the artists that are overshadowed, how many are going to even want to bother trying to enter this corrupt industry so susceptible to the whims of the “privileged”….oops there’s that word….
February 22, 2024 @ 7:56 pm
When I was in high school people called me racist for saying lil nas x wasn’t country. I started replying with good. Shut them all up real fast lol.
February 22, 2024 @ 9:20 pm
I don’t care what they call it, who sings it, who did it first, or what color they are, I like what I like, and don’t like what I don’t like.
If I don’t like the music, I don’t listen to the music. Simple.
And I don’t like Beyonce’s music, be it country, pop, or otherwise.
Next.
February 23, 2024 @ 8:13 am
Let’s just call this Beyonce crap for what it is … “graffiti on the walls of the heartland.” Or as my daddy used to say, “Never trust an angry woman with a can of spray paint.”
February 22, 2024 @ 9:21 pm
I suppose my ultimate question is do the chart even still matter. Spotify has it’s own charts that some people value more? Do the charts have any sway with anyone other than Stan armies at this point.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:09 pm
If, I dunno, let’s say Luke Bryan, released a rap song, despite not coming up through the ranks of being “native” to country, would his song be any less of a rap song?
February 23, 2024 @ 7:25 pm
This isn’t about music. This about how the use of brute force, hegemony and coercision.
February 22, 2024 @ 11:41 pm
An interesting byproduct of all of this, people who previously never listened to country music are now presenting themselves to me as experts on country music.
February 23, 2024 @ 12:23 am
I think Trig has almost perfectly navigated this subject with nuance and respect without backing down a bit from his views. As for Bey, we knew this was the trajectory as soon as we saw the video. She will be a part of mainstream country until she decides to abandon. I doubt she will quietly switch back to pop without taking a wrecking ball to the format on her way out.
February 23, 2024 @ 5:29 am
…country music should have been stopped and frozen for good the minute after hank’s death. the average wide tent of the majority of country music fans – according to “country central” survey numbers – seems to be no larger than a thread. how enchanting.
February 23, 2024 @ 8:23 am
Yeah, if you think that “Country Central” appeals to Hank Williams fans, you have no clue what you’re talking about.
This, “Country music must always sound like Hank Williams” argument is the same as “country says the banjo is a white instrument” argument. Nobody has ever said that in the history of ever. It’s a straw man based off of wild-eyed assumptions with no basis in reality. The people who follow Country Central are hyper obsessed with Zach Bryan and Megan Moroney.
February 24, 2024 @ 8:37 am
…being “hyper obsessed” with zach bryan and megan moroney is absolutely no disqualification whatsoever in my book.
i also think that the hank example – even though arguably sounding a little worn out – ain’t such a bad one at all. just look at “jambalaya” – hank went there deeply into cajun territory, a sound that is largly based on french musical origins and structures, which only really fits into “country music” because of its rural roots. the cajun instrument of choice is the harmonica, which isn’t really common in american old time music. he basically did, what beyoncé does today. so, why not just seeing beyoncé’s foray into country music as a form of paying respect to beautiful art genre by a great artist? from such a perspective, it would all of a sudden somewhat matter, to reach the no. 1 spot of the respective charts, wouldn’t it?
whatever her motif, it’s already one of the big topics in this year’s country almanach and it’s by far not the worst entry i can think of.
February 24, 2024 @ 9:54 am
Yeah, I’m not going to sign up to saying Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” is synonymous with Hank Williams and “Jambalaya.”
“whatever her motif, it’s already one of the big topics in this year’s country almanach and it’s by far not the worst entry i can think of.”
What is a worse song that has been released to country in 2024?
February 24, 2024 @ 12:49 pm
…you are not seriously asking this last question in a world, where tyler hubbard still releases new songs – “wish you would”, perhaps?
by the way, great coverage of the ameripolitan awards.
February 23, 2024 @ 6:08 am
I’ve read a couple of articles about this now, and upon reflection… I still don’t care. It doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. Just let it blow over. The Billboard charts, all these mainstream awards shows… I wouldn’t put all your chips there if you want to “save country music.”
Your coverage of Ameripolitan was a better use of your time and energy in my opinion. And I know people are critical of Americana, but the AMA charts from what I gather are based on surveys of independent radio stations. So there’s hope there. Their charts actually have integrity. The Billboard Charts? Good luck. You’re going to drive yourself crazy trying to infiltrate these corporate owned structures. Yes, Luke Combs is okay. That’s probably about as good as you’re going to get.
