The Briefing

How Black artists like Beyoncé are reclaiming country music

04.01.2024 - By LiSTNRPlay

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Though Beyoncé has claimed that Cowboy Carter is a 'Beyoncé album', rather than 'a country album', it's a release that definitely dips into the genre.

And country music has a complex relationship with Black musicians - a few years back, Lil Nas X faced a heavy backlash from Old Town Road, which was scrapped from Billboard's country chart, triggering criticism that the reason was in part racially motivated.

Yet over the last few years, country has seen a massive boom in its widespread popularity, with many large-name artists delving into the sound. So what can we expect next, and why is it significant that Black artists are making music in the space?

In this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert speaks with LiSTNR journalist Loren Howarth to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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