Cowboy Carter

Cowboy Carter
Digital edition artwork
Studio album by Beyoncé
Released	March 29, 2024 (2024-03-29)
Recorded	2020–2024
Genre	Country Western
Length	79:03
Language	English Italian
Label	Parkwood Columbia
Producer	Beyoncé 070 Shake BAH Jon Batiste Atia Boggs Cadenza Cam Miley Cyrus D.A. Got That Dope Derek Dixie Dixson Ian Fitchuk Harry Edwards Shawn Everett Nathan Ferraro Tyler Johnson Paul McCartney No I.D. Nova Wav Dave Hamelin Killa B Nick Kobe Mamii Simon Mårtensson Pharrell Williams Jack Ro Raphael Saadiq Sean Solymar Sounwave Swizz Beatz The-Dream Khirye Tyler
Beyoncé chronology
Renaissance (2022) Cowboy Carter (2024)
Alternative cover
Artwork for initial physical releases titled Beyincé[4] Artwork for initial physical releases titled Beyincé
Singles from Cowboy Carter
"Texas Hold 'Em" Released: February 11, 2024 "16 Carriages" Released: February 11, 2024

Cowboy Carter (also referred to as Act II: Cowboy Carter or Act II: Beyincé on initial physical pressings) is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé. Released on March 29, 2024, via Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records, the album is the second installment of Beyoncé's trilogy project conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic, following Renaissance (2022). Mostly labeled a country and Western album, Cowboy Carter blends various genres including pop, opera, house, Jersey club, classic rock, hip hop, blues, soul, rock, rhythm and blues, zydeco, bluegrass, fado, go-go, funk carioca and folk.

Conceptually, Cowboy Carter is presented as a broadcast by a fictional radio station (called KNTRY Radio) in Texas, with country singers Dolly Parton, Linda Martell and Willie Nelson acting as radio DJs. The album also features lesser known country artists such as Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Shaboozey and Willie Jones, and has contributions from Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers, Rhiannon Giddens and Jon Batiste, among others. Two co-lead singles supported the album—"Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages".

Upon release, Cowboy Carter received universal acclaim, with critics praising Beyoncé's blending of diverse musical genres, vocal performance and exploration of her roots. Publications reported that the album ignited discussions on Black musicians' place within country music, boosted the listenership of Black country artists and country radio in general, and increased the popularity of Western wear and culture.

Background and development

I grew up going to the Houston rodeo every year. It was this amazing diverse and multicultural experience where there was something for every member of the family, including great performances, Houston-style fried Snickers, and fried turkey legs. One of my inspirations came from the overlooked history of the American Black cowboy. Many of them were originally called cowhands, who experienced great discrimination and were often forced to work with the worst, most temperamental horses. They took their talents and formed the Soul Circuit. Through time, these Black rodeos showcased incredible performers and helped us reclaim our place in western history and culture.

— Beyoncé to Harper's Bazaar in 2021

Beyoncé was born and raised in Houston, Texas, where the city's cowboy heritage and country and zydeco music played a role in her upbringing. She listened to country music from an early age, particularly from her paternal grandfather, and attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo every year with her family wearing western clothing. She later performed at the Rodeo four times between 2001 and 2007, and has continued to celebrate her country and Southern roots throughout her career.

Beyoncé's first notable association with country music came in 2007, when she performed a bluegrass-inspired version of her hit "Irreplaceable" with country duo Sugarland at the American Music Awards. She first released an original country song in 2016 when the track "Daddy Lessons" was included on her sixth studio album Lemonade. Beyoncé, together with the Chicks (who had previously covered the song), performed the track at the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 2, 2016. The performance was largely praised by critics and gave the Country Music Association Awards their highest viewership figures in history; however, it was also met with backlash, with some country music fans criticizing Beyoncé's attendance and claiming she did not belong in the genre. The Country Music Association deleted all promotional posts about Beyoncé's performance, which was seen as succumbing to the pressure in an attempt to prevent backlash against the organization.

