Cowboy Carter
When Beyoncé sings about “rugged whiskey” and the “dive bar we always thought was nice” on her country album Cowboy Carter, she was definitely not talking about her whisky.
Launched this September in partnership with luxury giant LVMH’s Moët Hennessy, Queen Bey’s premium rye whisky SirDavis retails for $89 bottle and was inspired by her paternal great-grandfather’s legacy as a successful Prohibition-era moonshine maker.
It’s the latest product from Beyoncé, who, in addition to performing 56 shows for her $580-million-grossing 2023 Renaissance World Tour, also released a perfume called CÉ NOIR and a haircare line called Cécred over the past year.
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Fans are feverishly speculating on what genre she might reclaim next for a potential Act III album. So, why would she spend her precious time and invaluable brand power to release a whisky? And how much money might she make from it?
Billboard interviewed half a dozen alcohol industry experts and leading entertainment lawyers, and while they unanimously agreed that it is too early to guess at SirDavis’ sales — it only launched in August — they said the whiskey fits into a modern-day marketing strategy as multi-faceted as Queen Bey’s career.
“It’s an extension of the marketing push for her latest album, which has references to traditional Americana and American heritage,” says Spiros Malandrakis, head of alcoholic drinks research for Euromonitor, referencing Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, which came out in April. “What is one of the most iconic products that encapsulates American heritage? It’s an American whisky that has roots dating back to moonshine.”
Cowboy Carter debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart dated April 13 with 407,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending April 4. It has since racked up a total of 1,322,896 equivalent album units, according to Luminate, and marks her her eighth No. 1 album. Whisky comes up in the lyrics of several Cowboy Carter songs, as do Levi’s jeans — spelled “Levii’s Jeans” on the track that features Post Malone — and Queen Bey is currently featured in an ad campaign for the classic denim company.
But given the international nature of her brand, Malandrakis says, Bey’s whisky works to extend its appeal beyond a strictly Americana audience. SirDavis whisky dropped the e, as the Scottish do, and it incorporates grains often used in Scotch and Japanese whiskey.
“She kind of winks towards this international side of her brand,” Malandrakis says. “She is a black American icon. She is also equally, potentially even more so, an international icon.”
WORTH A SHOT
Celebrity liquor deals have the potential to make superstars into billionaires, like the sale of Casamigos Tequila did for George Clooney, and before that what Cîroc vodka and DeLeón tequila did for Sean “Diddy” Combs. Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z did his first liquor deal in 2012 — D’ussé Cognac with Bacardi — and in 2021 he sold half of his champagne Ace of Spades to LVMH. As of May, Forbes estimated Beyoncé’s net worth to be $760 million.
Jordan Bromley, head of Mannatt’s entertainment transactions and finance practice, says that these kinds of deals can be highly lucrative, whether the talent receives an upfront check or sticks around for two or three years to build the brand and then negotiates a big payout when they exit.
Beyoncé x Sir Davis
Mason Poole; Julian Dakdouk
“This should be a tentpole of any icon’s business portfolio, and not just in liquor but maybe home goods, athletic goods or venues,” says Bromley, citing Rihanna’s Fenty as one of the most successful examples of an artist becoming a billionaire thanks to a business outside of a music career. “You’re not stressing out over a record label audit—which you should do every two or three years—because you’re a 20% owner in a billion dollar company.”
However, Bromely says, there is risk for icons in lending their star power to a product.
“Is there risk? Absolutely—only the entire trust you’ve created for your brand,” Bromley says.
The product has to be good and it has to sell, and the ingredients necessary for those two components are not the same with all products. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2023 that Beyoncé and Adidas AG ended their partnership, the “adidas x IVY PARK” collection, after disappointing sales.
With spirits, sources say success usually seems to follow when fans believe a superstar authentically enjoys drinking the spirit in their spare time.
The SirDavis story posits that Beyoncé has whisky-making in her blood, and followers of her social media accounts know she has frequently posted about tasting and collecting rare Japanese whiskeys.
It is not known if Beyoncé has an ownership stake in SirDavis, and LVMH, which owns Moët Hennessy, rarely breaks out sales for its individual products. But Malandrakis says most celebrities exit their liquor company partnerships within a few years with a sizeable check.
“Not because they lose interest but they realize these things have a timeline. At some point Beyonce will not be as relevant, as strange as that sounds,” Malandrakis says. “The longevity of products like that is ultimately down to how good they are and how much they create for the community.”
Money Makers is a new column in which Billboard unpacks one financial issue a week for an artist in the news. Thanks for reading, and if you have suggestions or tips, email me at ediltsmarshall@billboard.com.
If there are two people on this planet who know anything and everything about getting to the top — and staying there — it’s Beyoncé and Simone Biles. Ahead of the Stateside airing of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics women’s gymnastics all-around finals (Aug. 1), NBC has released a new commercial honoring Biles, narrated by Queen Bey herself.
“Let’s talk about power. Because, really, that’s what this story’s about,” Beyoncé begins. “Physical power: its beauty, its wonder. The way it never stops amazing you. Then there’s spiritual power, the kind that really matters. The power you can’t see, only sense. The power you need in those moments when life goes a little sideways on you. And, of course, lasting power. Only a select few know what it feels like to get to the top and stay there. And, somehow, keep getting better.”
