Beyoncé has just made history with her country single “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which has debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. This marks a groundbreaking achievement for the Queen Bey, making her the only other solo woman alongside Taylor Swift to hit No. 1 without any featured artists, according to Billboard.
Released on February 11, during the Super Bowl, “Texas Hold ‘Em” quickly captured attention. In just a few days, it racked up 19.2 million official streams, 4.8 million radio plays, and sold 39,000 units, proving Beyoncé’s crossover appeal in the country genre. It also made an impressive debut at No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart.
However, the release of the song wasn’t without controversy. An Oklahoma country station made headlines when it initially refused to play the track, citing a request they received. After facing backlash from fans and additional requests, the station clarified that they didn’t know the song was out and didn’t have access to it at the time. They’ve since added it to their rotation, but the incident sparked a broader conversation about diversity and inclusion within country music.
In addition to “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé also released another country single, “16 Carriages,” which debuted at No. 9 on the Hot Country Songs chart and No. 38 on the Hot 100 chart. With 10.3 million streams, 90,000 radio plays, and 14,000 units sold, “16 Carriages” also proved her dominance in the genre.
Beyoncé’s successful foray into country music not only demonstrates her versatility as an artist but also challenges the boundaries of genre and inclusion in the industry. With two successful country singles already under her belt, it’s clear that Beyoncé is here to stay in the country music scene.
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