Texas Hold 'Em (song)

"Texas Hold 'Em" is a song by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé from her upcoming eighth studio album, ''Cowboy Carter''. Written by Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Brian Bates, Nathan Ferraro and Rafael Saadiq, it serves as the co-lead single for ''Cowboy Carter'' lead single, alongside "16 Carriages". The song was a surprise release and debuted during Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. Titled after the poker game variant, "Texas Hold 'Em" is an uptempo country pop, western, and soul song featuring elements of folk.

Music critics praised "Texas Hold 'Em" for its playful tone, authentic sound, Beyoncé's vocal performance, and its celebration of the Black roots of country music. Country artists and country radio managers also praised the song for elevating the accessibility of country music for a wider audience. The track ignited discussions on Black musicians' place within country music, boosted the listenership of Black country artists and country radio in general, and increased the popularity of Western wear and culture.

"Texas Hold 'Em" was a commercial success and marked several historical achievements. In the United States, it topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Beyoncé's ninth number one single. Additionally, the song debuted atop the Hot Country Songs chart, making Beyoncé the first Black woman with a number-one country song in ''Billboard'' history. Outside of the United States, "Texas Hold 'Em" topped the charts in Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, as well as the ''Billboard'' Global 200, earning Beyoncé her first number-one song since that chart's inception in 2020.

Background

Beyoncé was born and raised in Houston, Texas, where the city's cowboy heritage and zydeco music played a role in her upbringing. She listened to country music from an early age, particularly from her paternal grandfather. She attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo every year with her family wearing western clothing, and later performed at the Rodeo four times between 2001 and 2007. Throughout her career, Beyoncé has celebrated her Southern roots, such as implementing elements of country music on '' B'Day'' (2006), performing a country version of " Irreplaceable" with Sugarland in 2007, celebrating her country and Southern identity on "Formation" (2016), releasing the country track "Daddy Lessons" from '' Lemonade'' (2016) and later performing the song with The Chicks at the 2016 CMA Awards, spotlighting Southern culture during her 2018 Coachella performance, and centering her pride about her Southern country roots on " Black Parade" (2020). In 2021, Beyoncé released the Ivy Park x Adidas "Rodeo" clothing line inspired by "the overlooked history of the American Black cowboy"; Beyoncé commented on the collection saying: "Many of them were originally called cowhands, who experienced great discrimination and were often forced to work with the worst, most temperamental horses. They took their talents and formed the Soul Circuit. Through time, these Black rodeos showcased incredible performers and helped us reclaim our place in Western history and culture."

Release

During Super Bowl LVIII, American singer-songwriter Beyoncé starred in a commercial with actor Tony Hale for Verizon. Her appearance was teased by the company in the days leading up to the Super Bowl with teaser trailers referencing her sixth and seventh studio albums, '' Lemonade'' (2016) and ''Renaissance'' (2022). At the end of the commercial, which sees the singer attempt to "break the Internet" in various ways, Beyoncé says, "Okay, they ready. Drop the new music," leading to media speculation of the second act of her ongoing ''Renaissance'' trilogy.

Beyoncé then took to her Instagram account and announced her eighth studio album, tentatively titled ''Act II'', with a release date of March 29, 2024, through a teaser of an unidentified woman starting up a car with a license plate that read "Texas Hold 'Em". As she drives up an empty road, she passes by a group of men staring at a billboard with the same slogan as the license plate featuring a cutout of Beyoncé in a seductive pose. As the Super Bowl continued, she released two tracks from ''Act II'' to streaming services and digital download: "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages".

Composition

Named after the poker game, "Texas Hold 'Em" is an uptempo country pop, western in the key of D major and soul song with elements of folk music. It features a "rapid-plucked" banjo and acoustic guitar introduction that moves into a "stomping" beat. Chris Willman of ''Variety'' likened the song to Beyoncé's "Daddy Lessons" (2016) for its "playful" sound and danceability, while Ben Beaumont-Thomas of ''The Guardian'' found whispers of the Jonas Brothers's "What a Man Gotta Do" (2020) in its melody.

