Beyoncé broke the internet after she announced her foray into country music with her latest singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” following her Verizon commercial during Super Bowl LVIII.
The releases immediately sparked controversy as some country music stations are reportedly refusing to play her songs, citing their commitment to the genre.
During the Super Bowl, Beyoncé announced the upcoming release of her eighth studio album, Act II, set for March 29 – which will be focused on Country music.
However, despite calls from fans for country stations to embrace her new music, some stations are pushing back.
Reports emerged of a country music station in Oklahoma, KYKC 100.1 FM, initially declining to play “Texas Hold ‘Em” citing Beyoncé’s non-alignment with their country music format.
Beyonce’s Act II
According to one X user, the station replied by email to decline.
“We do not play Beyonce’ [sic] as we are a country music station,” the email read.
After receiving numerous requests, the station eventually added the song to its rotation, prompting speculation about the reception of Beyoncé’s music across other stations.
KYKC posted an image of its show schedule, which showed the song in a 2:28 p.m. time slot.
“Lots of calls coming in for Beyoncé’s Texas Hold ‘Em,” the caption said. “It’s coming up in minutes.”
In a more extensive statement, Roger Harris, the general manager of South Central Oklahoma Radio Enterprises (SCORE), said:
“We are a small market station. We’re not in a position to break an artist or help it that much, so it has to chart a little bit higher for us to add it.
But we love Beyoncé here. We play her on our [other top 40 and adult hits stations] but we’re not playing her on our country station yet because it just came out.”
Beyhive assembles
The controversy surrounding Beyoncé’s country music debut draws parallels to the exclusion of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” from the Billboard country charts in 2018, which ignited discussions about race and representation in the genre.
Some critics attributed the removal of “Old Town Road” to racial bias, prompting the addition of country music icon Billy Ray Cyrus to the remix.
The issue underscores longstanding challenges faced by Black artists in country music and Americana radio.
Despite notable figures like Darius Rucker, Mickey Guyton, Kane Brown, and Jimmie Allen, Black representation in these genres has been historically limited.
Beyoncé’s venture into country music is not entirely new; her song “Daddy Lessons” garnered attention for its country-infused sound, culminating in a controversial performance at the 2016 CMA Awards alongside The Chicks.
Beyonce’s Verizon commercial
The performance stirred debate within the country music community, with artists like Alan Jackson expressing dissent over pop singers’ inclusion in the genre.
The reception of “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” serves as a pivotal moment in the ongoing dialogue surrounding diversity and inclusion in country music.
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