Why Beyoncé's #1 Country Hit Matters

Plus Black Women in Country Music History & New Releases

Inside this Issue

• Beyoncé Makes Country Music History - Why It Matters

• Black women and country music infographic (yay!)

• RSVP: “Sync Licensing 101” with Chelsey Coy

• New Releases

• Texchromosome Showcase & VR Demo

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Beyoncé Makes Country Music History - Why It Matters

I admit, when the news hit that Beyoncé released her country single “Texas Hold ‘Em” that I was skeptical. 

She conquered the R&B, Pop, and Hip-Hop worlds, but it seemed a stretch for her to wow country fans while still appealing to her current fan base. It’s hard for a pop/R&B star to successfully crossover to country - add brown skin and a uterus, and the deck is stacked against you.

I’m happy to say that I WAS WRONG. Why doubt a super star born and raised in Texas?!?

Billboard just announced that Queen Bey broke records with “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” from her upcoming album Renaissance Act II. Here are concurrent achievements with “Texas Hold ‘Em” in particular:

• First black female artist to top Billboards Hot Country Charts, getting 19.2 million streams, 39,000 traditional sales, and 4.8 million audience impressions last week.

• First woman to hit #1 on seven of Billboard’s song charts as a solo artist: 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. Only Justin Bieber has led more hybrid song charts (8).

• First woman to top both Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs since the charts launched in 1958.

• Beyoncé joins Taylor Swift as the only solo women to debut at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Verizon’s 2024 Super Bowl ad “Can’t Be Broken” kicked off the release’s debut with a challenge to break the internet and a directive to “drop the new release.” Verizon’s advertising reps at Ogilvy New York are popping champagne bottles right about now.

I’m already thinking of how “Texas Hold ‘Em” and The Beehive will influence line dancing - a visual DEI opportunity that her official music video producers could still capitalize on (why stop at just one music video?). TikTok dancers and choreographers are **killing it** already.

Old, young, white, black, male, female, straight, gay, liberal, conservative, urban, and rural.

EVERYONE is taking it to the floor and THAT is why Beyoncé’s chart-topping crossover matters. Where politicians, religious leaders, corporations, and news media have failed, Beyoncé has succeeded in bringing all walks in the U.S. together in joyful shit-kicking bliss.

My prediction: “Texas Hold ‘Em” will be nominated for a Song of the Year GRAMMY, plus multiple CMA and AMA award nominations. 

News blew up over an Oklahoma country radio station that refused to play Beyoncé’s music, but it has quickly done a u-turn per Newsweek. Overall, the industry has embraced both country songs.

Rhiannon Giddens playing banjo on “Texas Hold ‘Em” also matters as it reminds us of the instrument’s African roots through the talented Americana star’s capable hands.

The banjo is a descendant of an African-stringed instrument called the Gambia and shaped early country stylings that remain today.

It’s a bad-kept secret that country music was white washed as early as the 1920s. Plenty of biracial collaborations jump-started the genre, and radio play didn’t show skin color or song credits so it flew under the radar. Sadly, the genre was divided by color (“hillbilly” genre for white audiences and “race” genre for black audiences) thanks to record label execs who catered to southern stations that refused to play integrated music. Eventually, hillbilly music became “country” music and the notion that it was a white music genre was solidified.

Whether male or female, black artists and songwriters barely made a mark on commercial country airplay since the 1940s. The numbers are even weaker for black female musicians/songwriters.

In honor of Black History Month, our intern Nora Kapp researched and created this handy infographic that highlights major milestones black women have made in the genre. I’d like to think that Beyoncé intentionally released her first country single in February as an ode to those who came before, were written out, and deserve to be in the spotlight again. These artists, past and present, matter.

If you want to re-post the infographic, include a link to this post and be sure the copyright and Herizon Music logo are legible.

Only 5 Spots Left!

When: Monday, March 11th 11:30am to 1:30pm CT

Hot Topic: Sync Licensing 101: First Steps To Making Money

Guest Speaker: Chelsey Coy, co-founder of twoOHsix Music

Where: Girl Guitar, 2309 Thornton Studio C, Austin, TX 78704

It’s time for another Herizon Music Industry Meetup! We host a quarterly luncheon for female music industry professionals featuring a hot topic, cool vibes, and tasty food. Join us right before the SXSW music festivities begin.

There are only five seats left, so save your spot! You must RSVP to attend this free event.

Video feed will be available exclusively for paid Herizon Music subscribers who cannot attend the event! Upgrade here.

If you would like to present your products or services to event attendees and Herizon Music paid subscribers, please email me.

New Releases

Buying music is the best way to support musicians. One $5 album is worth, on average 1,145 streams on Spotify. Perspective: 80% of artists average 50 monthly listeners and 79% of tracks have been played fewer than 5,000 in total! (source)

Buy through these links, and Amazon pays me a wee percentage of its proceeds — which helps keep this publication and podcast running.

Runaway Girl (heavy rockin’ blues EP) by Evan Nicole Bell, Maryland

Prelude To Ecstasy (alt rock opera LP) by The Last Dinner Party, England

“Blame” (Americana pop single) by The Wind and The Wave, Texas

“Hornet Sting” (single) by Jenna-Blue, North Carolina

Come Together: Showcase & VR Demo

When Penny Jo Pullus, founder of Texchromosome nonprofit and radio show, called me about this event, I was immediately IN.

If you’re in Austin for SXSW or enjoy living locally, swing by this two-day showcase of Texas artist performances at the Text Pop ATX Museum in South Austin.

On Saturday, March 16th at 5pm CT, I will have a VR headset on hand so you can experience a VR Live Music performance from our Maui studio. May Lee will showcase her sultry jazz covers in an interactive environment that will blow your mind! Seriously, I was in tears when I saw her in the VR Live studio on Tuesday.

Introduce yourself, try out the VR Live experience, and head to the main stage for IRL entertainment. You’ll be glad you did!

You made it to the end of one of my all-time favorite issues of Herizon Music! Now what to do? Make sure you RSVP’d to our two events: the “Sync Licensing 101” Monday Meetup and “Come Together” Showcase. Then forward this email to at least one music lover you know who would love to join our band of dreamers, rule breakers, and rockstars!

Thea 🎶