February 23, 2024 @ 10:32 am
Wilson Pick It,
Whenever these types of topics come up, I always see these comments. I understand that to some, broaching these topics does not appeal to them. But it doesn’t matter. These articles are written to contribute to the greater dialogue happening around extremely important topics that directly effect the outcomes and direction of country music at large. To pretend that issues will just “blown over,” or that if we ignore them, they won’t ultimately affect our little corner of the music world is to be hubristic, and irresponsible. I did not start Saving Country Music as a music recommendation site. I started Saving Country music to save country music. And when you have the majority of American media engaging in spreading misinformation about this genre, I would appreciate the latitude to raise my little hand, and offer my eepish and mostly ignored counter-argument, without my own readers whining about it.
I can chew gum, pat my head, and rub my belly all at the same time. I was deeply embedded in Ameripolitan all last week, still posted album reviews, an obituary for Dex Romweber, and a historical piece about Hank Jr. appearing on The Simpsons.
As this Beyonce situation continues to unfold, I will continue to cover it. But I will also not be a hypocrite, and allow it to suck up attention from the independent artists I have sworn to serve. I’ll just work harder and cover both. Because that’s what I always do.
Thanks for your understanding.
February 23, 2024 @ 12:26 pm
Cool. I don’t mean to tell you how to run your show. But the mainstream is just so out of touch that I really do question whether it’s even relevant what Billboard does or does do with its country charts. Or what country radio plays. I don’t have to list the generational talent that they totally ignored. It’s just a dinosaur. For example. You mentioned in a previous article that Chapel Hart doesn’t have a record deal yet. I mean, they should get on 30 Tigers or whatever and just leave all that behind. Beyoncé did some pop country, okay, just slot that in the playlist next to the Applebees guy and who the hell cares anymore. I don’t know, just kind of seems like you’re giving them what they want. We’re all talking about Beyoncé. But I’ll keep off the comments in future articles on this topic
February 23, 2024 @ 7:14 am
I don’t really care, I quite enjoy Texas Hold ‘EM, and don’t care whether people consider it to be “country” or not. I just find it a WHOLE lot better than a lot of what is on country radio right now.
February 23, 2024 @ 8:07 am
Beyoncé is as fake as her hair. The timing of this jump to country seems disingenuous.
The Beyhive are not going to start streaming Rhiannon Giddens, they only care about their fave charting, reaching “milestones” and awards. Yaas queen slay the cowboy boots house down.
February 23, 2024 @ 10:19 am
That was a lot of typing for something that doesn’t matter…
I didn’t read the whole thing, because here’s my take on Beyonce’s foray into ‘country’… I don’t care. I don’t look to Beyonce for country music any more than I look to Dolly for rock music.
If other people like it, fine. I won’t listen to it, won’t buy it, won’t give it any more attention than I already have.
Now, to read up on Corb Lund’s new album – that does matter to me…
February 23, 2024 @ 10:43 am
I remember when country music was saved a few months ago. That was a great time for those of us that truly love the genre. You did great work Trigger. I have said on here many times that country music fans are the worst music fans in the world. Why, because the consistently allow others into the space. Those of us that were in our prime bar hopping years in the 90’s know that country bars played two stepping for a bit then would turn down the lights and blast R&B in country bars across the US. Country has been killing itself since I became a fan. Terrible, absolutely terrible fans who always contribute to its destruction. No apologies here, it’s just the truth.
February 23, 2024 @ 12:30 pm
This.
“Still, there is nothing organic about the appeal and support for “Texas Hold ‘Em” in country. Saving Country Music was accosted by Beyhive trolls simply for not reporting her country #1 revealed earlier this week in a timely manner. This same kind of coercive-based compliance regime is being enacted across country music, with Program Directors at radio, chart managers, and everyone else being forced to accept the song as country to avoid being called out and ridiculed publicly like 100.1 KYKC was.”
February 23, 2024 @ 12:30 pm
Marxism will hollow out your favorite historical American musical institution and wear it as a skin-suit.
February 24, 2024 @ 5:45 am
Marxism destroys because it cannot create. It’s a death cult.
February 23, 2024 @ 1:17 pm
Portions of this article are borderline unhinged. What on earth are you banging on about?
February 23, 2024 @ 2:22 pm
Well,as long as the moronic “Body Like A Backroad” was dethroned from its Number One spot on the Country charts for about seven months,I don’t care if a three-toed sloth did it. (Before “Body Like A Backroad,” the Number One selling Country hit was Leroy Van Dyke’s ” Just Walk On By.” Wonder what the now-94-year-old Leroy thought of such trash displacing his classic as Country’s biggest-ever hit?)
Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” won’t satisfy the purists as authentic Country.Some may opine that being a gorgeous black woman aided her run to the top.Of course it did (this is Country music;why do you think the talented Chapel Hart lacks a record deal ?),but I believe if she wants to remain in Country,she’s certainly talented enough to make an unmistakably Country hit,likely another Chart topper.
February 23, 2024 @ 2:46 pm
This chaos is causing me unnecessary stress, so much I don’t even turn on the radio at the moment. I am a black fan of country music. I love all types of music. I love Jon Pardi, Dirks Bentley, Kenny Chesney and numerous others, especially Miranda Lambert. I do not like Beyonce. I loved Destiny’s Child and Kelly Rowland. Beyonce’s new songs are not country. I am one of those people who want my country to sound country. I will turn stations if I want to hear something else. I am so glad to read this article and see that I am not alone in my thinking, but I will keep the radio off a bit longer. This is a selfish hostile takeover, and as you said it steps on the black artists already in the genre.
February 23, 2024 @ 3:28 pm
Listen to Dixiebrownmusic.com. I like her country. She’s been around country music all of her life.
February 23, 2024 @ 3:22 pm
— We’ve been seeing a similar complaint about “Hot Country Songs” for like a decade, and it continues to be way off the mark.
A country song that is generating significant cross-genre radio play/streams/sales is “hotter” than one that’s only generating buzz on country radio. “Body Like A Backroad” was “hotter” than anything else on the country radio charts at that moment, because it was not only performing well in country circles but also attracting interest elsewhere.
If you don’t actually think the Beyonce song is country, that’s a fair point, but if you accept that it’s country enough to be on the chart … then the fact that it’s generating a ton of interest outside of country should not be held against a measure of its “hotness.” Because it actually means the song is super “hot.”
Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, and Zach Bryan are obviously bigger stars with hotter songs than Nate Smith, but if you just look at country radio or streaming playlist metrics, you wouldn’t necessarily know that. What makes them hotter is their appeal outside the traditional country construct. That’s why this chart is actually super valuable.
It’s about measuring the most resonant country song, not about measuring the most resonant song on country radio.
— Citing some ridiculous Internet poll about whether the song is “country” seems very beneath your level of analysis. For starters, the question it asks doesn’t even have to do with the discussion here. Of course Beyonce isn’t a country artist just like John Mayer wasn’t, but that doesn’t mean a case couldn’t be made that her songs — just like his In The Blood when it was promoted to country radio — belong in a country conversation. Then you also have the obvious bias in the framing of the question, and it’s just a silly stat.
Oh, and let’s not forget that country fans absolutely view Dan + Shay, FGL, Thomas Rhett, etc as country.
— Also, are you talking about a different country radio station here? Because I’m quite sure that the controversy did not start because the station said anything about the song not being serviced or metadata or whatever, but instead simply said something like “we’re a country station so of course we’re not going to play Beyonce” which absolutely is an ignorant and irresponsible take. The kind of thing that should absolutely get a station in hot water, not even because of the racist implications but because it reflects a lazy approach to music discovery.
Plus, didn’t they immediately play it in response to the backlash?
February 23, 2024 @ 3:52 pm
Genre charts are meant to reflect the consumption habits of the people who represent that genre. The Hot 100 represents all of music, and the consupmtion habits of people across all genres. According to the Billboard chart data, more pop radio stations and pop consumers are consuming the Beyonce song than country ones are. I’m not saying that makes the song pop. I am saying this is where the majority of the consumption and radio play is coming from. This is an important data point to recognize, especially since the upshot of this article is that Beyonce’s #1 in country is not due to country fan consumption.
Laugh off the poll all you want and I agree that it’s anecdotal, but if you don’t think this is all being driven by the Beyhive and pop/hip-hop fans as opposed to actual country fans, you’re not paying attention.
People keep bringing up Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line. Florida Georgia Line went under. The band died. It’s not 2018 anymore. That said, my guess is most Florida Georgia Line fans would not consider the Beyonce songs country. The only people who seem to be justifying the songs as country are independent and traditionalist fans who keep citing Florida Georgia Line songs as a comparable. But again, Florida Georgia Line no longer exists, and it’s not 2018. It’s 2024, and country music has taken a dramatic turn to more country-sounding songs, and more songs of substance in the writing.
