Beyoncé releases Cowboy Carter: Tracklist, guest features and everything we know

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Beyoncé has shared her eighth album, the nation music-influenced Cowboy Carter, to main streaming platforms.

The Texas-born star launched the album at midnight, shortly after sharing a promotional poster with the tracklist and a reference to the chitlin circuit, a community of venues the place Black musicians might carry out safely between the Thirties and Nineteen Sixties.

Coming in at a staggering 27 tracks, Cowboy Carter contains collaborations with stars comparable to Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus and Post Malone, together with covers of well-known songs like Parton’s “Jolene” and “Blackbird” by The Beatles.

The album was preceded by the 2 lead singles, “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em”, the latter which propelled Beyoncé to the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, making her the primary Black girl to attain the feat.

Despite this achievement, the nation music business – notoriously hostile in the direction of anybody it deems an “outsider” – has remained notably tight-lipped concerning the Lemonade artist’s newest album, with some exceptions.

Last week, Beyoncé hit again on the negativity, remarking that “the criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me”.

Her feedback appeared to seek advice from her collaboration with The Chicks throughout a stay efficiency on the Country Music Awards (CMAs) of her track “Daddy Lessons”, which was met by racist trolling and detrimental reactions from figures in nation music.

“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,” Beyoncé mentioned in her assertion.

“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.”

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She continued: “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.

“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.

“I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop.

“This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I’m proud to share it with y’all!”

You can see the total tracklist beneath:

Beyoncé’s six-year-old daughter, Rumi Carter, is credited on “Protector”, whereas different guest stars embrace Linda Martell, Willie Jones, Brittney Spencer and Reyna Roberts.

“Blackbird” was written by Paul McCartney for The Beatles’ White Album in 1968, and impressed by the Little Rock Nine, a gaggle of 9 African American college students enrolled at a previously segregated college in Arkansas.

Along with the covers, Beyoncé interpolates “Good Vibrations” and Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces” on Cowboy Carter.