After weeks of waiting with bated breath, Beyoncé‘s new album has finally arrived!
On Friday, the 42-year-old GRAMMY winner released her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, and it’s filled to the brim with guest appearances, from Dolly Parton to Post Malone and Miley Cyrus, among others.
Prior to the official album drop, Beyoncé confirmed that the project would include a cover of Parton’s “Jolene,” and the 78-year-old music icon quickly put her stamp of approval on it.
“Listen to my original ‘Jolene’ while you wait for @Beyonce’s COWBOY CARTER – Dolly P,” Parton tweeted on Wednesday after the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer shared a poster-style tracklist announcing all 27 song titles from the record.
Cowboy Carter is presented as a radio broadcast by fictional Texas station KNTRY, and Parton appears as one of the guests in an interlude throughout the album. Joining Parton are Willie Nelson and Linda Martell.
Meanwhile, 31-year-old Cyrus is featured on the track “II Most Wanted,” while Malone, 28, duets with Beyoncé on the song “Levii’s Jeans.”
Beyoncé’s mom, Tina Knowles, celebrated her daughter’s collaboration with the “Sunflower” rapper on Instagram just hours before the album released.
“This album is so darn good that it is hard to have some favorites but this song is definitely in my top five. Levi’s Jeans featuring Post Malone❤️It’s stuck in my head thanks to my bonus son,” she wrote. “‘The Dream’ playing it 20-11 times in my ear😂😂😂 He and @Beyonce are two geniuses in the studio! ❤️❤️❤️.”
Other featured guests on the album include Shaboozey, who pops up on “Spaghettii” and “Sweet Honey Buckin’,” and Willie Jones, who appears on “Just for Fun.” Meanwhile, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts, are all featured on on “Blackbiird,” a cover of The Beatles’ 1968 classic, “Blackbird.” Rounding out the list is Beyoncé’s daughter, Rumi Carter, who is featured on “Protector.”
Despite previous speculation, Taylor Swift is not featured on the album.
The official Cowboy Carter tracklist includes: “American Requiem,” “Blackbiird,” “16 Carriages,” Protector,” “My Rose,” “Smoke Hour,” “Texas Hold ‘Em,” “Bodyguard,” “Jolene,” “Daughter,” “Spaghetti,” “Alligator Tears,” “Smoke Hour II,” “Just for Fun,” “II Most Wanted,” “Levii’s Jeans,” “Flamenco,” “The Linda Martell Show,” “Ya Ya,” “Oh Louisiana,” “Desert Eagle,” “Riverdance,” “II Hands II Heaven,” “Tyrant,” “Sweet Honey Buckin’,” and “Amen.”
Beyoncé first announced that new music was on the way in a surprise Super Bowl ad at this year’s game. Shortly after the announcement, Beyoncé revealed that the first two songs off the album, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” were out.
On March 19, she kicked off the 10-day countdown for the record on Instagram and gave her fans a preview of what was to come.
“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,” she began, referencing her recent achievement of becoming the first Black female artist to top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with “Texas Hold ‘Em.” “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 continued: “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.”
“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 added. “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.”
Beyoncé concluded: “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!”
The new album follows Act I: Renaissance, which was released in July 2022.
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