The Oklahoma radio station subsequently explained, and accurately, that “Texas Hold ‘Em” was not serviced to country radio. We know it wasn’t serviced to the format until February 20th. They also pointed out that the song’s metadata was marked “pop,” which was true.
I’m not here to defend the email some underling at a rural country radio station sent out that subsequently went viral, compelling them to add a song they hadn’t even been serviced yet. All I’m saying is “Texas Hold ‘Em” is not at #1 in country due to the actions of country fans or country radio. It’s due to pop radio and pop fans.
February 24, 2024 @ 1:05 am
Trig; right on point.
However, this should not have been a surprise;
since you have been kind of predicting this for a while…
Previous events and isses:
-Clueless record companies
– Outsized social media “influence”
-The machinations behind Kane Brown’s debut
-The Old Town Road Mess.
Add to that, SJW media with no awareness of country.
The broken guard rails set the stage for this sanctimonious, billionaire brute force attack with money and bullying.
Like you said, this wasn’t caused by country fans or country radio. But it will be up to us to support our artists outside the now redundant media, record companies and awards shows.
February 24, 2024 @ 8:41 am
You’re still missing the mark on this Hot chart thing. The difference between the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs is about the types of songs that are included (songs from all genres vs only country songs) not necessarily who’s consuming it. You logically wouldn’t want to exclude mainstream consumption, because if a country song is so broadly appealing that it’s getting hardcore pop or rap fans to listen, that’s a testament to its “heat” and commercial resonance.
I mean look at Hot Rock Songs – the chart is basically dominated by Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan offerings. Frankly, it’s very open to debate about whether either of those artists (let alone their big singles) is “rock.” But more relevant here, their fans are certainly not the same people listening to Metallica or even Foo Fighters. Their success is being driven in large part by Gen Z and Millennial women whose tastes you’d generally classify as pop or mainstream, and in the case of Zach Bryan, also plenty of country fans.
Now, even if you showed me proof that the Hot genre charts were intended to only measure consumption habits among fans of that genre … how would you even measure that? You can exclude non-genre airplay, but even that’s questionable methodologically, because what if you’re a country fan in the south who still listens to pop radio because you’ll still get your share of Morgan Wallen or Luke Combs while also keeping up on other mainstream tunes? Or a pop fan in the north who knows that country radio is only place you could hear Luke Combs or that legacy Taylor Swift track you like?
But, fine, adjust based on radio. That doesn’t achieve much in today’s era, because there’s absolutely no basis for determining whether a stream or sale was done by a “country fan” or “pop fan.” And even if you could drill down into profile data for each user (something Billboard is certainly not doing for these charts), many people listen to multiple genres of music.
I like plenty of the little-known country artists that you’ve hyped here, but I also like pop music and Taylor Swift. So when I stream one of her country-er recent offerings, something like Betty or her version of Better Man, how do you know whether it’s me listening as a country fan … or as a Taylor Swift fan?
Now, there is definitely merit to (what I think is) your core case that Beyonce’s country #1 isn’t necessarily a game changing moment, since her fans aren’t necessarily going to stick around to help support other Black women country artists. But where the argument weakens is even subtly questioning the legitimacy of the #1 on the basis of that “stan push.” Save for some very light restrictions around mass purchasing and obviously manipulated user streaming playlists, consumption-based Billboard charts don’t delineate between “casual interest” and “stan interest.” Some fans/chart watchers try to make the case that a song propelled by streaming is more “organic” than a song propelled by sales, but that opens up a whole can of worms about the impact of curated streaming playlists and mass streaming, not to mention a debate about whether a song that makes for good background listening on Spotify Today’s Top Hits is actually connecting better than a song that can generate 250K paid downloads in 2024. Especially when that streaming hitmaker can’t fill up theaters, but the sales-driven artist can book stadiums. Plus, every major artist is getting a boost from “stans” (you think every Morgan Wallen buyer/streamer is a 100% objective country fan with no unique personal investment in him?) – that’s the business.
Not going to dwell too much more on the poll, but I do just want to bring up a point about familiarity bias that often exists within genre fans. We’ve seen this a lot with radio callouts. These aren’t published publicly anymore, but when they were, one trend a lot of people (even some old commenters here) noticed is that your basic “bro” or “boyfriend” country songs from your Chases and Jakes and Dylans largely tested well, while “truer country” songs … and especially songs by women artists … were at the bottom.
I’d imagine that landscape has changed slightly, especially as country becomes less radio-driven, but it still shows you that polls like this often get you “what is” answers rather than “what should be” answers.
