Playlist
The big story
In March Beyoncé released her new album, Cowboy Carter, in which the pop/R&B megastar – and the most awarded artist in Grammys history – went country. The album, part of a mooted trio of releases in which Beyoncé explores different genres, featured a roster of country heavyweights including Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Linda Martell, and lyrical references to the joys of wearing double denim (‘Levii’s Jeans’). Despite some initial scepticism — a country music radio station in the state of Oklahoma initially refused to play lead single ‘Texas Hold ’Em’ – the new direction was a huge hit and made Beyoncé the first black woman to reach the number one spot on Billboard’s charts of both country songs and albums. Here’s the album, and country music’s, recent success in context:
24 Percentage increase in streams of country music year-over-year from 2022 to 2023, an uplift of over 20 billion plays
1.5 Percentage of the more than 2,100 artists played on country radio stations from 2002 to 2020 that were black
20 Percentage increase in share value of Levi’s in the week after the release of ‘Levi’s Jeans’
The critical list
Five of the best reviewed albums of the quarter
The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow by Charles Lloyd
The octogenarian jazz stalwart’s 51st (!) album came out to near universal acclaim in March
Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s latest set has changed the notion of what can and should be considered country music
I Got Heaven by Mannequin Pussy
The fourth full-length release from the Philadelphia rockers mixes raging punk with intoxicating power pop
Iechyd Da by Bill Ryder-Jones
Former Coral guitarist’s self-produced fifth album is a heartbreaking epic complete with soaring strings
Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker
The Big Thief band leader’s latest solo LP is a collection of raw and poignant songs recorded straight to tape
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