Should Beyoncé have released a country album?

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Should Beyoncé have released a country album?

• Entertainment Article from Ponderly

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Fact Box

• On March 29, 2024, Beyoncé released her eighth
  studio album Cowboy Carter, her first country
  album, which was born out of her upbringing in
  Houston, Texas, and reflective moments throughout
  her career. Artists like Miley Cyrus, Dolly
  Parton, and Willie Nelson star alongside Beyoncé
  in her year-long project.
• Cowboy Carter became the most-streamed album on
  Spotify in a single day for early 2024. Beyoncé
  is the first woman and first Black woman to have
  topped both Hot Country Songs and Hot RB/Hip-Hop
  Songs.
• Billboard rated the top songs on Beyonces
  country album with Ya Ya being the best of 27
  tracks. Daughter, II Most Wanted (with Miley
  Cyrus), and Riiverdance came in close
  favorites.
• While some praise Cowboy Carter for its diverse
  music style, others critique it as too long with
  ballads and lullabies. Overall, the album is
  rated at a 9.3 out of 10 according to Business
  Insiders senior music reporter.
• Many musicians have changed genres. Taylor Swift
  crossed over from country to pop in 2014 with
  1989. Gwen Stefani switched up her music multiple
  times bouncing around from rock, pop, ska, and
  country. Lil Nas X also made the move from
  country to pop after his Old Town Road remix.

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Mark (No)

• The mere concept of Beyoncé releasing a 'Country'
  album is both vain and erroneous. Let's start
  with the cover art of Cowboy Carter, which
  depicts an awkwardly positioned Beyoncé seated on
  a white horse, clad in patriotic/rodeo garb.
  Instead of defying stereotypes, she's indulging
  in what looks like a half-hearted cosplay
  session.
• While Beyoncé would like people to believe she's
  a show business crusader attempting to bridge the
  gap between contrasting genres, that's simply a
  promotional tacticshe will always be a
  lofty multi-millionaire, out of touch with real
  country Americans. Perhaps the most off-putting
  aspect of this record is Beyoncé's true
  motivation for doing it. It isn't to make true
  country music but is instead her pithy lament of
  feeling 'unwelcome' or snubbed at past awards
  shows. However, she conveniently seems to forget
  that she was the one to hijack the 50th annual
  CMA Awards show in 2016 when she was allotted
  more time than any other country artist performer.

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Mark (No)

• Additionally, Cowboy Carter lasts for around 80
  minutes. Its a blatant example of
  self-indulgence as not only does Beyoncé urge her
  audience to set aside all expectations, but she
  also wants them to invest almost an hour and a
  half while doing so. She even changes the lyrics
  to the Dolly Parton standard, 'Jolene,'
  completely dismissing the fragile vulnerability
  at the essence of the track. Ironically enough,
  though, Beyoncé stated that Cowboy Carter 'ain't
  a Country album.' Yet she seems perfectly content
  to allow it to be promoted as such, reveling in
  the media frenzy that will result in a terrific
  first week of sales. 

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Emily (Yes)

• Beyoncé's decision to branch out to country music
  was a difficult journey. Sadly, she wasn't met
  with open arms in the country genre when she
  performed her first country song, 'Daddy
  Lessons,' at the 2016 CMAs. Her performance
  received racist backlash, which made her
  feel unwelcome. However, Beyoncé didn't give up
  and worked on Cowboy Carter over the next five
  years.
• Since Beyoncé comes from a different musical
  background, her version of country music isn't
  what most expect when they think of a typical
  country song. Throughout her Cowboy Carter album,
  she skillfully incorporates elements of hip-hop
  (one of her main genres), bluegrass, and Chicano
  rock, with pop, rock, Jersey club music, and
  operatic runs. These blends allowed her album to
  appeal to a broad audience, not just country
  music fans. Her song 'TEXAS HOLD 'EM' reached
  first place in the country music category
  on Billboard's Hot 100.

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Emily (Yes)

• Beyoncé's resilience and innovation in country
  music are transforming the genre and breaking
  barriers for women, especially Black women in
  country music. Shockingly, as of 2023, only five
  Black female country artists have charted in the
  US, with only 5 of airplay. Additionally, women
  make up only 11 of country artists that get
  airtime on country radio. Beyoncé's achievement
  as the first Black woman to top the country music
  charts signifies a significant shift in the
  industry, paving the way for other aspiring
  artists who might not have tried to enter before.
  There is no doubt Beyoncé has broken barriers and
  reshaped the country genre.

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