Beyoncé’s new song “Texas Hold’ Em” made history by reaching the top spot of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
The chart-topper makes Beyoncé the only other solo woman with no accompanying artists to top the chart and the first-ever Black woman. Bey is also the first woman to have topped the Hot Country and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts since the lists began in 1958.
Taylor Swift is the only other woman who managed to achieve such a feat. Her songs “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” hit No. 1 in 2021.
Released on Feb. 11, “Texas Hold’ Em” has already racked up 19.2 million official streams and 4.8 million radio plays and sold 39,000 units, debuting at No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart, per Billboard. “16 Carriages” was released on the same day as her history-making single, which reached no. 9. on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Her single ruffled a few feathers after Oklahoma radio station KYKC refused to play the singles, telling a listener who requested the hit, “We do not play Beyoncé on KYLC as we are a country music station.”
I requested Texas Hold ‘Em at my local country radio station (KYKC) and after requesting, i received an email from the radio station stating “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station. @BeyLegion pic.twitter.com/eQksQemk6m
— JUSTIN ???? (@jussatto) February 13, 2024
Last week, Roger Harris, a general manager for KYKC, told CBS News that the station had added “Texas Hold’ Em” to its playlist and that he didn’t initially know Beyoncé released country songs and said the response was a “standard reply.”
The good news comes the same week Beyoncé’s charity, BeyGOOD and her new haircare line, Cecred, announced a new $500,000 fund supporting scholarships and business grants in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New Jersey.
“Hairstylists have an immense impact on the people in their chairs,” reads a statement posted on BeyGOOD’s website.”They create a sacred space where we can show up how we want and express ourselves through our hair. We’re honored to give back to this amazing community.”
To qualify, students must either be enrolled in or have received an acceptance letter from one of the schools in partnership with this collaboration.
