Some artists have experimented with country eras in the past, but those attempts didn't make much impact. Now, after Beyoncé released her Cowboy Carter, other artists like Chappell, Sabrina, Lana, Tate, and others suddenly seem to be exploring country or country-adjacent sounds. Is this Beyoncé's impact? Or just coincidence? 

everyone wants a piece of the AOTY i fear

Beyoncé helped, definitely, but trends were already going in that direction with a greater focus on country in the mainstream, thanks in part to songs like Bebe's Meant to Be and some bro country songs.

Edited August 27, 2025Aug 27 by The7thStranger

1 minute ago, truthteller said:

everyone wants a piece of the AOTY i fear

Track #7 will forever be iconic 

she was one of the last to do it tbh 

2 minutes ago, truthteller said:

everyone wants a piece of the AOTY i fear

This is the best country album ever 

And they all flopped 

 

No, in fact she was very late to the party.

Don't think so. All of your examples had acoustic music that was borderline country before Cowboy Carter.

Lana announced her country album long before Cowboy Carter, it just still hasn't been released.  

4 hours ago, WildAmerican said:

she was one of the last to do it tbh 

but one of the only ones to successfully do it so 

 

edit: what's there to "" ? she's one of the only pop artists to immerse herself in a country project and find both success and critical acclaim, all while making the project a cultural event. something miley, gaga, kesha, gwen stefani, chappell, lana etc. all failed to do. jesus some of y'all always so dense when it comes to beyoncé 

Edited August 27, 2025Aug 27 by ScorpiosGroove

1 minute ago, James_Joint said:

Lana announced her country album long before Cowboy Carter, it just still hasn't been released.  

Beyoncé did Daddy Lessons in 2016, Lady Gaga did Joanne the same year. Lana Del Rey is not the trailblazer in this regard that y'all and herself think she is.

7 minutes ago, Badgalbriel said:

And they all flopped 

 

Thank god because country music is awful. I can't wait for this trend to be over!

not even close

 

2023 Hot100 YE: #1 - country song

2023 BB200 YE: #1 - country album

 

2024 Hot100 YE: 2 country songs in top 5

2024 BB200 YE: #3 - country album 

 

2025 projected BB200 YE: #1 - country album 

 

 

Beyoncé coundn't even crack top20 YE with her country songs and album in years when country music dominate. 

 

these artists were influenced by overall rise of country music, not by a flop.

Edited August 27, 2025Aug 27 by bringdanoize

Just now, bringdanoize said:

not even close

 

2023 Hot100 YE: #1 - country song

2023 BB200 YE: #1 - country album

 

2024 Hot100 YE: 2 country songs in top 5

2024 BB200 YE: #3 - country album 

 

2025 projected BB200 YE: #1 - country album 

 

 

Beyoncé coundn't even crack top20 YE with her country songs and album in years when country music dominate. 

I feel like this was a set up thread, but it's kind of weird because the OP is Beyhive. 

no, she was following the trend herself.

4 minutes ago, PerfectCure said:

I feel like this was a set up thread, but it's kind of weird because the OP is Beyhive. 

I'm NOT a beyhive, but i do enjoy some beyoncé  

 

 

3 minutes ago, beyonceparkwood said:

Lady Gaga did Joanne the same year

Can we even classify Joanne a country album? "Perfect Illusion" was the lead, all of the subsequent singles were only sent to Pop / AC, zero singles were sent to country radio, it got zero country airplay, none of the songs charted on the Hot Country Songs charts, and nothing was submitted to the country / Americana / folk categories at the Grammys.

 

"Million Reasons" is possibly the only song on the project that could be classified as country, and she still sent it exclusively to pop.

7 minutes ago, PerfectCure said:

I feel like this was a set up thread, but it's kind of weird because the OP is Beyhive. 

OP isn't hive at all

 

and i'm pretty sure i know why y'all keep saying that 

tbh, there was certainly a shift in mainstream music from the pop and loud dance-y bangers to a more toned down, folkier, and americana adjacent soundscape in the late 2010s, and combining with the rise of bro country songs (aka Morgan Wallen and his friends)... that's the most horrible renaissance of homophobia for pop fans in recent years  

 

Edited August 27, 2025Aug 27 by truthteller

OT: While Cowboy Carter didn't popularize the trend, it definitely made the most significant inroads of a pop girl (not a country girl gone pop) on the country charts (albums / singles) in recent history: 

 

- 8 Hot Country Songs chart Top 10s

- 1-2-3 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

- Main + Country + Folk/Americana album chart triple both Stateside and UK.

- Best Country Album + Best Country Duo / Group Performance + AOTY at the Grammys.

Edited August 27, 2025Aug 27 by trainsskyscrapers

16 minutes ago, beyonceparkwood said:

Lady Gaga did Joanne the same year.

Joanne has two country inspired songs at max. so, it can't be in conversation of country albums.

 

it was just a stripped down album.

It was Morgan Wallen 

3 minutes ago, ScorpiosGroove said:

OP isn't hive at all

 

and i'm pretty sure i know why y'all keep saying that 

Okay, then I confused them with someone else.