The emotional commercial traces Biles’ legendary career, from home footage of her practicing back flips to past Olympic victories. Beyoncé’s narration praises not just Biles talent and athleticism, but also her resilience. When the 32-time Grammy winner mentions life going “a little sideways on you,” she’s alluding to the infamous “twisties” — a temporary loss of air awareness while performing twisting elements — that tragically caused Biles to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Biles’ perseverance carried her from that shocking hiatus to a historic showing at this summer’s Games.
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In Paris, Biles represented the United States alongside teammates Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera, becoming the fourth American female artistic gymnast to compete at three Olympic Games. Ahead of their individual events, Biles led Team USA to the gold medal for the team event.
With this new commercial, Beyoncé marks her second appearance during this year’s Olympics. The pop icon introduced Team USA during the Opening Ceremony with a reworked version of “Ya Ya,” a song from her Billboard 200-topping Cowboy Carter LP that peaked at No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100. Another Cowboy Carter track soundtracks the Biles commercial: the Willie Jones-assisted “Just for Fun,” which reached No. 59 on the Hot 100. Given that Biles is a fellow Black woman from Texas, it’s no surprise that Beyoncé lent her voice to uplifting the only U.S. gymnast to win six Olympic gold medals.
“Simone Biles inspires me and I’m pretty sure she inspires you too,” Beyoncé continued. “Such confidence in her strength, such beauty in her power, such a great lesson in her story. Brilliance, it doesn’t come easy. Gold can be a hell of a journey. And the greatest of all time is willing to put that title on the line every time she walks out there. Take your best shot, world. She’s ready for you.”
Although NBC and Peacock will air the women’s gymnastics all-around finals tonight at 8 p.m. ET, the event has already taken place in Paris. Biles took home the gold in the all-arounds, becoming the first U.S. Olympic gymnast in history to win two all-around gold medals (2016 and 2024). Lee — who won the gold medal in 2020 — took home the bronze medal, making her and Biles the first U.S. Olympic gymnasts to earn multiple all-around medals.
Watch the new Beyoncé-narrated Simone Biles commercial below.
Take your best shot, world. Simone Biles is ready for you.Beyonce sets the stage for Simone in the women’s all-around tonight at 8/7c on NBC and Peacock. pic.twitter.com/S2xHwxORwd— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 1, 2024
Country singer-songwriter Reyna Roberts made a grand impression on America’s Got Talent‘s Season 19 premiere on Tuesday night (May 28), when she performed her original song “Raised Right” (which she originally released in 2021) for her audition.
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America’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell was clearly impressed by the performance, saying, “You’re not messing around, are you?” Robert quickly confirmed, “Not at all.”
Fellow judge Heidi Klum complimented Roberts on not only her talent, but also for her red leather ensemble, which matched her red hair. “I love when you really belt it out. I love when you hold the note,” Klum said. “I also love this look that you’re serving today. I love it.”
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Cowell also asked Roberts why she wanted to audition for the talent competition. “My dream has always been to be a superstar,” Roberts replied. “I want to create music that outlives me and hopefully that inspires other people and I feel like this is the moment that is going to become reality for me.”
Roberts, of course, is well on her way, having contributed to Beyoncé’s recent Billboard 200 chart-topper Cowboy Carter. Roberts performed on a version of the Beatles’ “Blackbird” (stylized “blackbiird” on Cowboy Carter), alongside Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy, and on the song “Tyrant.”
Roberts has been showcasing her musical talent long before Beyoncé came calling. Roberts, born in Alaska and raised in California and Alabama, initially gained attention with her 2020 song “Stomping Grounds.” That same year, she moved to Nashville and shared a video of herself performing a cover of Carrie Underwood’s “Drinking Alone.” The performance drew praise from Underwood and Mickey Guyton. She released “Pretty Little Devils” in 2022 and teamed with Tayler Holder for “Another Round” in 2023. She issued her debut full-length project, Bad Girl Bible Vol. 1 in 2023. Earlier this year, Roberts got a boost from Queen Bey, who invited her to be part of Cowboy Carter.
Ultimately, Roberts received a triple yes from the America’s Got Talent judges, and will advance to the next round. A new crop of artists will audition on Tuesday, June 4, when the show airs at 7 p.m. CT on NBC and streams on Peacock.
Watch Roberts’s audition below:
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Maya Rudolph‘s Beyonce is back for some more spicy wings.
The former Saturday Night Live cast member returned to the long-running sketch comedy show as host on May 11, reprising her role as the superstar singer in a parody of the chicken wings-themed YouTube series Hot Ones.
In the sketch, a follow-up to her parody from 2020, Rudolph dons a cowboy hat and red, white and blue getup similar to the outfit Queen Bey sports on the cover of her latest album, Cowboy Carter, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in early April.
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“This is the only thing that I attempted that I did not slay, and that bothered both me and my husband, my husband is Jay-Z,” Rudolph’s Beyonce tells host Sean Evans (played by SNL‘s Mikey Day), referring to the original skit.
Things start off mild as Rudolph’s Bey samples her first wing while answering a question about her new country-themed album.
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“I just thought who gets to define country music, why not me?” she says. “This is a tasty wing, not that spicy. I’m from Texas baby, your girl likes it caliente. Let’s do the next one.”
As she begins to sample more hot wings, “Beyonce” becomes increasingly more uncomfortable with the rising temperatures.
