Beyoncé has officially become the first Black woman to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with her new single, “Texas Hold ’Em.”
Billboard revealed Tuesday (February 20), that both the aforementioned track and Bey’s other new single “16 Carriages” made for her first two entries on the chart, with the latter debuting at No. 9.
Both songs were released in a surprise drop on February 11 after she announced them in a Verizon commercial during Super Bowl LVIII. She also announced the songs will live on her forthcoming album Renaissance: act ii, due out March 29.
The surprise drop confirmed what fans had been speculating that Beyoncé was hinting at a country release, though they were mostly piecing together crumbs.
They cited things like Bey’s country-inspired look at the 2024 Grammy Awards, as well a lyric on her 2019 single “Black Parade” where she sings, “I’m going back to the South, where my roots ain’t watered down” as potential proof that Act II would be a country LP.
One thing that had been confirmed in the past, however, is the original Renaissance album was meant to start a trilogy. In November, New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan wrote in a since-deleted tweet that Act II would be an “acoustic album,” and that Act III would be a collaboration with JAY-Z. This was neither confirmed nor denied from Bey’s camp.
Days after the songs’ release, “Texas Hold Em” became Beyoncé’s first entry on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
According to Billboard, the song debuted at “No. 54 with 1.1 million in audience via 100 stations at the format in the tracking week ending Feb. 15.”
The above numbers are based on a survey by Mediabase the takes into account around 150 country music stations across the United States.
“We immediately added it [in] a sub-power rotation, which is where we put top-trending new music,” KBAY San Jose program director Bo Matthews said about the hit. “I want people to hear it. One of the biggest artists in the world delivered a great country record for us to have fun with, and the song is really good.
“We are in the business of creating excitement for our listeners and I’m embracing the moment. Plus, there is plenty of room for great artists, even from other genres. It’s a big country tent.”
