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“Cowboy Carter” — Beyonce’s first country album — has arrived
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s has officially gone country with the release Friday of her new album, “Cowboy Carter.”
The Houston native’s album features 27 song tracks and guest appearances from some of country music’s biggest stars including Willie Nelson, Mylie Cyrus and Dolly Parton, whose 1973 hit “Jolene” is one of two covers featured.
“I think people are going to be surprised because I don’t think this music is what everyone expects,” Beyoncé, said in a statement Friday. “But it’s the best music I’ve ever made.” Those are strong words from the 42-year-old artist considered the one of the top-grossing music artists of all time.
Upon its release, “Cowboy Carter” jumped to the No. 2 spot on Apple Music. The lead single on the album “Texas Hold ‘Em,” grabbed first place in the country music category on Billboard’s Hot 100, making Beyoncé the first Black woman to top the country music charts.
Heavy buzz around the new album began last month with the debut of “Texas Hold ‘Em” during Super Bowl LVIII. Soon after, the country single hit No. 1 in both the U.S. and U.K., marking the first time since 2003 that Beyoncé had a chart-topper in both countries at the same time.
Beyoncé said she drew inspiration for the album, in part, from growing up in Texas and watching performances at the Houston Rodeo. She said it took five years to finish Cowboy Carter and she wanted songs throughout the album to sound more down-home, given that a lot of music produced these days is heavily computer-aided.
“With artificial intelligence and digital filters and programming, I wanted to go back to real instruments, and I used very old ones,” Beyoncé said. “All the sounds were so organic and human, everyday things like the wind, snaps and even the sound of birds and chickens, the sounds of nature.”
It will take weeks before record labels Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records can generate album sales figures. Beyoncé’s previous album, “Renaissance,” has sold more than one million copies, including downloads and streams, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” was at the center of an uproar last month when a country music station in Oklahoma refused to play the song, leading some Beyoncé fans to accuse the station of racism.
After being flooded by emails, calls and more requests for the song, the station agreed to add the single to its playlist. Roger Harris, the stations’ general manager, said his staff listened to the song and agreed that it sounded “country.”
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.