“This wing is stomping my a–. Damn, my bones are hot,” she says after sampling sauces, including “Satan’s Taint Charred Chili” and “Sergeant Sphincter’s Volcanopeno.”
Similar to the 2020 parody, Bey’s handler eventually takes control of the situation and demands that all footage be destroyed.
This isn’t the first time Rudolph has portrayed the beloved music star. In addition to her Hot Ones sketches, the comedian played Bey in 2012 during a skit where other artists visited her and Jay-Z (portrayed by Jay Pharoah) following the birth of their daughter Blue Ivy.
Watch SNL‘s “Hot Ones with Beyoncé 2” sketch below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
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These days, a new Beyoncé album is generally a cause for celebration — fans pore over album covers, track listings, song lyrics and rollout plans, searching for hidden gems and rare treasures. For Cowboy Carter, her latest album released in March, one of those gems came in the form of Shaboozey, the rising country singer who had made some minor waves in his career to date and was featured on two tracks on the album, “Spaghetti” with Linda Martell” and “Sweet / Honey / Buckiin.’”
If those guest spots introduced Shaboozey to the mainstream of pop culture, it was what came next that has truly brought him to the forefront. Two weeks after the release of Cowboy Carter, the Virginia-born singer released “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” through American Dogwood/EMPIRE, a flip of J-Kwon’s 2004 song “Tipsy” that is a fun-loving, infectious romp of a song, and has quickly captured hearts, minds — and a very captive audience. This week, the song makes a historic jump on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, bounding from No. 6 to No. 1 — and replacing Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” on top of the list, marking the first time ever that two Black artists have led the chart in back to back weeks since the chart became an all-encompassing genre ranking in 1958.
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The song, which will herald the artist’s next album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, due out May 31, has been on such an upswing that even in the week that Taylor Swift flooded the Hot 100 with her new 31-song Tortured Poets Department album, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was one of just two songs on the entire Hot 100 to actually rise, as it moved from No. 36 to No. 27, with a possible jump into the top five on the cards for next week, as the Swift fervor ebbs. And all that momentum helps his Range Media co-manager Jared Cotter earn the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
Here, Cotter talks about how the Beyoncé look helped boost Shaboozey’s latest hit, the value of being in the right place at the right time (and being prepared for the moment when it comes) and the history-making hit that brought them here. “He will be a superstar that continues to push boundaries and make great music for years to come,” Cotter says. “This is just the beginning.”
This week, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” reached No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, his first chart-topper. What key decision did you make to help make that happen?
A key decision was making sure we were prepared for the Beyoncé moment. We didn’t even have it locked in 100% but I wanted the team to be prepared if it happened, so we moved our original release date for the song up by three weeks. That way we were able to take advantage of truly an extremely unique opportunity with lots of heat and algorithmic love. The Beyoncé Bounce is real!
The song replace’s Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” at No. 1, the first time in history that two Black artists led the chart back to back. What is the significance of that for you and Shaboozey?
As Black men, we are aware and in awe of the history that we’ve made. Country is a genre that historically has been very closed, and something like this typically could never happen. It’s a positive sign that times are changing and that country listeners just want great music, no matter who it comes from. Thank you to Beyoncé and her team for knocking down that door.
Shaboozey has been buzzing for a while, but he exploded into the mainstream with two features on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album. How did that come about, and how were you guys able to use that momentum to help push “A Bar Song”?
Beyoncé’ was already familiar with Boozey because her team — including her Mom, Tina Knowles — showed us a lot of love on Shaboozey’s “Let It Burn.” But primarily the Beyoncé features came about because her A&R, Ricky Lawson, happened to be at our Range Showcase Night at Winston House in Venice, Calif. Shaboozey is an incredible live performer and that night was special. It’s a testament to taking advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you because you never know who is watching.
On this week’s Hot 100, amid a flood of new Taylor Swift songs, “A Bar Song” was one of only two songs on the entire chart to actually move up, going from No. 36 to No. 27. How was the song able to do that?
It’s the perfect song. It has a tried and true interpolation in J-Kwon’s “Tipsy,” so the familiarity is there and everything about the verses and chorus is a hook. Plus, it’s fun. After also having success with Paul Russell’s hit “Lil Boo Thang” this year I truly believe that people just want to have fun again.
Shaboozey first partnered with EMPIRE in 2021, and is having this huge moment three years later. Why did the EMPIRE partnership make sense over a traditional Nashville-type deal, and how have you built his career in that period of time to lay the foundation for this type of moment now?
EMPIRE has been an incredible partner. What Ghazi, Nima [Etminan] and Tina [Davis] have built is nothing short of amazing — I don’t think they get enough credit for what they’ve done and continue to do in multiple genres. They’ve been huge supporters of Shaboozey, and have shown immense patience as he figured out his sound. Now that the timing is right, they’re throwing everything at this project with staff and resources. Their belief in him is palpable from everyone on their team. As a manager I couldn’t be happier to be in business with all of EMPIRE, including Sak Pase, Peter Kadin and Harrison Golding.
With the likes of Morgan Wallen, Zach Bryan and Bailey Zimmerman, among others, country music music has had a big mainstream boost in the past year-plus. At the same time, Range has been signing more country acts of late and investing in the genre. Did you see this uptick in country music coming, and how do capitalize on the mainstream popularity of the genre moving forward?