Beyoncé wrote "Texas Hold 'Em" with Nathan Ferraro, Elizabeth Boland, Megan Bülow, and Raphael Saadiq; she produced it with Killah B and Nathan Ferraro. Rhiannon Giddens, an American musician and scholar who has long advocated for the reclamation of country music instruments by Black musicians, plays banjo and viola on the song. Giddens commented on the song following its release, writing:

My only hope is that it might lead a few more intrepid folks into the exciting history of the banjo. I used to say many times as soon as Beyoncé puts the banjo on a track my job is done. Well, I didn't expect the banjo to be mine.

Critical reception

In a review for '' Variety'', Chris Willman described "Texas Hold 'Em" as a "genre-embracing and -transcending" track that acts as a radical venture into "unexplored territory", with Beyoncé reclaiming country music as a Black genre. Willman noted that instead of being "genre tourism", Beyoncé is taking a serious and authentic approach to her embrace of country music, exercising her "natural right" to reach back into her roots as a Texas native. ''The Guardian'''s Ben Beaumont-Thomas admired the "rootsy and authentically country" vocal and instrumental arrangements, as well as how Rhiannon Giddens's inclusion on the song highlighted her work to deepen listeners' understanding of how instruments such as the banjo was originated by Black musicians.

In an article for ''Time'', Taylor Crumpton wrote that Beyoncé's presence in country music signals the "birth of a new era" in which performers "who have continued to carry on the legacy of country's music heart and soul" are celebrated. Crumpton also commented on how, rather than molding herself to the will of the gatekeepers of country music, Beyoncé "has been country for the entirety of her life," growing up in a community that saw a "cultural exchange between Black, Tejano, and Indigenous communities." Craig Jenkins for ''Vulture'' praised how "thornily" the song "plays dealer with a stack of country clichés like wisdom earned in card games and dive bars but pumps them full of lyrics that would make a ''Grand Ole Opry'' audience sweat."

Writing for '' Consequence'', Mary Siroky proclaimed "Texas Hold 'Em" as her early song of the summer while lauding Beyoncé's "inimitable" vocal performance. Kyle Denis of ''Billboard'' also praised Beyoncé's "impassioned vocal performance", as well as the "slick harmonies" and powerful instrumentation on the track. Will Hodgkinson of ''The Times'' wrote that the track "sure is fine", praising the "ultra-catchy melody" and describing it as a soon-to-be wedding classic.

In a negative review, Chris Richards of ''The Washington Post'' wrote that the song felt "dull, dry, unimaginative, unnecessary, unconfident and uncool." '' Pitchfork'''s Nadine Smith appreciated how the song brought the "parallel worlds" of country and soul music together through its collaborators, but criticized Beyoncé's attempts at "9-to-5 relatability" and "car commercial"-esque production.

Impact

Black artists in country music

With the release of "Texas Hold 'Em", Beyoncé was seen as reclaiming country music and bringing it back to its Black roots. It also sparked conversations on the inclusion of Black artists within the country genre. The ''BBC'''s Daisy Woodward wrote that Beyoncé's embrace of country music "galvanises" the reclamation of western culture by those who have felt excluded by it and subverts the traditional image of cowboys. American author and country songwriter Alice Randall, in an interview for ''The Washington Post,'' affirmed that Beyoncé "is spotlighting and building on a profound tradition" which started with '' Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music'' by Ray Charles, stressing that " eyoncéis going to take it even further if the things she’s already done in country is any indication," even if Charles wasn't prized by the music genre at the time.

''NBC News'''s Emi Tuyetnhi Tran wrote that "Texas Hold 'Em" has the potential to redefine what it means to be a country artist "in the cultural consciousness." In an analysis for '' American Songwriter'', Thom Donovan reported that "country music’s embrace of hip-hop was the natural progression" and "Texas Hold 'Em" is "more than a cheeky metaphor; it’s part of the larger arc of Beyoncé’s work celebrating the legacy of Black artists". As the singer did with the first act, Donovan wrote that "Beyoncé reminds listeners that country music is another kind of dance music."