Also – we have legitimate reason to call out the credibility of Internet country fans … the complaints over Lainey Wilson winning the Album Grammy, with at least one viral tweet directly pointing out that “Heart Like A Truck” has truck in the title, therefore making her an FGL-esque fake country artist.
February 24, 2024 @ 9:52 am
The literature on the significance of Billboard’s 2012 decision to measure pop consumption on genre specific charts is well documented across music media, and was covered extensively here at that time and subsequently since. Similar to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Billboar’s 2012 decisions are given direct credit for creating seismic shifts within the music industry by incentivizing performers to record cross-genre and more pop-oriented songs to gain traction through Billboard’s metrics.
We can go back and forth about the viability of the argument against Billboard’s chart rules. Regardless, the underlying point is that it was pop/hip-hop listeners, pop/hip-hop spins, and pop/hip-hop consumption that led to Beyonce scoring a #1 on a country chart, NOT the consumption of country fans. This is the argument made by the article, and frankly, it’s inarguable. Evoking Billboard’s chart rules was simply a way to explain why this happened. And Saving Country Music is not alone in this. As others have pointed out, Slate came to this same conclusion:
https://slate.com/culture/2024/02/beyonce-texas-hold-em-country-song-billboard-hot-100.html
I have also seen similar sentiments shared by Rhiannon Giddens, Jada E. Watson, Amanda Marie Martinez, and other journalists/activists/academics that I have often disagreed with who are going out of their way to say how Beyonce’s #1 only matters if it actually opens a door for country music’s native Black creators.
That is what this article is about. You can think Billboard’s chart rules are fine, and we can agree to disagree. The underlying point stands: until country music is able to support a homegrown Black woman to the top of the charts, this Beyonce #1 is mostly symbolic.
February 23, 2024 @ 4:25 pm
Sorry, but “Texas Hold ‘Em” is not a country song at all and not a number one song on the country music chart in February 2024 (Times). Texas music influences of Bob Wills, Hank Thompson, Tex Ritter, Jim Reeves, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristopherson, George Jones and George Strait have all make their marks on country music promoting traditional country music the best way they know how— placing traditional values, family, patriotism, religion, “storytelling” and “entertainment” at center pieces of their careers. May their legacies never get substituted by Artificial Intelligent (A.I.), Amen
February 26, 2024 @ 8:05 am
This is silly gatekeeping, nothing more. Country music is not defined by the “traditional values” you embrace – of course, plenty of artists espouse them, but plenty don’t either. Genre is fluid, and bickering over what is “real” country is like fighting to keep archaic words in the vernacular. Beyonce is helping evolve the genre, just like the many artists this site typically celebrates.
February 26, 2024 @ 10:49 pm
Again, this isnt about the the music. Nor about the fluidity of the genre either.
It is about the entitled and offensive arrogance of a “megastar” pronouncing their greatness of artistry and the ultimate SJW reinvention of country music (while trampling “EVERYONE” in in their way and thteatening “ANYONE” who has a differing point of view….let alone the stan army flooding the radio stations, Spotify and the like for this flash in the pan
You don’t win people over with “privilege”….
March 28, 2024 @ 9:51 am
I don’t know where you perceive Beyonce to be “entitled” and “arrogant” or attempting to trample everyone. You may feel threatened for reasons I don’t quite get, but that’s something else entirely.
February 24, 2024 @ 8:19 am
As a white guy, watching some of y’all fight not to use the N word in the comment section is hilarious! ????????
February 25, 2024 @ 8:33 am
Don’t be a bitch take it down to the floor
Pour some sugar and liquor on me
Profound.
February 27, 2024 @ 11:05 am
And they complained about Def Leopard back in the day? Sheesh …
February 25, 2024 @ 9:39 am
Just here to add a comment/click, since that’s what these Beyoncé articles are posted for.
February 25, 2024 @ 9:56 am
If you clicked and commented on this article instead of newer articles about Kimmi Bitter, Corb Lund, Old Crow Crow Medicine Show, and a playlist update highlighting songs from independent artists, that was YOUR decision, not mine.
As I have said many, many times. COMMENTS DO NOT EQUATE TO TRAFFIC. These Beyonce articles are not getting any more traffic than any other articles. The biggest article over the last couple of weeks was an obituary for Dex Romweber. Why? Because most of the other media ignored it. Why don’t these Beyonce articles get much traffic? Because everyone in the media is obsessed over it.
