Popular Post beyonceparkwood Posted March 29 Popular Post Posted March 29 Exactly one year ago today, on March 29th 2024, Beyoncé released Cowboy Carter, her eighth studio album. The album forms the second installment, aka act ii, in an ongoing trilogy. When announcing the album, Beyoncé explained that it was her experience at the Country Music Awards in 2016, where her performance was met with major racist backlash, that inspired her to create Cowboy Carter. Rather than allowing the racists to force her out of the country genre, she delved into the genre's history and studied the African-American roots of the genre. Essentially, the album serves as a re-education on the Black roots of country music, a history that Beyoncé argues has been largely lost and ignored. After her research, she made Cowboy Carter as a reinvention of whitewashed Americana culture, redefining its boundaries in the process whilst simultaneously spotlighting African American influences in Americana culture and country music. Cowboy Carter truly is a cultural statement and sparked large cultural debates about the institutionalized racism in the country genre. Cowboy Carter was met with universal acclaim and proceeded to win Beyoncé her first Album of the Year award at the GRAMMYs. Cowboy Carter also won Best Country Album, making her the first Black woman to win the latter, further extending her lead as the most-awarded artist in the awards ceremony's history. Critics lauded the album as a masterpiece for successfully and seamlessly blending many genres, and for its innovative and expansive take on country music. The album was also praised for serving as a grand political statement whilst simultaneously being an extremely personal homage to her southern roots. Besides its critical acclaim, the album also enjoyed commercial success. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200, making her the first woman to debut all her first 8 albums at #1. Additionally, she became the first Black woman to top the Top Country Albums and all 23 of the album's eligible songs debuted in the top 25 of Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, dominating the entire top 3. Despite being a country album, the album debuted at #1 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In terms of streaming, Cowboy Carter debuted with over 76 million streams on Spotify & Beyoncé got over 36 million people to stream country music for the first time on Spotify in 2024. On Christmas Day, Beyoncé performed parts of the album for the first time during Beyoncé Bowl. A little over a month later, she announced the Cowboy Carter Tour, a stadium tour with which she'll perform 32 shows in only 9 cities. Despite the limited amount of dates, the tour's expected to gross over $400 million. She broke venue records in a handful of the stadiums she will be performing in. Besides the tour, Beyoncé infamously hasn't released the visuals for this project yet, like Renaissance. Will they come? One year after release, what are your thoughts on the album and the era? Favorite songs currently? 26
Soda Pop Queen Posted March 29 Posted March 29 I can't believe it's been one year already for this watershed album. 1
Popular Post Minto Posted March 29 Popular Post Posted March 29 (edited) when this debuted with more than renny whilst texas was simultaneously smashing harder than BMS only for her to drop the ball and abandon the era after its debut week….ahhh a time. Edited March 29 by Minto 8 8
Incandescent Glow Posted March 29 Posted March 29 Bodyguard, Ya Ya, Tyrant, Riverdance, the Jolene cover, American Requiem, Desert Eagle, Spaghetti, Sweet Honey Buckin' 6
beyonceparkwood Posted March 29 Author Posted March 29 10 minutes ago, Minto said: when this debuted with more than renny and THT was smashing harder than BMS only for her to drop the ball and abandon it after debut week….ahh The lead-up was so perfect ngl. THE smashing so hard it went #1 on Global Spotify for a bit. Oh… what a time. 3
Xtina23 Posted March 29 Posted March 29 happy anniversary does anyone have this week's charting stats for it's one year anniversary to celebrate? 14 5
Erotica Posted March 29 Posted March 29 The day before it was coming out I was on my way flying out overnight to San Fran for a holiday. It came out whilst I was flying so had to buy in-flight WiFi as I couldn't wait to listen to it before landing Tyrant was my fave from first listen and still remains one of my fave tracks. The whole Desert Eagle -> Riiverdance -> II hands II heaven -> Tyrant -> SHB is just pure perfection, just like Rennie you just can't stop listening once you've started. Songs that didn't click at the start but are now my favourites are Aliigator Tears (there's something so cool in the way she sings this song) and Daughter (honestly, I need to hear this performed live with an All String Orchestra). Unlike so many people I think Jolene re-imagined is actually awesome and I love the ending! YaYa tends to find itself in my head most days! I am so so excited for CC tour and can't wait to see how she re-imagines the songs. I am afraid we are going to witness her best tour yet!
Popular Post beyonceparkwood Posted March 29 Author Popular Post Posted March 29 59 minutes ago, Xtina23 said: happy anniversary does anyone have this week's charting stats for it's one year anniversary to celebrate? Christina Aguilera's last album failed to chart on the Billboard 200, if that's the stat you're asking for. 16
Doogle Posted March 29 Posted March 29 I was in (Break My) Seoul in the hotel listening at midnight for the first time life changing hearing American requiem 1
beyonceparkwood Posted March 29 Author Posted March 29 5 minutes ago, Doogle said: I was in (Break My) Seoul in the hotel listening at midnight for the first time life changing hearing American requiem I would do anything to experience a first listen again. Hearing Daughter's Italian opera while I was in Italy was like… insane. 1 1
honestopinion Posted March 29 Posted March 29 Amazing album. Groundbreaking. She gave y'all a music history lesson. AOTY for a reason!
honestopinion Posted March 29 Posted March 29 20 minutes ago, beyonceparkwood said: I would do anything to experience a first listen again. Hearing Daughter's Italian opera while I was in Italy was like… insane. I cried while listening to this for the first time 😭 I felt like my soul left my body 3
KatyPrismSpirit Posted March 29 Posted March 29 This album was truly the perfect showcase of how Beyoncé won't allow herself to be boxed in anymore. The album possesses a lot of resilience and courage. It defies the rigid expectations that many people put on Black artists, who often don't get the opportunity, resources or freedom to explore genre. This whole three-part triology is really her magnum opus. Reclaiming genres that historically excluded Black voices and reclaiming each genre's roots by expanding its possibilities. And boundaries have definitely been broken. Shaboozey scoring one of the biggest country hits of all-time right after his appearance on the record is just proof of that. Love how Beyoncé used this album to challenge the stereotypes and limitations placed on Black artists in country, creating something that is not seeking validation but is her own. Been country. It was a perfect display to every audience that art is meant to evolve and amplify those voices that have too often been silenced. Thats why it's such a DESERVING AOTY WIN! 7 1
Wookkruk Posted March 29 Posted March 29 I liked this album much more the Rennie which is still amazing! So many interesting songs, production is top tier. Also Daughter is in my top 3 Bey best songs of all time. The hauting melody is just something else 1
Kalmanta Posted March 29 Posted March 29 A quick shoutout to Ryan Beatty, who co-wrote Protector, Bodyguard, Just For Fun and 2H2H! I hope he'll also be on act III. 3
Diet Pepsi Posted March 29 Posted March 29 Spoiler II Most Wanted was such a disappointing collaboration at least it got Miley another Grammy though 1 1
HeavyMetalAura Posted March 29 Posted March 29 Best album of 2024 and her strongest body of work. I was floored from beginning to end
Recommended Posts