The release of Beyoncé's eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, delighted the American singer’s legions of fans.
However, some were dismayed to learn that some of their favourite tunes from the album were absent from their vinyl and CD versions.
One person said on X, formerly Twitter: “Imagine releasing your new critically acclaimed, culture-shifting, capital A album and then proceeding to leave the absolute best song off the vinyl #COWBOYCARTER”.
Imagine releasing your new critically acclaimed, culture shifting, capital A album and then proceeding to leave the absolute best song off the vinyl #COWBOYCARTER pic.twitter.com/Bqzp0oME2v
— Dustin McManus (@TheRealDustinM) March 31, 2024
Another X user said: “Cannot believe that there are songs missing from the CD; there’s no inlay booklet; no credits and no ‘bonus’ track. At this rate it might as well be a bootleg version sold on the website. Disappointed is an understatement! @Beyonce”.
Cannot believe that there are songs missing from the CD; there’s no inlay booklet; no credits and no ‘bonus’ track. At this rate it might as well be a bootleg version sold on the website.
— جهانگیر (@MrJahangeerB) April 2, 2024
Disappointed is an understatement!@Beyonce.
A third, not bothered by the missing tracks, said: “I know there’s (six) tracks missing but I think Beyoncé allowing us to have the pressing of what act ii originally was is so special and dope. it’s literally an exclusive collector’s item.”
I know there’s tracks missing but I think Beyoncé allowing us to have the pressing of what act ii originally was is so special and dope. it’s literally an exclusive collector’s item. https://t.co/sBmwR6p8LH
— TYRANT II KΓZY. 𓄀 (@kahrazyinlove) April 1, 2024
Beyoncé has in the past changed album arrangements after they were released. Following the controversy surrounding two tracks, she removed an interpolation of Kelis's song Milkshake from Renaissance and a lyric that contained a slur.
But why are tracks missing from Beyoncé’s latest album and how has it been received?
Why are tracks missing from Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter vinyl and CD versions?
Many have speculated that Beyoncé kept making changes and adding songs towards the end of the process — and that an older version of the album is contained on the vinyl version. The BBC said this would have been pressed with a lengthy lead time of “10 weeks to six months”.
Vinyl pressing plants are frequently reserved months in advance for a major release. Taylor Swift released her much-anticipated latest record, The Tortured Poet's Department, in less than three weeks. This possibly put pressure on Beyoncé.
The phrase "Act II - Beyincé - Beyoncé" on the spine of vinyl and CD copies supports this idea.
Some think the album’s original name was Beyincé, a play on the singer's ancestry. The singer’s name was incorrectly spelled as Beyoncé on her mother's birth certificate because of a medical mistake.
Which tracks are missing?
Flamenco, Oh Louisiana, The Linda Martell Show, Spaghetti, and Ya Ya are the five songs absent from the vinyl version of the country album. However, they were featured in the digital version.
Except for Flamenco, the same tunes were purportedly absent from the CD. Whether this applied to all pressings was unclear.
Beyoncé's official website, which claims that an exclusive "additional song" will be featured on a "limited-edition" compact disc version, has simply added to the confusion surrounding the matter.
Though many had anticipated unheard music that would not be available on streaming services, Flamenco apparently could be the extra song.
How has Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album been received?
The album’s reviews have been pretty positive.
Gemma Samways for the Evening Standard gave it four stars. She said the album “has been framed as an American epic, and at 80 minutes long it could definitely benefit from some stricter editing. However, there’s no denying the amount of ambition on display”.
The Guardian’s Alexis Petridis also awarded the album four stars, while Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos said it included some of the singer’s best vocal work.
Variety magazine said the album was “a masterpiece of sophisticated vocal arranging, laid out on top of mostly fairly stark band tracks”.