The release of the song spotlighted Black musicians in the country music space and boosted their listenership''.'' Black female country musicians saw a significant increase in streams due to the song, such as Reyna Roberts (250%), Rissi Palmer (110%), Tanner Adell (188%) and K. Michelle (185%). Linda Martell, the first commercially successful Black female country artist and the first to play the ''Grand Ole Opry'', saw a 275% increase in streams. Other musicians who saw an increase in demand include Adia Victoria, Amri Unplugged, Brittney Spencer, Mickey Guyton, Rhiannon Giddens, and Sacha. Black-led country organizations such as the Black Opry also received a significant increase in followers. '' NPR'''s Amanda Marie Martínez also said that the song has highlighted and boosted the profile of Black country artists. The song, Martínez writes, has revealed the "strong demand" for country music made by Black artists and a "growing community" of Black country fans. In an article for ''The Nashville Tennessean'', Andrea Williams explained how Beyoncé has opened the door for others in country music and proved that Black songwriters, producers, and musicians belong in the genre. Williams wrote that Black people are generally "shut out of country music's creation" and that they "have been waiting for the opportunity to take part in the genre their forefathers helped build, to not be told they’re too urban for Nashville studios." With "Texas Hold 'Em", Williams writes, Beyoncé celebrates Black country musicians, proving they are "country enough" and allowing them to receive their due credit and remuneration.

Popularity and accessibility of country music

"Texas Hold 'Em" marked a cultural shift for country music and boosted its accessibility to a wider audience, according to ''CBS News''. SiriusXM host Mike Muse told Good Morning America that the song is sparking a "global conversation" and "social discourse" on country music and increasing public interest in the genre. Beyoncé's country music will "open the floodgates" for other country musicians, according to ''BBC News''. Country artist Kezia Gill said that Beyoncé's presence will make the genre "accessible to everyone" and "bring in a whole generation" of new listeners. Roisin O'Connor, music editor at ''The Independent'', said that the new track is "a tipping point" for country music, spreading the genre to new audiences. '' Texas Monthly'''s Dan Solomon wrote that the song has had a "dramatic" cultural impact, with Beyoncé "remaking country radio in her image."

Country radio

Country radio managers shared their excitement about the song bringing new listeners. Mike Levine of Go Country 105 said that "anything to make country more approachable is amazing, so it's fantastic," while 93Q Country program manager Travis Moon said it is "exciting not just for country radio, but for the artist and the legacy that she's done in her entire career." Moon noted that instead of just fitting a certain "vibe", "Texas Hold 'Em" has a "fresh" and "exciting" new sound, saying, "Just the way the song is constructed, the vocals are amazing, the instrumentation's fantastic. It fits the vibe of what we're doing on this radio station."

Programmers at Cumulus Media's country stations had a call where they spoke "enthusiastically" about the song, with chief content officer Brian Philips describing it as "a gift". Philips told '' Variety'' that it "adds a completely unforeseen, unimagined new angle to country radio... We have 55 major country stations and it's very hard to get them to agree on anything. But everybody at country wants to play it." iHeartMedia chief programming officer and president Tom Poleman spoke of his excitement to play the song on iHeartRadio stations, describing Beyoncé as an "innovator" who "continues to push the creative boundaries in music." SiriusXM senior director of country programming Johnny Chiang also shared his excitement to add the track to Pandora country stations, telling ''Variety'', "It’s a good song, and a legit modern country song. And she's iconic, so it's a no brainer....nothing but good for our format."

Response from country artists

Country icon Dolly Parton recognized the impact that "Texas Hold 'Em" has had, praising Beyoncé as "fantastic and beautiful". Parton continued to laud Beyoncé on social media, posting an image that read: "I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album. So congratulations on your ''Billboard'' Hot Country number one single. Can’t wait to hear the full album!" Country singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson shared her excitement about Beyoncé's crossover into country, telling ''Billboard'': "I love it. The more the merrier. Country music is about storytelling and Beyoncé knows how to tell a story, so I think it's awesome and it's awesome for the country music genre. Everybody wants to feel at home and country music makes you feel at home." Hootie & the Blowfish's Darius Rucker expressed himself as a fan of Beyoncé's embrace of country and praised the track as "a great song". Country singer-songwriter Maren Morris described the song as "such a statement," praising Beyoncé's "reclaiming of country music back to Black people."