This experience led to the creation of Cowboy Carter. Beyoncé explained how it was made clear to her that she was not welcome in the country music space, but instead of letting the criticism force her out of the genre, it made her push past the limitations put on her. She delved into the history of country music and Western culture and researched its African-American roots. She studied "our rich musical archive" and learned from educators who had long advocated for a re-education on the black roots of country music. She also read about how, historically, 50% of cowboys were black, noting: "After understanding where the word 'cowboy' came from, I realized how much of the Black, brown and Native cowboy stories are missing in American history." This was the inspiration for her 2021 "Ivy Park Rodeo" clothing collection. Following this research, Beyoncé decided that she wanted to reclaim Americana and country music from a Black perspective, according to stage designer Es Devlin. Collaborator Rhiannon Giddens noted Beyoncé did not intend to create a typical crossover country album, but instead wanted to explore her family's roots through music.

Cowboy Carter was over five years in the making, with Beyoncé beginning to write the album in 2019 and continuing its recording throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which she described as her most creative period. The album forms the second installment ("Act II") of a trilogy project that Beyoncé recorded throughout this period. The first act, Renaissance (2022), is primarily a house and disco record highlighting and celebrating the Black progenitors of dance music, leading some to believe that each album of the trilogy would aim to explore the Black roots of a different musical genre. Cowboy Carter was originally intended to be released before Renaissance but Beyoncé changed the order as a response to the pandemic.

Between 2020 and 2024, Dolly Parton said on multiple occasions that she would like Beyoncé to cover her song "Jolene". She first said that "nobody's ever had a really big hit record on ['Jolene']" in a December 5, 2020, interview with The Big Issue. She said that even though "the song has been recorded worldwide over 400 times in lots of different languages, by lots of different bands, [she'd] always hoped somebody might do [it] someday, someone like Beyoncé." On March 10, 2022, when asked by Trevor Noah on The Daily Show about her 2020 statement, she said "I would just love to hear 'Jolene' done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney did my 'I Will Always Love You', just someone that can take my little songs and make them like powerhouses. That would be a marvellous day in my life if she ever does do 'Jolene'." After publicly showing her support for Beyoncé's 2024 venture into country in February, on March 8, 2024, in an interview with Knox News for the 2024 season opening of Dollywood, Parton said "I think she's recorded 'Jolene' and I think it's probably gonna be on her country album, which I'm very excited about..."

Composition

File:Linda Martell--Ebony (cropped).jpg

In addition to up-and-coming country artists, various established musicians contributed to Cowboy Carter, including Linda Martell, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder and Nile Rodgers

The joy of creating music is that there are no rules. The more I see the world evolving the more I felt a deeper connection to purity. With artificial intelligence and digital filters and programming, I wanted to go back to real instruments, and I used very old ones. I didn't want some layers of instruments like strings, especially guitars, and organs perfectly in tune. I kept some songs raw and leaned into folk. All the sounds were so organic and human, everyday things like the wind, snaps and even the sound of birds and chickens, the sounds of nature.

— Beyoncé on Cowboy Carter

Beyoncé recorded around 100 songs for the album. Each song is its own reimagined version of a Western film. These include Five Fingers For Marseilles (2017), Urban Cowboy (1980), The Hateful Eight (2015), Space Cowboys (2000), The Harder They Fall (2021), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), Thelma & Louise (1991), and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000).

Cowboy Carter is generally described as a country and Western album, and blends together various genres including blues, soul, rock, rhythm and blues, zydeco, folk, bluegrass, opera, go-go, flamenco, funk carioca, fado, classic rock, rap, pop, house and Jersey club. The album is presented as a broadcast by a fictional Texas radio station, with country singers Dolly Parton, Linda Martell and Willie Nelson acting as radio DJs. The album features rising country artists Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Shaboozey and Willie Jones, and also features contributions by musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers, Raye, and Jon Batiste. The album is cyclical, with the final note looping seamlessly into the beginning of the first track (which begins "Nothing really ends") in the same manner as James Joyce's Finnegans Wake (1939), according to the The Washington Post's Shane O'Neill.

