Beyoncé is already making history with Cowboy Carter!

On Friday, Spotify announced that the GRAMMY-winning singer’s eighth studio album was the music platforms most-streamed album in a single day in 2024 so far. It’s also the first country album to hold the title.

Cowboy Carter‘s reign is no surprise, as the album’s lead single, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” was streamed on the platform over 200 million times, sending it to the top spot on the US Top 50 chart. 

Queen Bey’s latest 27-track album was released on Friday after weeks of anticipation. According to the artist, despite the sound, the features and the classification across the industry, Cowboy Carter “isn’t a country album, it’s a Beyoncé album.” 

Ahead of the album’s release last week, the “16 Carriages” singer took to Instagram to explain the inspiration for the project, sharing that it was born from experience where she didn’t feel welcome. 

“Today marks the 10-day countdown until the release of act ii. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of TEXAS HOLD ‘EM and 16 CARRIAGES. I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant,” she wrote.

When speaking about the experience, fans believe the singer is talking about her 2016 CMAs performance alongside The Chicks. 

“This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history,” she wrote. “The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”

She continued, “I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound. I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop. This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”

Cowboy Carter delivered when it came to the surprises, as promised by Bey. Not only does the album feature Willie Nelson, Post Malone, Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton, Beyoncé and JAY-Z’s 6-year-old daughter, Rumi, has a guest spot on the track, “Protector.” The album also features a host of Black country musicians. 

On the day of her album release, Beyoncé sent a special message to Mickey Guyton, thanking her for breaking down barriers in the genre.

“Mickey, Thank you for opening doors for me queen. Keep Shining. Love and respect, Beyoncé,” the note, which came with a bouquet of white flowers, read. 

Guyton made history in 2021 as the first Black artist to earn a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album.

For more on Cowboy Carter, click below. 

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