Controversy

A country radio station courted controversy after rejecting a request to play "Texas Hold 'Em", igniting a wider debate on Black musicians' place within country music, despite its African-American origins. "Texas Hold 'Em" was sent to U.S. pop, Hot AC, rhythmic, urban AC, and country radio stations, but in its first 24 hours of release, only 8 out of 150 radio stations considered for Country Airplay played the song. A petition that attributed this to "racism, revisionist history, and gatekeeping" and demanding country radio stations play the song had amassed over 28,000 signatures by March 2024.

On February 13, 2024, a listener requested Oklahoma S.C.O.R.E. country station KYKC with #Beyonceiscountry. After adding the song to radio rotation, a representative from S.C.O.R.E. responded to racism and boycott accusations against the singer's music with a statement: "It has to chart a little bit higher for us to add it. But we love Beyoncé here. We play her on our ther top 40 and adult hits stationsbut we're not playing her on our country station yet because it just came out." The station further clarified its position, saying it was unaware the song had a country sound until staff members heard it, and subsequently added it to their playlist.

''Variety'' reported that Sony Music, owner of Columbia Records who hold a contract with Beyonce's company Parkwood Entertainment, "did not immediately respond to requests for comment about any plans to promote the song at country radio." After the media attention, CMT added "Texas Hold 'Em" to its branded streaming stations. In the afternoon of the same day, after the impact on social media, ''Billboard'' confirmed that Columbia officially sent the song to country radio stations, pointing out that country stations generally do not broadcast songs not supported by the labels.

Comparison to ''Franklin'' theme song

On February 18, 2024, a TikTok video by user Ashleigh Aedan pointed out that the song has strong similarities to the theme song to the children's television series ''Franklin'', amassing over 3.5 million views. A later video by hosts at radio station CFBT-FM interpolated the two songs to striking effect. Musicologist Claire McLeish pointed out that both songs have similar plucked openings, are in the same key and have instruments in similar tunings, which are enough for people to notice similarities; however she also mentioned that "they don't sound alike in a way that would cause any legal problems." Subsequently, Bruce Cockburn, the composer of the ''Franklin'' theme song, said in a statement to ''People'' magazine that "I can't claim to have had any part in writing it" and that "The rhythmic feel is similar to my theme song for the Franklin TV series, but to my ears that's where the similarity stops. 'Texas Hold 'Em' is her song."

Commercial performance

United States

In the United States, "Texas Hold 'Em", debuted at number 54 on ''Billboard'' Country Airplay Chart (despite not servicing the track to country radio), with 1.1 million in audience via 100 stations, becoming Beyoncé's first entry on the chart. Beyoncé became the eighth Black woman to land on the Country Airplay chart in history, and the first since Mickey Guyton in 2016. The song also debuted at number 38 on Pop Airplay Chart, with its plays on 98 chart reporters translating to 1.3 million audience impressions at the format. The song was also the most added track on country stations.

The song was a groundbreaking success and marked several historical achievements. It debuted at number one on ''Billboards Hot Country Songs, making her the first Black woman to reach number one. Prior to Beyoncé, only seven black women had charted on the country chart. The previous highest-ranking song by a solo Black woman was Linda Martell's " Color Him Father", which peaked at number 22 in 1969; meanwhile Anita Pointer hit number two in a duet with Earl Thomas Conley in 1986's "Too Many Times". Beyoncé's feat also made her become the first artist to achieve a number-one song on this specific combination of seven of ''Billboard'' charts (over the course of their career): 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. The song appearied simultaneously on the chart with "16 Carriages", which debuted at number nine.

The song debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, just 4 days of counting, blocked from the top by " Lovin on Me" by Jack Harlow, becoming Beyoncé's 22nd top-10 and the highest debut of her career on the chart, opening with 19.2 million streams, 4.8 million in airplay audience, and 39,000 downloads. It also debuted at number one on the Digital Songs Sales chart with nearly 40,000 copies sold, becoming her 12th number one. The following week, "Texas Hold 'Em" rose to number one on the Hot 100, becoming Beyoncé's ninth number-one and her 13th including as a member of Destiny's Child. In doing so, Beyoncé became the first black female artist to top the chart with a country song in the chart's history. In its third week, "Texas Hold 'Em" appeared on the Adult Alternative Songs chart, where it became Beyoncé's first chart entry. As Beyoncé's eighteenth entry on ''Billboard'' airplay charts, "Texas Hold 'Em" managed to reach from a variety of formats, charting, in addition to aforemetioned Country and Pop Airplay, on Rhythmic, Adult R&B, Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts. She surpassed Mariah Carey as the female artist with most entries on airplay charts, and tied Pharrell Williams overall, with 18 radio-based listings – besides those, Beyoncé also charted on Dance/Mix Show Airplay, Gospel, Latin, Latin Pop, Latin Rhythm, Rap, Rhythmic (chart), Rhythmic, Billboard charts#Jazz, Smooth Jazz and Tropical Airplay, as well as on the all-format Radio Songs chart.