Promotion and release

File:Beyonce CowboyCarter tracklistposter.webp

Chitlin' Circuit-inspired Cowboy Carter tracklist poster released on March 27 in advance of the album's release

Beyoncé originally intended to release Cowboy Carter as the first installment of her trilogy project, but explained that "with the pandemic, there was too much heaviness in the world", and so released Renaissance first, because "[people] deserved to dance." The then-untitled album was first announced on February 11, 2024, during Super Bowl LVIII, when Verizon Communications aired a Super Bowl commercial, titled "Can't B Broken", in which Beyoncé tried to "break the Internet" through increasingly outlandish means, such as releasing a jazz saxophone record, performing on top of the Las Vegas Sphere, building an artificial intelligence (AI) version of herself, launching a "BarBEY" (portmanteau of Barbie and Beyoncé) collection, announcing her candidacy for a fictional political position, and flying into space for a performance. After all of the ideas proved unsuccessful, Beyoncé concluded the commercial by remarking: "Okay, they ready. Drop the new music".

Following the broadcast, Beyoncé released a teaser video for Act II on Instagram. Directed by British artist and filmmaker Nadia Lee Cohen, the video pays homage to Paris, Texas (1984), references border blasters and features Chuck Berry's 1955 track "Maybellene". The same day, the singer's official website was updated to announce her eighth studio album, with the placeholder name Act II, scheduled for release on March 29. Subsequently, the album's two lead singles, "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages", were simultaneously made available for digital download and streaming. On March 12, Beyoncé announced the album would be titled Cowboy Carter via a teaser poster of a western saddle with a sash. With this she listed album merchandise of limited-edition CDs with a bonus track, T-shirts, and vinyl variants in red, white, blue and standard black.

On March 19, 2024, Beyoncé revealed the album cover via Instagram, and said there would be "surprises" and collaborations on the album. On March 20, she revealed a limited edition exclusive cover, wearing a sash that reads "act ii BEYINCÉ", referencing her mother Tina's generational family surname. Taglines and film stills for the album were projected onto various museums in New York City. One of these was an unauthorized projection onto the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, who genially responded by posting Franz Marc’s 1910 painting Three Horses Drinking with the Texas Hold 'Em-inspired caption "This ain't Texas". Beyoncé also posted co-ordinates to the museum on her Instagram story.

This album has been over five years in the making. [...] 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. [...] 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.

— Beyoncé via Instagram in March 2024

On March 27, Beyoncé posted a graphic to Instagram of the album's tracklist inspired by vintage posters from the Chitlin' Circuit era. It revealed collaborations with Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, as well as a cover of the former's "Jolene", and "The Linda Martell Show". The latter song references Linda Martell, the first Black woman to achieve commercial success in the country genre.

The CD release comes in four variants, each with a different rear cover depicting Beyonce, namely "Snake Face", "Bead Face", "Cowboy Hat" and "Blonde Hair". It was released in Japan on March 29 and will be released on April 12 in Europe.

Cover artwork

A rodeo queen in Texas

The Cowboy Carter album cover was shot by Texan photographer Blair Caldwell. Much like the cover for Renaissance—which saw Beyoncé sitting atop a stationary disco ball horse—the Cowboy Carter artwork sees Beyoncé atop a gray Lipizzan at full gallop. She rides the horse sidesaddle (historically a style associated with high-status women), dressed in a red, white and blue one-piece, a cowboy hat, and a sash reading "Cowboy Carter". She holds the horse's reins in one hand and a large American flag in the other. The imagery is reminiscent of rodeo queens, who similarly carry the flag while riding their horse after winning the title.

The album cover was a topic of discussion and dissection by critics. Francesca T Royster, professor at DePaul University and author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions, wrote: "The aesthetic choice is bold and seems to be signaling the ways that Beyoncé is putting herself into conversations about nationalism, a theme very much central to discourses about country music, patriotism and authenticity, from the times of its origins." Critics suggested a variety of inspirations and allusions for the cover, including presidential portraits, Jacques-Louis David's Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1801–1805), Marina Abramović's The Hero (2001), Kehinde Wiley's Equestrian Portrait of King Philip II (Michael Jackson) (2009), the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, and Eadweard Muybridge's The Horse in Motion (1878).

