Beyonce Makes History After Song' Texas Hold' Em' Tops Billboard's Country Songs Chart
Beyonce has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Black woman to claim the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart with her track "Texas Hold' Em," per The Guardian.
In an industry with a complex relationship with Black artists, this achievement marks a groundbreaking moment for the global music icon.
Released alongside the surprise single "16 Carriages" during a Super Bowl announcement, both songs are part of Beyonce's upcoming album, tentatively titled Act II.
Beyonce becomes the second solo female artist to debut at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart without featured artists, following Taylor Swift in 2021.
She's the first woman to top both Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts since their inception in 1958.
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Beyonce's Chart Dominance and Album Anticipation
Both "Texas Hold' Em" and "16 Carriages" debuted at Nos. 1 and 38 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
These releases, announced during a Super Bowl commercial, set the stage for Beyonce's highly anticipated album, expected to follow her 2022 Renaissance LP.
"Texas Hold' Em" garnered 19.2 million official streams, 4.8 million in all-format airplay audience, and 39,000 in U.S. sales through February 15, Billboard noted.
"16 Carriages" followed with 10.3 million streams, 90,000 in radio reach, and 14,000 sold.
This accomplishment catapults Beyonce to No. 1 on seven Billboard multimetric song charts as a solo artist, including Hot Country Songs, Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Hot Gospel Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot R&B Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and the all-encompassing Hot 100.
Beyonce's Billboard journey began in 1997 as part of Destiny's Child, amassing four No. 1s on the Hot 100 and two on the Billboard 200.
As a soloist since 2003, she has secured eight and seven leaders on these respective charts.
Country Music's Complex Landscape and Beyonce's Influence
While Beyonce's accomplishment is groundbreaking, she is not the first woman of color in country music, according to Rolling Stone.
Artists like Mickey Guyton, Brittney Spencer, and trailblazer Linda Martell have made significant strides. However, the genre's historical landscape remains predominantly white and male.
Despite some progress, Beyonce's success highlights the challenges Black women face in the country music industry.
Beyonce's influence on country music is not entirely unexpected. Hailing from Texas, she showcased country influences early in her career with Destiny's Child and solo tracks like "Daddy Lessons."
Beyond her own achievement, Beyonce's success may draw attention to other Black country artists who have been breaking barriers in the genre for years.
In the broader music landscape, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ ign's album "Vultures 1" secured the top spot on the Top 200 albums chart.
Despite a tumultuous album rollout, including unauthorized sample allegations and temporary removal from Apple Music, the duo's "Carnival" debuted at Number Three on the Hot 100.
As Beyonce continues to break barriers, her impact extends beyond her individual achievements, shedding light on diversity and representation in the music industry.
Her success paves the way for greater recognition of Black artists in the country genre and beyond.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Bert Hoover
WATCH: Beyoncé drops new songs 'Texas Hold 'Em' and '16 Carriages.' - From ABC 7 Chicago