“THIS IS HERSTORY”: Fans react as Beyoncé becomes the first black woman to debut at #1 on Billboard’s Country Songs chart

Beyoncé charts at the top of Billboard’s Country Songs chart. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

On Tuesday, February 20, 2024, Beyoncé, the American singer and songwriter became the first Black woman to top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, after her track, Texas Hold ‘Em, debuted at No. 1.

The parameters of the list are streaming, airplay, and the amount of physical and digital sales. The 42-year-old’s first two entries on the survey are Texas Hold ‘Em at No. 1 and 16 Carriages at No. 9, as per The Guardian.

The two tracks, released on February 11, were announced in a Verizon commercial that aired during the Super Bowl LVIII broadcast, as per CNN. Netizens have praised the singer for her historic achievement.

Beyoncé is also the second ever solo female artist to place No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Songs Chart

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter charted at the top of the Hot Country Songs on Tuesday, becoming the first Black woman ever to do so since the list’s inception in 1958. The song Texas Hold ‘Em is also No. 2 on the Hot 100 behind Jack Harlow’s Lovin on Me.

Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages are Beyoncé’s two singles released, ahead of of her new country album, expected to be titled Act II, set to release on March 29, 2024. The project follows her 2022 Renaissance LP, as per Billboard.

Texas Hold ‘Em has been streamed about 19.2 million official times so far and has a 4.8 million all-format airplay audience. The song has sold 39,000 physical units in the U.S. through February 15, according to The Guardian. 16 Carriages, on the other hand, has gained 10.3 million streams, 90,000 in radio reach, and 14,000 copies sold.

 

Queen Bey is also the second solo female artist in history – with no accompanying artists – to achieve this feat on Billboard, next to Taylor Swift. The 34-year-old pop star, who originally began as a country singer had her two songs Love Story (Taylor’s Version) and All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) hit No. 1 in the Hot Country Songs in 2021, according to CNN.

Beyoncé has also achieved another honor with her achievement on the country music chart. She is now the first woman to place No. 1 on both the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hip Songs charts since 1958. The other four artists in history to have topped both charts are Justin Bieber, Billy Ray Cyrus, Ray Charles, and Morgan Wallen, as per Billboard.

Netizens went on social media to congratulate Queen Bey for her record-breaking new releases.

The artist’s country chart debuts come after an online debate that originated last week around Texas Hold ‘Em being classified as a country track.

A country radio station in Oklahoma allegedly even declined to play a request for Beyoncé’s new single, as per CNN. However, it soon changed its narrative after receiving backlash online. The radio station said that were not served the file for the track from Beyoncé’s label when they received the request.

 

Beyoncé is also the first and only act to chart No. 1 in seven of Billboard’s multimetric song charts as a solo artist. The charts are the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Hot Gospel Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot R&B Songs, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, as per CNN.

Texas Hold ‘Em is currently being promoted on country radio officially, as per Billboard.