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.9/10
Metacritic	91/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Daily Telegraph
The Guardian
HipHopDX	4.8/5
The Independent
The Irish Times
The Line of Best Fit	7/10
Pitchfork	8.4/10
Rolling Stone
The Times

Cowboy Carter received universal acclaim upon release, with critics describing it as a "masterpiece". Critics praised Beyoncé's blending of diverse musical genres and vocal performance, and described the album as both a grand political statement and a personal ode to Beyoncé's roots. On the review aggregator website Metacritic, the album received a weighted average score of 91 from 100 based on six reviews, indicating "universal acclaim" - this makes Cowboy Carter the most acclaimed album of 2024.

Critics lauded Cowboy Carter as an exploration and reinvention of Americana, as well as a celebration of Black southern culture and its contribution to the country music genre. The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber and The Evening Standard's Gemma Samways noted that the album experiments with the touchstones and musical traditions of country and Americana in order to explore its Black cultural roots. Maria Sherman of the Associated Press wrote that the "eclectic" and "epic" album "redefines American style" and requires close examination of its references, themes and messages for full enjoyment. HipHopDX's Tai Saint-Louis described the album as a reclamation of both the "deep roots from which Beyoncé has crafted her artistry" and "the many branches that have sprouted from Black music in America". Variety's chief music critic Chris Willman characterized the album as a "piece of agitprop and socially significant performance art" that both reflects and impacts the history of Black music and country.

Critics lauded the album for its ambitious experimentation with genre, describing Beyoncé as reimagining country music in her image. Neil McCormick of The Telegraph explained how Beyoncé did not intend to pay homage to country music but to transform it, pushing the boundaries of genres and mixing diverse musical styles (from "expansive psyche Americana balladry" to "jerking confrontational surrealist rap") as a polemic against the conservatism of the country genre. The New York Times critic Ben Sisario described the album as a "broad essay" both on popular music and on the nature of genre itself. The Independent's Helen Brown and The Sydney Morning Herald's Robert Moran explained how Beyoncé's genre experimentation is in the service of celebrating the overlooked pioneers of country music while spotlighting up-and-coming Black musicians.

Many critics praised the album's "ambitious" scope and "cinematic" grandiosity, likening it to a Western epic. The Financial Times's Ludovic Hunter-Tilney compared the album to a blockbuster historical epic, with its "impressive, very American aura of importance" and "the sense that history is not only being told but also made". NPR's Sidney Madden equated each of the tracks to a "full-length film full of scenic grandeur, character and conflicts" that can be dissected and discussed. Some critics felt that the album would fare better if it were split by musical style. Petridis wrote that while the album may have worked better as a double-disc, "its wild lurches into eclecticism are the point" and demonstrates Beyoncé's "impressive" ability to "bend musical styles to her will".

Commercial performance

Upon release, Cowboy Carter officially became the most-streamed album in a single day in 2024 on Spotify. It garnered over 76 million streams globally in its first day on the platform, making it the 6th highest first-day stream count for any female album and the highest for any album by a black woman. The album also marks the most first-day streams for a country album by a female artist in the history of Amazon Music.

Impact

Beyoncé preserves the best of country past and evolves us into a country future that we have never seen... It's such a full-circle moment for me that I almost want to cry. I wanted to see a Black woman get to the top of the charts, and now I can retire.

—Alice Randall, the first Black woman to write a number-one song on the country charts

Black artists in country music

With Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé was seen as reclaiming country music and bringing it back to its Black roots. It also sparked conversations on the inclusion of Black artists within the country genre and the reclamation of Black country identity. The BBC's Daisy Woodward wrote that Beyoncé's embrace of country music "galvanises" the reclamation of western culture by those who have felt excluded by it and subverts the traditional image of cowboys. American author and country songwriter Alice Randall, in an interview for The Washington Post, affirmed that Beyoncé "is spotlighting and building on a profound tradition" which started with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music by Ray Charles, stressing that "[Beyoncé] is going to take it even further if the things she's already done in country is any indication," even if Charles was not prized by the music genre at the time. NBC News's Emi Tuyetnhi Tran wrote that the album has the potential to redefine what it means to be a country artist "in the cultural consciousness".

