Grab your cowboy hat, because ACT II: COWBOY CARTER, the next installment of Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE project, has officially arrived. Stream it below.
The second act kicked off in February with the album announcement and dual drop of “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES,” which confirmed this project as country-inspired. Shortly after, Beyoncé revealed that this album was born of an experience where she didn’t feel welcomed, and the process of writing and recording ACT II has encouraged her to take a deep dive into the rich history of Black artists in country music.
She’s enlisted a crew of serious heavy hitters to join her on the journey, including icons Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. Miley Cyrus and Post Malone also guest on COWBOY CARTER. Linda Martell, the first Black woman to ever play the Grand Ole Opry, gets a moment to take center stage, too.
Beyoncé has now made history once already with this album, as “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” became the first song by a Black woman to top the country charts. In a note, the artist shared, “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.”
Naturally, Beyoncé was one of the women who dominated the touring landscape in 2023, and we named the “Renaissance World Tour” one of the best live shows of the year.
ACT II: COWBOY CARTER Artwork:
ACT II: COWBOY CARTER Tracklist:
01. AMERIICAN REQUIEM
02. BLACKBIRD
03. 16 CARRIAGES
04. PROTECTOR
05. MY ROSE
06. SMOKE HOUR (with Willie Nelson)
07. TEXAS HOLD ‘EM
08. BODYGUARD
09. DOLLY P.
10. JOLENE
11. DAUGHTER
12. SPAGHETTII
13. ALLIIGATOR TEARS
14. SMOKE HOUR II
15. JUST FOR FUN
16. II MOST WANTED (with Miley Cyrus)
17. LEVII’S JEANS
18. FLAMENCO
19. THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW
20. YA YA
21. OH LOUISIANA
22. DESERT EAGLE
23. RIIVERDANCE
24. II HANDS II HEAVEN
25. TYRANT
26. SWEET HONEY BUCKIN’
27. AMEN