Yes. Range is at the forefront of this country revolution and I’m happy to add my energy. It’s been extremely valuable to lean on country music veterans at Range like Matt Graham, Jack Minihan and Shawn McSpadden as I navigate a new genre as a manager. Our staff in the newly-opened Nashville office is second to none, and we’ll continue to capitalize on the uptick with passion, expertise, and boots on the ground.
What’s next for Shaboozey?
More great music and great shows coming to a city near you. He will be a superstar that continues to push boundaries and make great music for years to come. This is just the beginning.
Last Week’s Executive: Sabrina Carpenter’s Manager Janelle Lopez Genzink
As Cowboy Carter enjoys a second consecutive week atop the Billboard 200, the world continues to dissect Queen Bey’s latest opus. On Thursday (April 18), via a press release, Max announced a new documentary titled Call Me Country: Beyoncé & Nashville’s Renaissance slated to hit the streamer on Friday, April 26.
Produced by CNN FlashDocs, the upcoming documentary will provide a look at the impact of high-profile acts like Beyoncé and Lil Nas X on the contemporary country music scene and how their contributions connect to the history of Black artists in Nashville.
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Earlier this year, Queen Bey made history with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the lead single for Cowboy Carter, announced and released during the 2024 Super Bowl (Feb. 11). On the chart dated Feb. 24, “Texas Hold ‘Em” reached No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, marking the first time a Black woman had ever topped the ranking. The following week (chart dated March 2), “Texas Hold ‘Em” became the first country song by a Black woman to top the Billboard Hot 100. Following the release of “Texas Hold ‘Em” and its B-side, “16 Carriages,” streaming activity for other Black women in country exploded across the board.
Call Me Country will feature interviews with Grammy-winning country duo Brothers Osborne, “Texas Hold ‘Em” banjo player Rhiannon Giddens, Rissi Palmer, Aaron Vance and Denitia, as well as analysis from a slew of cultural critics and country music experts, including Touré and co-directors of the Black Opry Holly G. and Tanner D.
Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s eighth solo studio album, arrived March 29 with 27 tracks that pay homage to the Black roots of country music and envision a distinctively Beyoncé-esque future for the genre. The sprawling album included collaborations with several ascendant Black country stars including Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tiera Kennedy, Shaboozey and Willie Jones. In addition, country music legends Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton voiced interludes on the album, which Beyoncé described as a “continuation” of her Grammy-winning Renaissance record.
Fans may still be waiting on the visuals, but, in the meantime, they can enjoy the Call Me Country documentary.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter holds atop the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated April 20), after debuting at No. 1 a week ago, as the set earned 125,500 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending April 11 (down 69%), according to Luminate.
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With a second week in the lead, Cowboy Carter has the most weeks at No. 1 for any Beyoncé album since her self-titled set spent three weeks at No. 1 (its first three weeks on the chart), in December 2013 and January 2014.
Of Beyoncé’s eight No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, three have spent two or more weeks at No. 1: Cowboy Carter (two, 2024), her self-titled effort (three, in 2013-14) and 4 (two, 2011). (Since her self-titled effort, she’s topped the list three more times, with Lemonade [one week at No. 1, 2016], Renaissance [one week, 2022] and now Cowboy Carter.)
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Elsewhere on the Billboard 200, and for the first time in 2024, three albums debut in the top 10 at the same time, as the latest releases from J. Cole, TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Benson Boone start at Nos. 2, 3 and 6, respectively. The last time the top 10 housed three debuts was on the Nov. 25, 2023-dated list, when Stray Kids, Chris Stapleton and Chris Brown saw their newest albums bow in the region.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new April 20, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on April 16. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of Cowboy Carter’s second-week unit sum of 125,500, SEA units comprise 103,000 (down 54%, equaling 132.69 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs), traditional album sales comprise 20,500 (down 88%) and TEA units comprise 2,000 (down 70%).
While Cowboy Carter’s CD and vinyl editions were available to purchase only via Beyoncé’s official webstore in the set’s first two weeks of release, those physical configurations became widely available to all retailers beginning on April 12. (The album has also been purchasable as a digital download, widely, since its release on March 29.)
At No. 2 on the Billboard 200, J. Cole’s surprise-release album Might Delete Later arrives with 115,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, SEA units comprise 105,000 (equaling 137.95 million on-demand official streams of the set’s 12 songs), album sales comprise 9,000 and TEA units comprise 1,000. The album was only available to stream or to purchase as a digital download.
Might Delete Later was issued on April 5 without warning, and boasts collaborations with Gucci Mane, Cam’ron, Bas, Central Cee, Ari Lennox and Young Dro, among others.
Might Delete Later drew attention for its Kendrick Lamar diss track “7 Minute Drill,” which appears to find Cole responding to Lamar’s apparent disses directed at Cole and Drake on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That.” A few days after the release of “7 Minute Drill,” Cole publicly apologized for releasing the track, saying it “don’t sit right with my spirit.” Ultimately, “7 Minute Drill” was removed from the tracklist of the streaming edition of Might Delete Later on April 12, one day after the end of the latest chart’s tracking week. (As of April 14, the song was still available on the digital download edition of the set.) “7 Minute Drill” was the most-streamed song on Might Delete Later during the album’s opening week.