The album spotlighted Black musicians in the country music space and boosted their listenership. Black female country musicians saw a significant increase in streams due to the album, such as Reyna Roberts (250%), Rissi Palmer (110%), Tanner Adell (188%) and K. Michelle (185%). Linda Martell, the first commercially successful Black female country artist and the first to play the Grand Ole Opry, saw a 275% increase in streams. Other musicians who saw an increase in demand include Adia Victoria, Amira Unplugged, Brittney Spencer, Mickey Guyton, Rhiannon Giddens, and Sacha. Black-led country organizations such as the Black Opry also received a significant increase in followers. NPR's Amanda Marie Martínez also said that the album has highlighted and boosted the profile of Black country artists. The song, Martínez writes, has revealed the "strong demand" for country music made by Black artists and a "growing community" of Black country fans. In an article for The Nashville Tennessean, Andrea Williams explained how Beyoncé has opened the door for others in country music and proved that Black songwriters, producers, and musicians belong in the genre. Williams wrote that Black people are generally "shut out of country music's creation" and that they "have been waiting for the opportunity to take part in the genre their forefathers helped build, to not be told they’re too urban for Nashville studios." With Cowboy Carter, Williams writes, Beyoncé celebrates Black country musicians, proving they are "country enough" and allowing them to receive their due credit and remuneration.

Popularity and accessibility of country music

Cowboy Carter marked a cultural shift for country music and boosted its accessibility to a wider audience, according to CBS News. SiriusXM host Mike Muse told Good Morning America that the album is sparking a "global conversation" and "social discourse" on country music and increasing public interest in the genre. Beyoncé's country music will "open the floodgates" for other country musicians, according to BBC News. Country artist Kezia Gill said that Beyoncé's presence will make the genre "accessible to everyone" and "bring in a whole generation" of new listeners. Roisin O'Connor, music editor at The Independent, said that the album is "a tipping point" for country music, spreading the genre to new audiences. Texas Monthly's Dan Solomon wrote that the album has had a "dramatic" cultural impact, with Beyoncé "remaking country radio in her image".

Country radio

Country radio managers shared their excitement about the album bringing new listeners. Mike Levine of Go Country 105 said that "anything to make country more approachable is amazing, so it's fantastic," while 93Q Country program manager Travis Moon said it is "exciting not just for country radio, but for the artist and the legacy that she's done in her entire career." Moon noted that instead of just fitting a certain "vibe", "Texas Hold 'Em" has a "fresh" and "exciting" new sound, saying, "Just the way the song is constructed, the vocals are amazing, the instrumentation's fantastic. It fits the vibe of what we're doing on this radio station."

Programmers at Cumulus Media's country stations had a call where they spoke "enthusiastically" about the album, with chief content officer Brian Philips describing it as "a gift". Philips told Variety that it "adds a completely unforeseen, unimagined new angle to country radio... We have 55 major country stations and it's very hard to get them to agree on anything. But everybody at country wants to play it." iHeartMedia chief programming officer and president Tom Poleman spoke of his excitement to play the album on iHeartRadio stations, describing Beyoncé as an "innovator" who "continues to push the creative boundaries in music". SiriusXM senior director of country programming Johnny Chiang also shared his excitement to add the album's tracks to Pandora country stations, telling Variety, ""Texas Hold 'Em" is a good song, and a legit modern country song. And she's iconic, so it's a no brainer....nothing but good for our format."

Responses from country artists

Country icon Dolly Parton recognized the impact that Beyoncé's embrace of country music has had, praising Beyoncé as "fantastic and beautiful", and posted a message on social media stating: "I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album... Can’t wait to hear [it]!" Country singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson shared her excitement about Beyoncé's crossover into country, telling Billboard: "I love it. The more the merrier. Country music is about storytelling and Beyoncé knows how to tell a story, so I think it's awesome and it's awesome for the country music genre. Everybody wants to feel at home and country music makes you feel at home." Darius Rucker expressed himself as a fan of Beyoncé's embrace of country and praised her new music. Country singer-songwriter Maren Morris described it as "such a statement", praising Beyoncé's "reclaiming of country music back to Black people". Country singer Mickey Guyton described the album as "very exciting", noting that "Beyoncé is country music" and that is has the potential to boost the careers of people of color in country music. Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile said that the album would "save" country music.

