Beyoncé becomes first black female singer to top Billboard
Beyoncé Knowles’ single Texas Hold ‘Em took the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Country Chart immediately after its release.
Beyoncé Knowles’ single ” Texas Hold ‘Em” shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Charts shortly after its Super Bowl release, making her the first black artist to reach the top spot in Billboard history.
Beyoncé’s other single, “16 Carriages,” released simultaneously with “Texas Hold ‘Em” on February 11, debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Country Chart. ” Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at No. 2 with 19 million downloads, while “16 Carriages” debuted at No. 38 with 10.3 million downloads on the Billboard Hot 100.
Throughout the history of the Billboard charts, it has been difficult for black artists to gain recognition in country music, a field traditionally dominated by white male singers. But the unexpected success of Beyoncé’s country singles comes at a time when black women are beginning to gain recognition in the field. At last year’s Country Music Awards, Tracy Chapman won Song of the Year for Fast Car, which topped the country charts three decades after its release thanks to a cover by Luke Combs. In recent years, there have been a number of prominent black female country artists, such as Mickey Guyton and Brittney Spencer.
According to Billboard, Beyoncé is the first woman to top both the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts since the awards were established in 1958. Both of Beyoncé’s singles are from her upcoming album, the follow-up to her country-themed album Renaissance, which she often refers to as Act II. The full album is scheduled to be released on March 29.