Might Delete Later is J. Cole’s seventh album to reach the top two rungs on the Billboard 200, after he notched six earlier No. 1s in 2011-21. He has logged one other entry on the list, with the Forest Hills Drive: Live, which hit No. 71 in 2016.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER notches its fifth top 10-charting album on the Billboard 200, as Minisode 3: TOMORROW debuts at No. 3 with 107,500 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 103,500 (making it the top-selling album of the week), SEA units comprise 4,000 (equaling 5.54 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. The album’s sales were supported by its availability across 17 collectible CD editions (including exclusive editions sold by Barnes & Noble, Target and the act’s webstore), all containing randomized paper merchandise (but with the same audio tracklist).
With the Nos. 1-3 titles on the Billboard 200 each earning at least 100,000 equivalent album units, it’s the first time we’ve had as many albums clear 100,000 in a week since the Dec. 2, 2023-dated list. That week, Drake’s For All the Dogs jumped 4-1 with 145,000, Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) held at No. 2 with 137,000 and Dolly Parton’s Rockstar debuted at No. 3 with 128,000.
Future and Metro Boomin’s chart-topping We Don’t Trust You falls 2-4 in its third week on the list, earning 99,000 equivalent album units (down 24%). The set’s sequel album, We Still Don’t Trust You, was released on April 12 and will impact next week’s chart dated April 27.
Morgan Wallen’s former leader One Thing at a Time is pushed down 3-5, despite a 4% gain, with 72,000 equivalent album units earned.
Benson Boone’s debut full-length studio album, Fireworks & Rollerblades, skates in at No. 6 with 58,000 equivalent album units earned. It’s the first chart entry for the singer-songwriter. Of the set’s starting sum, SEA units comprise 52,000 (equaling 70.21 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs), album sales comprise 4,000 (largely from its digital download, as the set’s only physical availability was through a limited release on CD) and TEA units comprise 2,000. The album was led by the hit single “Beautiful Things” (the most-streamed song on the set), which has spent the last nine weeks inside the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart (through the list dated April 13), peaking at No. 2.
Ariana Grande’s chart-topping Eternal Sunshine falls 4-7 on the Billboard 200 with 48,000 equivalent album units earned (down 17%), Noah Kahan’s Stick Season slips 7-8 (though up 2%) with 45,000 units, Olivia Rodrigo’s former No. 1 Guts dips 6-9 with 43,000 (down 13%) and SZA’s chart-topping SOS drops 9-10, though with a 1% gain, to 40,000 units.
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
If it felt like Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter was the only album anyone was talking about last week, there was a reason for that: It was on pace to post the biggest single week for an album so far in 2024 by a wide margin.
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The album, Bey’s long-awaited pivot to a country-rooted sound and the second part of her expected Renaissance trilogy, bows atop the Billboard 200 with 407,000 units in its first frame, galloping past the 251,000 units moved by Future & Metro Boomin’s We Don’t Trust You in its debut, previously the top single-week mark for any album in 2024. It’s also well clear of the 332,000 units posted by Renaissance Act I in its first week, making it Beyoncé’s best entrance since Lemonade notched over 650,000 units upon its 2016 debut.
How was Beyoncé able to outdo her Renaissance comeback? And what could we possibly expect to come with her eventual Act III? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
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1. We once again have a new high-water mark for a 2024 first week with the 407,000 units moved by Cowboy Carter in its first frame — a solid 75k higher than the 332,000 moved by Renaissance in its debut week. What do you think is the biggest reason beyond the superior first-week number for Beyoncé’s latest?
Kyle Denis: The biggest reason is the same as the one I gave when we broke down the massive streaming debut she garnered with Cowboy Carter lead single “Texas Hold ‘Em” a few weeks ago — Beyoncé is finally playing ball with new solo music after completing her transition to the streaming era. Renaissance’s numbers, while nothing to scoff at, were indicative of its circumstances — Beyoncé’s first solo studio album to receive a simultaneous wide release across all major streaming platforms. Now that Renaissance has run its course and done the job of introducing Queen Bey’s new music to younger streaming audiences, Cowboy Carter is riding off into the sunset off the back of that foundation. Couple that with both the natural curiosity of an artist like Beyoncé delving into country music and the current commercial power of that genre, and you’re left with Cowboy Carter’s robust first-week units total.
Jason Lipshutz: Track length, curiosity and quality. The fact that Cowboy Carter is 11 songs longer than Renaissance undoubtedly helped its streaming totals, as did the incalculable number of casual listeners who had heard about Beyoncé releasing her version of a country music album and pressing play with their interests piqued. But also, Cowboy Carter does not play out like a gimmick — the album has earned raves from both the BeyHive and neutral observers, and stands as one of the boldest mainstream projects of the year. We’ll see how it endures in her overall discography, but immediately, Cowboy Carter was a lightning rod too interesting to deny.
Taylor Mims: There was a lot more build up and marketing for Cowboy Carter than there was for Renaissance. We had the Verizon announcement, as well as two lead singles that really set the tone. There is no greater marketing than a single as good as “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The song was a great encapsulation of country music, made for brilliant line dancing videos and has been on repeat for months. While people might have been hesitant to listen to dance music or trust Beyoncé in a non-pop/R&B space, she proved that she can take on just about anything with Renaissance and even more fans were onboard for round two with Cowboy Carter. Being part of the Renaissance world last year was a big deal, and a lot of people did not want to miss out on the next big thing she did.
