Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Album Surpasses 1 Billion Spotify Streams

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter continues to outdo itself.

Less than two months after its release on March 29, the 42-year-old icon’s sprawling 27-track album has galloped past the one billion streams mark on Spotify, Parkwood Entertainment confirmed on Wednesday, May 8, a testament to its widespread acclaim and appeal.

Shortly following its release, Spotify declared Cowboy Carter became the platform’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2024, marking the first time this year that a country album held the esteemed title. (The record has since been broken by Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department.)

Spotify records aren’t the only thing Cowboy Carter has accomplished since its release. The album — which features country legends like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Linda Martell, plus rising acts Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer and Shaboozey — debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 as well as the Top Country Albums charts, the latter of which made Beyoncé the first Black woman to ever lead the list since its 1964 inception.

Additionally, 23 songs from the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100, which helped the 32-time Grammy winner increase her career total from 85 entries to 106 on the chart. Thus, she’s the 17th artist — and third woman — to have logged over 100 records on the Hot 100 over the course of her career. 

Ahead of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé already had two charting singles from the album, “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The latter debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and made the “II Hands II Heaven” singer the first Black woman with a No. 1 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart.

The arrival of Cowboy Carter, the long-awaited Act II follow-up to 2022’s Renaissance, sent fans into a frenzy when Beyoncé first announced the country album during the 2024 Super Bowl. Leading up to its release, the singer opened up about what inspired the genre-defying album. 

“This album has been over five years in the making,” she wrote on Instagram. “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.” 

“It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world,” she continued, “while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.”

The “Jolene” singer went on to say the criticisms she faced upon her country music entrance forced her to challenge herself beyond the limitations set by naysayers. As a sequel to Renaissance, Beyoncé said she took time to “bend and blend genres together” to create the daring body of work, which, according to her, is more than just a country album.

“This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album,” she concluded. “This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”