Fashion

Beyoncé's embrace of country music and culture ignited fashion trends and boosted sales of Western wear, in a phenomenon termed "the Cowboy Carter effect" by the Evening Standard. Western retailer Boot Barn's Isha Nicole said that it has "catapulted Western influence into the limelight, inviting the masses to participate in the romanticism of the American spirit". Google searches for "bolo tie", "cowboy hat", and "cowboy boots" increased by 566%, 213%, and 163% following the announcement of the album. The cowboy hat trend fueled by the album was followed by public figures such as Kim Kardashian, Pharrell Williams, Diplo, and Bella Hadid. Tyler Thoreson, Vice President of Marketing at Stetson, told Glossy: "We’re honored to have Beyoncé as the latest in a long line of trailblazers to make our hats a key part of their look. We’ve seen incredible interest in our brand and our products across the social media landscape since the Grammys. And we’ve seen a spike in interest in the Shasta, the style she’s been wearing most the past couple week... Beyoncé has taken things to a whole new level."

Track listing

Credits adapted from Tidal.

Cowboy Carter – Digital edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Ameriican Requiem"	Beyoncé Knowles-Carter Jonathan Batiste Ernest Wilson Darius Scott Tyler Johnson Shawn Carter Stephen Stills Raphael Saadiq Derek Dixie Dan Walsh Atia Boggs Camaron Ochs	Beyoncé Batiste No I.D. Dixson Johnson Khirye Tyler	5:25
2.	"Blackbiird" (with Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy)	Lennon–McCartney	Beyoncé Paul McCartney Tyler	2:11
3.	"16 Carriages"	Knowles-Carter Dave Hamelin Boggs Saadiq	Beyoncé Hamelin Ink Saadiq[b] Stuart White[b]	3:47
4.	"Protector" (with Rumi Carter)	Knowles-Carter Jack Rochan Ryan Beatty Ochs	Beyoncé Jack Ro	3:04
5.	"My Rose"	Knowles-Carter Shawntoni Nichols	Beyoncé Mamii	0:53
6.	"Smoke Hour / Willie Nelson" (with Willie Nelson)	Knowles-Carter Charles Anderson Charles Berry Jesse Stone Leah Takele Sister Rosetta Tharpe Edward House Jr.	Beyoncé	0:50
7.	"Texas Hold 'Em"	Knowles-Carter Elizabeth Lowell Boland Megan Bülow Brian Bates Nate Ferraro Saadiq	Beyoncé Killah B Ferraro Saadiq[a] White[b] Hit-Boy[b] Mariel Gomerez[b]	3:53
8.	"Bodyguard"	Knowles-Carter Saadiq Beatty Nichols Boland Leven Kali	Saadiq	4:00
9.	"Dolly P" (with Dolly Parton)	Knowles-Carter Dolly Parton	Beyoncé Nova Wav Jack Ro	0:22
10.	"Jolene"	Parton	Beyoncé Tyler Jack Ro	3:09
11.	"Daughter"	Knowles-Carter Ochs Dixie Carter Simon Mårtensson Terius Gesteelde-Diamant	Beyoncé Cam Derek Dixie Simon Mårtensson	3:23
12.	"Spaghettii" (with Linda Martell and Shaboozey)	Knowles-Carter Tyler Collins Chibueze DJ Dede Mandrake Carter Gesteelde-Diamant	Beyoncé Tyler Swizz Beatz	2:38
13.	"Alliigator Tears"	Knowles-Carter Tyler Gesteelde-Diamant	Beyoncé Tyler The-Dream	2:59
14.	"Smoke Hour II" (with Willie Nelson)	Knowles-Carter Hamelin Jeff Gitelman Takele	Beyoncé Hamelin	0:29
15.	"Just for Fun" (with Willie Jones)	Knowles-Carter Hamelin Gitelman Beatty	Beyoncé Hamelin	3:24
16.	"II Most Wanted" (with Miley Cyrus)	Knowles-Carter Miley Cyrus Ryan Tedder Michael Pollack	Beyoncé Cyrus Shawn Everett Pollack Jonathan Rado	3:28
17.	"Levii's Jeans" (with Post Malone)	Knowles-Carter Austin Post Gesteelde-Diamant Carter Nile Rodgers	Beyoncé The-Dream	4:17
18.	"Flamenco"	Knowles-Carter Nichols	Beyoncé Mamii	1:40
19.	"The Linda Martell Show" (with Linda Martell)	Knowles-Carter Takele	Beyoncé	0:28
20.	"Ya Ya"	Knowles-Carter Gesteelde-Diamant Harry Edwards Oliver Rodigan Carter Arlo Parks Brian Wilson Mike Love Lee Hazlewood Klara Mkhatshwa Munk-Hansen	Beyoncé Tyler The-Dream Harry Edwards Cadenza	4:34
21.	"Oh Louisiana"	Berry	Beyoncé The-Dream	0:52
22.	"Desert Eagle"	Knowles-Carter Jabbar Stevens Miranda Johnson Marcus Reddick	Beyoncé BAH	1:12
23.	"Riiverdance"	Knowles-Carter Gesteelde-Diamant Nick Kobe Mark Spears Rachel Keen	Beyoncé The-Dream	4:11
24.	"II Hands II Heaven"	Knowles-Carter Spears Rochan Beatty Gesteelde-Diamant Hamelin	Sounwave Jack Ro Hamelin	5:41
25.	"Tyrant" (with Dolly Parton)	Knowles-Carter David Doman Ochs Dominic Redenczki Kobe Ezemdi Chikwendu Gesteelde-Diamant	D.A. Got That Dope Hamelin Tyler	4:10
26.	"Sweet / Honey / Buckiin'" (with Shaboozey)	Knowles-Carter Pharrell Williams Kobe Chikwendu Gesteelde-Diamant Carter Hank Cochran Harlan Howard	Beyoncé Williams Kobe	4:56
27.	"Amen"	Knowles-Carter Scott Danielle Balbuena Darius Dixon Hamelin Dixie Ian Fitchuk Johnson Ochs	Beyoncé Derek Dixie 070 Shake Hamelin Ian Fitchuk Sean Solymar Johnson	2:25
Total length:				79:03