Melinda Newman: While a Beyoncé release always dominates headlines and charts, this one got an incredible start based on the Super Bowl commercial and the drop of “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” That started non-stop chatter for six weeks about the album and the reaction it would get from the country community, so by the time the album dropped, “Texas Hold ‘Em” had already topped a number of Billboard charts and the cultural discourse had reached a fever pitch.
Andrew Unterberger: The hype here was arguably even greater than for Renaissance, and it built on both the wildly positive reception for that album and the ensuing, headline-capturing Renaissance Wrold Tour. Plus, never hurts in the streaming era to have 27 tracks instead of just 16.
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2. Unlike with the recent blockbuster bows from albums by Ariana Grande and Future & Metro Boomin, which both spawned No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 debuts as well, the highest-charting song from Cowboy Carter in its first week is still prior Hot 100-topper “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which returns to No. 2 on the chart. Is there another track on the album that you think could be ticketed for a similar level of chart success, or is it all just parts of a bigger whole outside of “Texas”?
Kyle Denis: It’s a great problem to have, but there are many potential smashes on Cowboy Carter. Obviously “Jolene” and the Miley Cyrus-assisted “II Most Wanted” garnered the most traction during release week, but I’ve seen a lot of love for “Bodyguard,” “Ya Ya,” Riiverdance,” “II Hands II Heaven,” “Tyrant” and “Levii’s Jeans” (with Post Malone). If I had to choose one or two songs to directly follow in the footsteps of “Texas,” I’d put my money on “Bodyguard” and “II Most Wanted,” with “Ya Ya” right behind them.
Jason Lipshutz: I think “Bodyguard” eventually gets there, after the initial plays of Cowboy Carter prioritized her rendition of “Jolene” as well as the Miley Cyrus duet “II Most Wanted” (both of which debuted in the top 10 of the Hot 100). “Bodyguard” may have started below them both at No. 26, but the song offers the most thrilling distillation of Beyoncé’s country-pop approach on the album, as well as a hook and tempo that could work at multiple radio formats. Of course fans wanted to see what Bey did with “Jolene” and alongside Miley, but when the dust settles, I’d expect “Bodyguard” to keep climbing.
Taylor Mims: “Riiverdance” and “Bodyguard” seem like a clear frontrunners given the attention they have already received on TikTok and beyond. But there is still plenty of room for “II Hands II Heaven” and “Levii’s Jeans” to get love on streaming and radio. “Ya Ya” also has a wonderful sample of “These Boots Are Made for Walking” by Nancy Sinatra, and feels both familiar and new in a way that I think will carry it further than the first week numbers suggest.
Melinda Newman: There are a few. Though it’s not in line stylistically with what’s hitting on the Hot 100, “Blackbiird” is simply beautiful, and deserves the biggest audience possible. Beyoncé takes the 1968 Beatles’ classic, which Paul McCartney said he wrote about the civil rights movement, and reinvents it into a glorious testimony, with the help of rising Black women country artists Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts and Brittney Spencer. The arrangement, which includes part of the Beatles’ original version and stunning backing vocals from the four newcomers, is too good not to find the broadest possible audience.
Andrew Unterberger: “Bodyguard” seems like the most obvious Cowboy Bey Bop, one that multiple radio formats could glom onto for the entire summer if so inclined. And even though it wasn’t actually Taylor Swift providing those sighing backing vocals as many fans theorized…. maybe it’s not too late for her to actually do so for the song’s remix? Needless to say, that would certainly seal the deal.
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3. There are a whole host of guests on Cowboy Carter who have already gotten a considerable bump from their appearance on the album. Either from a legacy standpoint or a rising popularity standpoint, which outside collaborator do you think will benefit the most from their involvement with Cowboy Carter?
Kyle Denis: I would say Shaboozey and Tanner Adell. Shaboozey – who appears on “Spaghettii” and “Sweet ★ Honey ★ Buckiin” — is launching a new album next month (titled, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, out May 31), which gives him a nice window to convert the initial Cowboy Carter boost into a larger fanbase that tunes in to his own releases.
Adell has the built-in narrative of people clowning her for hoping for Beyoncé collab just for her to appear on both “Ameriican Requiem” and “Blackbiird.” That, coupled with her low-key viral “Buckle Bunny” and marketability as a “Beyoncé with a lasso,” should result in a substantial career boost for her. Fellow “Blackbiird” collaborator Brittney Spencer should also benefit nicely from this moment, given that it coincides with the current momentum of her My Stupid Life album, which dropped on Jan. 19. Moreover, Tierra Kennedy is releasing a single titled “I Ain’t a Cowgirl” on April 26, so she also has a chance to parlay this new exposure into a hit of her own.
Of course, from a legacy standpoint, country pioneer Linda Martell stands to earn the biggest boost. People know and love Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, but Cowboy Carter introduces Martell to millions of new listeners and people generally unaware of her contributions to country music history.
Jason Lipshutz: Someone send Willie Jones the Shaq “I wasn’t familiar with your game” meme on my behalf, because, holy cow, I could wait to hear more from him after listening to his Cowboy Carter duet “Just for Fun” for the first time. I could see the song serving as a springboard to legitimate mainstream interest for Jones, a former X Factor contestant who’s carved out a country following but has yet to score a crossover hit. “Just for Fun” could be that hit if it becomes a single from Cowboy Carter, but if not, Jones is deservedly experiencing an upswing now.
