(NEXSTAR) — Bey-haw! Just when it seemed like Beyoncé couldn't possibly earn any more musical accolades, the 42-year-old artist earned another — her first country radio No. 1 hit.
In case you missed it, the second half of Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11 was semi-upstaged by Beyoncé announcing surprise music releases via Verizon commercial. And while the release of any new Beyoncé music would upend social media, the fact that new tracks "Texas Hold ‘Em" and “16 Carriages” are country generated even further fervor.
Shen Yun: Why China calls the show an ‘anti-society cult’The tracks are the first piece of the artist's forthcoming "Act II" album, which is part of her intended "Renaissance" trilogy of albums. The album, which will be Beyoncé's eighth, is now expected to be entirely or majorly composed of country songs.
Despite some early controversy over country radio stations refusing to play Beyoncé, the songs are impacting country radio in a big way.
U.S. Billboard announced Tuesday that the Houston, Texas native's "Texas Hold 'Em" debuted on the Hot Country Songs chart at no. 1, with "16 Carriages" also charting at no. 9. This chart is based on streaming, airplay and sales, the organization says.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: Beyoncé at the 66th GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 4, 2024 in LA. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The........