Notes

• Initial vinyl pressings of the album do not include "Spaghettii", "Flamenco", "The Linda Martell Show", "Ya Ya" and "Oh Louisiana".
• Initial CD pressings of the album do not include "Spaghettii", "The Linda Martell Show", "Ya Ya" and "Oh Louisiana".
• "My Rose" is titled "Mr. Sir" in early pressings of the CD edition.
• ^{^[a]} indicates a co-producer
• ^{^[b]} indicates an additional producer

Samples and interpolations

• "Blackbiird" is a cover of the 1968 Beatles song "Blackbird".
• "Smoke Hour / Willie Nelson" features snippets of "Grinnin' in Your Face" by Son House, "Maybellene" by Chuck Berry, "Don’t Let Go" by Roy Hamilton and "Down by the River Side" by Rosetta Tharpe.
• "Jolene" is a cover of the 1973 Dolly Parton song of the same name, although it features significant lyric changes.
• "Daughter" interpolates the aria "Caro Mio Ben", written and composed by Tommaso Giordani.
• "Spaghettii" features spoken word by Linda Martell, and contains a sample of O Mandrake's song "Aquecimento das Danadas".
• "II Most Wanted" interpolates Fleetwood Mac's song "Landslide", written by Stevie Nicks.
• "Ya Ya" contains a sample of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'", written by Lee Hazelwood and originally performed by Nancy Sinatra; it also interpolates The Beach Boys' song "Good Vibrations", written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love.
• "Oh Louisiana" contains a sample of Chuck Berry's song of the same name, written by Berry himself.
• "II Hands II Heaven" contains a sample of Underworld's song "Born Slippy Nuxx", written by Rick Smith, Karl Hyde and Darren Emerson.
• "Sweet / Honey / Buckiin'" interpolates Patsy Cline's song "I Fall to Pieces", written by Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard.

Release history

Release history for Cowboy Carter

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Various	March 29, 2024	CD digital download streaming vinyl	Parkwood Columbia

See also

• 2024 in country music
• Black cowboys
• African-American trail rides