Taylor Mims: It has to be Linda Martell. Folks are already listening to Miley Cyrus and Post Malone, so I doubt their numbers will be as significant as Martell’s. A lot of people either weren’t familiar with her legacy before Cowboy Carter or they are going to be excited to return to her work. And she deserves renewed attention. Dolly Parton will also certainly continue to see a bump in streaming for at least “Jolene.” Beyoncé’s version is great, but it definitely makes you want to go back and listen to the original.
Melinda Newman: Beyoncé has not only created a work that honors the roots of country music and serves as an educational and entertaining work, she knowingly used her currency to shine the light on country legends and newcomers. While Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson don’t need the extra attention from Beyoncé, the legacy artist most likely to get the biggest boost from her presence on the album is Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. Though Martell’s country career was brief — she registered only three top 40 Country Airplay hits — it was very significant, and her spoken-word inclusion on two tracks on Cowboy Carter has already helped introduce her to millions of Beyoncé and country fans and burnished her place in the history books. The timing couldn’t be better, as Martell’s granddaughter is working on a documentary about her 82-year-old grandmother.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s Martell. Maybe not everyone who hears Cowboy Carter will go digging for 1970’s Color Me Country — though many listeners already have — but at the very least, her name now rings out with casual country (and pop and R&B) fans in a way that it perhaps never quite has before thanks to the major bump in exposure she’s getting from being one of this set’s spiritual elders. That increase in recognition of her legacy should long outlive any short-term streaming bump.
4. Cowboy Carter is the third album in four weeks to set a new mark for the best single-week performance of 2024, with a fourth very possibly coming via Taylor Swift in another couple weeks. Is there any particular reason you think the past month or so has seen such a glut of successful big-ticket releases, or is it mostly just a fluke of timing?
Kyle Denis: I think it’s a mixture of a fluke of timing and people trying to get their records out before the imminent Taylor Swift hurricane. That’s not to say that every artist who released before Swift was trying to get their moment in the sun before Tortured Poets Department, but I’m sure that crossed the minds of their labels and teams, at the very least.
Jason Lipshutz: Nope, just a timing fluke. New albums from Beyoncé, Future & Metro Boomin and Ariana Grande are always going to be big deals regardless of when they’re released, and after a relatively sleepy release calendar in January and February, things started to heat up in March, with Taylor, Billie and more Future/Metro around the corner as well. It’s been a fun month for pop fans (although I do fear that the summer will be comparatively barren — somebody save an album for July, please!).
Taylor Mims: Since roughly the Grammy awards in early February, big stars have been priming fans for a big year. Taylor Swift announced her new album. Kacey Musgraves announced hers the same day. We already had Ariana Grande and new Dua Lipa on the horizon. The music industry decided 2024 was going to be a big year for music and fans are paying attention. Beyoncé and Swift had a huge impact on music sales and touring last year and, rather than relying on two mega stars like 2023, it looks like there will be several other big names filling in the spaces around them this year.
Melinda Newman: There was a time before streaming’s rise when the fourth quarter was the repository for all the year’s biggest releases in order to take advantage of the holiday giving season, but that went out the window years ago when listeners switched to streaming instead of wanting a new CD in their stocking. That has led to big releases dropping year round, so I think the quick succession of record-setters is just coincidence. If anything, I imagine the acts would like a little more breathing room between releases so they could get more time at No. 1 instead of a revolving door at the top.
Andrew Unterberger: Some years, everybody just kinda gets in the pool at once. I do think we’re also just in a particularly rich period for new music at the highest commercial levels, both in terms of the established A-list artists and in the rising artists/sounds starting to properly crystalize within the mainstream. Maybe it’s just that we’re deep enough into the 2020s now (and out of the COVID-19 pandemic) for artists to feel more comfortable diving in with new projects. Regardless of the reasons behind it, it’s a fun time to be a pop fan.
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5. Act I was largely based in dance, and Act II has mostly come from the country world. Assuming it’s also rooted in a genre/history exploration, would you most be interested in hearing Beyoncé do with her potential Act III of Renaissance?
Kyle Denis: Rock is the genre most people expect for Act III, and I wouldn’t be mad at that. Nonetheless, there was already a solid amount of rock on Cowboy Carter, so how about a funk album? Let’s see Bey in her Parliament era! Completely selfishly, I’d love for Act III to be an album of jazz standards or musical theatre covers. This is just my truth!
Jason Lipshutz: Rock, for sure. We’ve got the expansion of the “Daddy Lessons” universe, now it’s time for “Don’t Hurt Yourself” to get one, too.
Taylor Mims: The rumor is rock and I would love that. As a big fan of rock, especially old rock’n’roll that came from legends like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Big Mama Thornton, Tina Turner, Chuck Berry, etc. – I think Beyoncé could do wonders with old school rock’n’roll, as well as reinvigorate a genre that has lost a lot of steam with a younger audience. If she could tap Brittany Howard, Amythyst Kiah, Gary Clark Jr., Stevie Nicks, St. Vincent, The Linda Lindas or HAIM — or get Jada Pinkett back into her metal roots — it would be a hell of an album. We’ve already heard her flirting with the genre on Lemonade’s “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” She’s got this.