International

"Texas Hold ‘Em" debuted at number four on the ''Billboard'' Global 200, with 31.9 million streams and 48,000 download sold worldwide, becoming her second top-ten hit since the survey began in 2020, after "Break My Soul" reached number six in 2022. The following week the song peaked at number one, becoming Beyoncé first song to top the chart since the chart's inception in 2020.

In Canada, "Texas Hold 'Em" debuted at number 11 on the Canadian Hot 100. It peaked at number one the following week, becoming Beyoncé's second number one song since the chart's inception in 2007 as well as tenth top 10 on the chart. Furthermore, the song reached number 44 on the Billboard charts#Canadian charts, ''Billboard'' Canada Country chart.

In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number nine on the UK Singles Chart with only three days of sales, becoming the week's highest new entry and Beyoncé's 22nd top 10 song in the country as a solo artist. The following week, the single topped the UK singles chart, becoming the singer's sixth number one, eighth considering singles released as a member of Destiny's Child; the song also marked her first number one single in almost 14 years. As of week sales of March 15, 2023, the song occupied the first position of the chart for four consecutive weeks, becoming Beyoncé longest-running solo song and her third chart topper in the UK in her career, breaking the tie of her songs "Beautiful Liar" (2007) and "Crazy in Love" (2003). Official Charts Company stated that "Texas Hold 'Em" became the first female solo country song to reach number one on the chart and the second country record since Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" in 2019 and becoming her longest-running chart-topper in the UK to date. In Ireland, the song peaked at number one on the Irish Singles Chart, becoming Beyoncé's first chart topper since 2022's "Break My Soul".

In Australia, the song debuted at number 38 after a partial week of tracking. The following week, the song climbed 35 positions to reach a new peak of number three, becoming Beyoncé's 16th top ten single in the country and her highest-charting single since "Telephone (song), Telephone" with Lady Gaga (2010). In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 26 and reached number one the following week, becoming Beyoncé's sixth number-one song in the country and her first number-one single since "Perfect (Ed Sheeran song), Perfect Duet" with Ed Sheeran (2017).

In Norway, the song debuted at number four becoming Beyoncé's highest-charting single since "Halo (Beyoncé song), Halo" (2008).

Track listing

Streaming/digital download
#"Texas Hold 'Em" – 3:49
#"Texas Hold 'Em" (instrumental version) – 3:55
#"Texas Hold 'Em" (a cappella version) – 3:48

Personnel and credits

Performers
* Beyoncé – vocals

Musicians
* Khirye Tyler – keyboardist
* Raphael Saadiq – drum and bass
* Rhiannon Giddens – banjo and viola

Charts

Certifications

Release history

See also

* Black cowboys
** African-American trail rides
* List of Billboard number-one country songs of 2024, List of ''Billboard'' number-one country songs of 2024
* List of Billboard Global 200 number ones of 2024, List of ''Billboard'' Global 200 number ones of 2024
* List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 2024, List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number ones of 2024
* List of Canadian Hot 100 number-one singles of 2024
* List of number-one singles of 2024 (Ireland)
* List of number-one singles from the 2020s (New Zealand)
* List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 2020s

References

{{Beyoncé songs

2024 singles
2024 songs
African-American-related controversies
American country music songs
Billboard Global 200 number-one singles
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Canadian Hot 100 number-one singles
Country pop songs
Beyoncé songs
Columbia Records singles
Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Number-one singles in New Zealand
Race-related controversies in music
Song recordings produced by Beyoncé
Songs written by Beyoncé
Songs written by Lowell (musician)
Songs written by Raphael Saadiq
UK Singles Chart number-one singles
Western music (North America)