Beyoncé becomes first black woman artist with number one country song

Beyoncé has made history by becoming the first Black woman to reach the top of Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart with her track "Texas Hold 'Em," debuting at No. 1.

The song, released alongside "16 Carriages" as part of a surprise album drop during the Super Bowl, marks Beyoncé's debut atop the country charts, reports The Guardian. 

Additionally, she is only the second solo female artist, after Taylor Swift in 2021, to debut at No. 1 with no accompanying featured artists.

This achievement also makes Beyoncé the first woman to lead both the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hip Songs charts simultaneously since their inception in 1958.

The Hot Country Songs chart is based on US sales, streams, and radio airplay, with "Texas Hold 'Em" garnering impressive numbers within just four days of tracking.

Despite initial controversy over its classification as a country track, the song has since been promoted to country radio, even making Beyoncé's first appearance on Billboard's Country Airplay chart at No. 54.

Both "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages" are set to feature on Beyoncé's upcoming album, the second instalment of her Renaissance trilogy, slated for release on 29 March.