Melinda Newman: The prevailing rumor is that Act III will be rock based and if her past Grammy Awards performances with Prince and Tina Turner are any indication, it should be another home run. She’s already shown on record— whether it’s 2016’s “Don’t Hurt Yourself” or Cowboy Carter’s “Ya Ya”— that she’s very comfortable in the rock world, though as she stresses on the new album, Beyoncé is way bigger than any one genre.
Andrew Unterberger: We want the funk. Give up the funk, Beyoncé!
Beyoncé is no stranger to lifting up her fellow Black artists, and she did just that with her recently released album, Cowboy Carter.
The project features Tanner Addell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts on Bey’s “Blackbiird,” a rendition of The Beatles’ 1968 classic. Linda Martell and Shaboozey are feaured on “Spaghettii,” while Willie Jones sings on “Just for Fun.” Shaboozey also makes an appearance on “Sweet Honey Buckiin’.”
To celebrate the talented Black artists that contributed to Cowboy Carter, Spotify launched a billboard in Los Angeles this week, noting that each of the featured artists received an impressive bump in streams and visibility on the streaming platform since the album’s release.
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Spotify x COWBOY CARTER Billboard
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According to Spotify, Beyoncé’s catalogue got a 395% in streaming since Cowboy Carter‘s release, Spencer’s music saw an increase of 37,220%, Reynolds saw an increase of 16,000%, Adell saw an increase of 3,200%, Kennedy saw an increase of 40,000%, Jones saw an increase of 5,650%, Shaboozey saw an increase of 1,350% and Martell saw a nearly 127,430% increase in catalog streams on Spotify.
Each artist also got a boost in first-time listeners. Beyonce’s first-time listeners increased by 85%, Spencer’s increased by 170%, Reynolds’ increased by 125%, Adell saw an uptick of 125% in first-time listeners, Kennedy’s increased by 110%, Jones’ increased by 75%, Shaboozey’s increased by 70% and Martell saw a nearly 1,145% uptick in first-time listeners on Spotify.
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On the day of its release on March 29, Cowboy Carter officially became Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2024.
See Spotify’s Cowboy Carter billboard in its entirety below.
Spotify x COWBOY CARTER Billboard
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It might be time to refer to the Beatles as the Bey-tles from here on out! On Thursday (April 4), Sir Paul McCartney took to his Instagram page to share a lengthy message lauding Beyoncé‘s cover of The Fab Four’s “Blackbird,” which appears on her brand new Cowboy Carter album.
“I am so happy with @beyonce’s version of my song ‘Blackbird,” he wrote in a caption of a carousel comprised of a photo of the two artists and the standard Cowboy Carter artwork. “I think she does a magnificent version of it and it reinforces the civil rights message that inspired me to write the song in the first place. I think Beyoncé has done a fab version and would urge anyone who has not heard it yet to check it out. You are going to love it!”
“Blackbird,” stylized as “Blackbiird” on Beyoncé’s new LP, reimagines the acoustic original with additional bass, orchestral flourishes and lush harmonies (and lead vocals on the final verse) from a quartet of ascendant Black women in country music, including Tanner Adell, Reyna Roberts, Brittney Spencer and Tiera Kennedy.
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McCartney spoke about the civil rights bent he alluded in Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now, a 1997 Barry Miles-penned biography of the Beatles. In the book, McCartney explains that “I had in mind a [Black] woman, rather than a bird. Those were the days of the civil rights movement, which all of us cared passionately about, so this was really a song from me to a [Black] woman, experiencing these problems in the States: ‘Let me encourage you to keep trying, to keep your faith; there is hope.’”
McCartney — whose original master recording is used in Beyoncé’s version, according to Variety — also revealed that he had the chance to speak with the pop icon about her take on “Blackbird.”
“I spoke to her on FaceTime and she thanked me for writing it and letting her do it,” wrote McCartney, who attended Beyoncé’s record-breaking Renaissance World Tour last year. “I told her the pleasure was all mine and I thought she had done a killer version of the song. When I saw the footage on the television in the early 60s of the black girls being turned away from school, I found it shocking and I can’t believe that still in these days there are places where this kind of thing is happening right now. Anything my song and Beyoncé’s fabulous version can do to ease racial tension would be a great thing and makes me very proud.”
“Blackbiird,” the second track on Bey’s already-record-breaking Cowboy Carter, is one of two covers on the LP. Elsewhere on the sprawling 27-tack album, Beyoncé takes on Dolly Parton’s seminal “Jolene,” rewriting the song to be a more seamless fit for a “Creole banjee b–ch from Lousianne.”
In 2022, with Renaissance lead single “Break My Soul” entering the Billboard Hot 100‘s top 10 for the first time, Beyoncé became the first woman in Billboard history to ever tally at least 20 top 10 hits as soloist and 10 or more top 10s as a member of a group. The only other two artists to accomplish such a feat? None other than Michael Jackson and McCartney.
The Beatles’ original version of “Blackbird” appeared on their eponymous 1968 LP — commonly referred to as The White Album — which spent nine weeks atop the Billboard 200. Recently, Emmy-winning documentarian Ken Burns compared Cowboy Carter to The White Album, citing both records’ extensive exploration of different musical genres.
Check out Sir Paul’s sweet Instagram message about Beyoncé’s “Blackbiird” below.