In over 66 years and spanning more than 3,400 weeks, the #1 spot on Billboard’s country music charts has never been claimed by a Black woman—until now.
Beyoncé Knowles Carter, a figure well-versed in making history, stands as the most decorated Grammy artist of all time. Throughout her illustrious career, she and her devoted fanbase have shattered numerous records. With the release of her latest tracks, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” Beyoncé has achieved a significant milestone, marking over six decades of anticipation.
The official streams of “Texas Hold ‘Em” reaching 19.2 million and 39,000 sales by February 15 propelled it to the top of Billboard’s country music charts, making Beyoncé the first Black or known biracial woman to achieve this feat. “16 Carriages,” with 10.3 million streams and 14,000 sales as of February 20, secured the ninth position on the charts. This accomplishment also solidifies another record for Beyoncé, being the first Black or known biracial woman to have both a #1 hit and another song in the top 10 on the country music charts simultaneously.
Beyoncé’s foray into country music faced challenges not encountered in her other successful ventures. Many country music stations nationwide either refused to play the song or removed it from their rotations due to listener backlash. As demands for the songs grew, some radio stations responded with vague statements, such as one station declaring, “We do not play Beyoncé… as we are a country music station.”
Nevertheless, within the country music community, there are those who applaud Beyoncé’s embrace of the genre. They argue that her immense global reach and dedicated fanbase will introduce new audiences to country music. Some even point out the genre’s tendency to be domestically focused and anticipate that Beyoncé’s international influence will attract a broader, more diverse audience.
Despite the challenges, one thing remains certain: Beyoncé’s innovative spirit knows no bounds, and records will continue to fall as she defies the expectations placed upon her by the music industry.
Described as “act ii” of a three-part project that commenced with her acclaimed ‘Renaissance’ album, Beyoncé’s upcoming album is set to debut on March 29.