It would be irresponsible for a website named “Saving Country Music” to sit back and let country music get grossly mischaracterized in the press without even attempting to offer some counterpoints. What do you think this website is all about? If you don’t want to read it , DON’T READ IT. There are many other options right on this website. But just like most consumers, you’re drawn to what you hate. That’s not my fault.
February 25, 2024 @ 10:02 am
Oh I’ve read many other articles. This site can be a great resource. I didn’t read any of the Beyonce ones. I like Beyoncé for what she does. Just wanted to throw a coin in the click bait bucket. ????????
February 25, 2024 @ 3:46 pm
Nudie Suits were merely the warm-up gear. Get over it.
When you look at Beyonce you look at what Nashville has always been.
Honestly predicted by Sonny James as, Just A Matter of Time
Now that it has arrived, you don’t want to admit it?
(or maybe just NOT in public …..).
now THAT would be racist.
February 25, 2024 @ 7:04 pm
SO MANY COMMENTS! Another great article, Trig. I actually love the song, it’s very catchy and I live in a place where people think they *hate* country music, until you mention Dolly Parton or Johnny Cash. To me this will hopefully throw some doors open for other artists in the country genre. I’m VERY interested to see what Beyoncé, who is a superstar/influencer/role model, will DO with this power. Will she use it for good and use her platform to introduce her fans to other artists?
February 26, 2024 @ 8:56 am
Though I agree with the fact that it’s not really country, it’s more country and better than some “country” songs now, so based on that fact, why would we exclude this but not something like Applebee’s, meant to be, etc.? Beyonce has certain country roots, and this song is as country, if not more country, than some of those on the radio in the past 10 years. The precedent has been set, so why would this song get left out? Also, I disagree that Billboard classified it as country afraid of the backlash. I would be more scared of the backlash they got calling it country than the other way around.
February 26, 2024 @ 9:14 am
I’ve seen this argument over, and over, and over, and over again. First off, two wrongs don’t make a right. Second, the “Applebee’s Song” was 3+ years ago. Since then, country music has been on a significant shift to more country-sounding songs, and more substantive songs. The last two singles from Walker Hayes have stalled at #29 and #43 on the charts respectively. He released a Christmas Version of “Fancy Like,” hoping to take advantage of Holiday spins. It didn’t chart at all. Even 3 1/2 years ago, “Fancy Like” was an outlier as country was already making a more rootsy turn. Florida Georgia Line couldn’t sustain, and broke up. This is not 2018. It’s 2024. And a song like “Texas Hold ‘Em” symbolizes a dramatic outlier from the current trends and sounds.
Even further, we do not have to go searching for close comparable to “Texas Hold ‘Em.” We have a direct one. It’s “Daddy Lessons” from Beyonce. It was deemed by Billboard, the Grammy Awards, and everyone else to not be a country song.
Even further than that, Beyonce’s label initially marked “Texas Hold ‘Em” as pop in the metadata.
All that said, I haven’t even said the song is not country. I think you can make a fair argument that it is. But I don not think that fair debate is even happening after a local Oklahoma radio station got attacked and made national news for not immediately adding the song, even though they hadn’t even been serviced it yet. That was the warning shot, and everyone has now fallen in line.
” I would be more scared of the backlash they got calling it country than the other way around.”
They called it country. There has been no backlash. There has basically been me spelling out a Devil’s Advocate argument, and getting attacked by my own readers for it, and that’s it.
Conform and comply.
February 27, 2024 @ 10:08 am
Good song.
February 28, 2024 @ 6:34 pm
It’d be easier to stomach the fact that you somehow make a living doing this if you’d just be honest and admit you’re just a pundit instead of always referring to yourself as a journalist.
February 28, 2024 @ 8:09 pm
I’m really always referring to myself as a journalist? I sure don’t recall that. Sometimes I’m a journalist. Sometimes I’m a columnist. Sometimes I’m a critics. Other times I’m a blogger. Most people who frequent this site understand I wear many hats. That is the reason the articles are categorized as “News,” “Reviews,” or in this case, “Random Notes,” which denotes it’s more of an opinion piece. If you disagree with those opinions, I’d love to hear them. Resorting to ad hominem attacks is often when you know someone is out of arguments.
February 29, 2024 @ 12:12 pm
I really don’t care if Beyonce is Black, Blue, or Green. The fact is her “Country” songs are flat out Terrible, almost to the embarrassing level of terrible.
April 15, 2024 @ 9:55 pm
As a successful record seller, she just used the country charts as a smaller pond for a big fish.