Beyoncé has once again etched her name in the annals of music history. Billboard recently announced that the iconic musician, aged 42, has become the first-ever Black female artist to reach the summit of the Hot Country Songs chart with her single “Texas Hold ‘Em.” This achievement adds yet another milestone to Beyoncé’s illustrious career.
“Texas Hold ‘Em,” released to country radio on February 13, debuted at No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart and has now claimed the top spot on the Hot Country Songs chart. The track dethroned Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves’ duet “I Remember Everything,” which had held the No. 1 position for 20 weeks.
Beyoncé’s crossover hit garnered an impressive 19.2 million official streams, along with 4.8 million in all-format airplay audience and 39,000 sales in the U.S. by February 15, according to Luminate.
In achieving this feat, Beyoncé joins Taylor Swift as the only solo female artists to debut at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart. Taylor Swift accomplished this with “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” in 2021.
Furthermore, Beyoncé has also become the first female artist to top both the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts since October 1958, when these lists became “all-encompassing genre song charts,” according to Billboard. Other artists who have led these charts include Morgan Wallen, Justin Bieber, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Ray Charles.
Alongside “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé released another track, “16 Carriages,” on February 11, which debuted at No. 9 on the Hot Country Songs chart and entered the Hot 100 chart at No. 38. “16 Carriages” has amassed 10.3 million streams, 90,000 in radio airplay, and 14,000 in sales.
Beyoncé’s surprise release of “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” during the Super Bowl, along with a teaser for her upcoming album, act ii, has further heightened anticipation among fans. The teaser, shared on Instagram, features imagery reminiscent of the classic 1984 western film Paris, Texas, adding to the intrigue surrounding her next musical offering.
Act ii of Renaissance, as the album is currently referred to, is scheduled for release on March 29, marking a little over a year and a half since the debut of Beyoncé’s last album, which was influenced by house music and dropped in the summer of 2022.