Celebrities, companies and a US politician have celebrated the release of Beyoncé’s highly anticipated new album, Cowboy Carter, on 29 March.
Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, the second in her rumored Renaissance trilogy, is a genre blend of country, pop, funk and more across 27 tracks.
In a Friday press release, Beyoncé shared that the album took more than five years to create and described it as the “best music I’ve ever made”, a chance to create music where “there are no rules”.
The most awarded artist in Grammys history added that she had been partially inspired to create with “real instruments” in the face of increasing artificial intelligence and other digital fixtures.
“The more I see the world evolving, the more I felt a deeper connection to purity. With artificial intelligence and digital filters and programming, I wanted to go back to real instruments, and I used very old ones,” she said in the press release.
“I didn’t want some layers of instruments like strings, especially guitars, and organs perfectly in tune.”
Cowboy Carter taps into Beyoncé’s proud Texas background and includes several features from the country legends Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and others. The LP also features covers of famous tracks like the Beatles’ Blackbird, a 1968 song that was inspired by the US civil rights movement, and Parton’s Jolene.
Beyoncé announced the album during the 58th Super Bowl game and shared two country-themed tracks: Texas Hold ’Em and 16 Carriages.
The singer later made history, becoming the first Black woman to reach the No 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
The Cowboy Carter album comes with no shortage of controversy, as some have suggested Beyoncé does not belong in the country genre given her expansive R&B catalogue.
A country music radio station in the state of Oklahoma initially refused to play Texas Hold ’Em, later reversing the decision after fans accused the station of racism.
Still, admirers worldwide have praised Beyoncé for her latest western work.
The album has been trending on social media since it dropped early on Friday. Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, have posted about the album nearly 500,000 times.
One fan wrote on X: “I would say she’s done it again, but this is unlike anything she’s ever done. it’s better.”
well that's a wrap on #COWBOYCARTER. i would say she's done it again, but this is unlike anything she's ever done. it's better. pic.twitter.com/qnrjl6Jb0Q
— little lesbian intern (@thatguyuptown) March 29, 2024
“This is what you hear at the gates of heaven,” wrote another user, alongside a recording of the operatic track Daughter.
Another person celebrated the album as “masterpiece after masterpiece” on X.
Public figures have equally applauded Beyoncé’s latest work.
The Democratic governor of Wisconsin, Tony Evers, shared that his staff have “briefed” him on the Cowboy Carter album, along with a photo of himself in a cowboy hat.
The R&B singer Anita Baker shouted out several of her favorite tracks in a series of posts on X.
“Tyrant … is BLASTing in these VEGAS Streets,” Baker wrote, referring to an album track. Baker also celebrated the song Levi’s Jeans, which features the rapper and singer Post Malone.
To mark the album’s release, the actor Kerry Washington shared a collage featuring Cowboy Carter’s tracks to Instagram.
Hailey Bieber shared her love for Beyoncé’s version of Jolene on Instagram. The American model and influencer posted a screengrab of the newly released track with the caption: “Phew.”
The British singer Rita Ora also showered praise on the album, noting she was “gaggin” over the track II Most Wanted.
The singer Miley Cyrus, who is featured on the latest album, gushed over her love for Beyoncé in a post on X.
“I’ve loved Beyonce since long before I had the opportunity to meet & work with her. My admiration runs so much deeper now that I’ve created along side of her. Thank you Beyonce. You’re everything & more,” Cyrus wrote.
II Most Wanted is out now on the new @Beyonce album #CowboyCarter
— Miley Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) March 29, 2024
I’ve loved Beyonce since long before I had the opportunity to meet & work with her.
My admiration runs so much deeper now that I’ve created along side of her. Thank you Beyonce. You’re everything & more. Love… pic.twitter.com/8I0l02qvnF
US brands and companies have also attempted to get in on the Cowboy Carter celebration.
The ride-share company Uber offered 16% off to riders who use the code 16CARRIAGES, a nod to the song.
Lyft, ever the competitor, replied to the promo offer with: “crumbs were left.” The ride-share company then offered its riders 50% off with the code SPAGHETTI24, another reference to a Cowboy Carter song.
Lyft reportedly even changed images of cars used on its map to white horses, a reference to the horse featured on the Cowboy Carter cover.
The official X account for the Merriam-Webster dictionary posted a drawing of a dictionary wearing cowboy boots and a hat, captioned: “Act II: Cowboy Webster.”
Cowboy Carter comes after the megawatt success of Beyoncé’s Renaissance album, an ode to LGBTQ+ communities and the legacy of dancehall music that was released in 2022.
The accompanying world tour grossed $579m and was followed by Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, a concert documentary that was released in US theaters.
