Renaissance Act II truthers, your time has come: There’s new music from Beyoncé, and boy, is it country. Her two new singles dropped two weeks ago, and in the time since, they’ve both climbed up the chart and taken the internet by storm. There’s the barnstorming stomp and holler ditty “TEXAS HOLD 'EM,” which just notched the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 ... Show More
Aug 19
All roads lead to Pharrell: Tyler, Clipse, and Cardi
The conversation around the new music this summer has been a dour one. Some of the biggest songs in the country right now are downtempo stomp-clap anthems and wistful Cranberries pastiche. Even on this very show, Nate and Charlie have asked: where's the fun? As it turns out, the ... Show More
52m 36s
Aug 12
A brief history of terrible lyrics (with Sam Sanders)
Why do bad lyrics happen to good people? From "suckin' on a chili dog" to "making love to his tonic and gin," even the biggest hits from our favorite artists can feature lyrical turns that make us feel quizzical, offended, or even downright nauseated. With the help of Sam Sanders ... Show More
43m 5s
Mar 2024
Beyoncé and country’s Black roots
When Beyoncé took the stage at the 2016 Country Music Awards, alongside the Chicks, the racist backlash was immediate.
Eight years later, she alluded to that experience when she announced her new album, Cowboy Carter.
In recent years, we’ve seen some pushback against the genre’ ... Show More
23m 35s
Mar 2024
Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter, and Unpacking Country Music History (With Sam Sanders)
Grab your hat and saddle up! Before the release of Beyonce's "Cowboy Carter," Chelsea and Sam Sanders (co-host of the Vibe Check podcast) talk about the times Beyoncé has come closest to memoir-level vulnerability. They share insights on the history of country music, make a few p ... Show More
46m 5s
Apr 2024
Does Beyoncé Need Country?
And does Country need Beyoncé? The likely answer to both of those questions is no. But the discussion Beyoncé sparked seems to be the larger point of her new album, Cowboy Carter. Sidney Madden is a reporter for NPR Music, and has delved deep into the intricate dynamics of race, ... Show More
35m 19s
Apr 2024
'Cowboy Carter' | Every Single Album: Beyoncé
'Cowboy Carter' is here, marking Beyonce's foray into country music—or has she been here all along? Nora and Nathan talk about the breadth of this 27-song album (1:00), the array of influences that Beyoncé pulled from for this project (39:13), and some of their favorite and least ... Show More
1h 48m
Jun 2023
June 2 - Beyoncé, Rihanna & Taylor Swift Make Forbes List, New Music From Stray Kids & More
Beyoncé, Rihanna and Taylor all make Forbes' 2023 richest self-made women list, Kelly Rowland responds to whether she would do a Destiny's Child reunion, Billboard takes a look at the songs that are resurging on our charts thanks to TikTok and we get new music from Latto and Card ... Show More
11m 30s
Mar 2024
BBC OS Conversations: Beyoncé and the changing face of country music
The latest Beyoncé song, Texas Hold ‘Em, has topped the charts in the US and UK. More significantly, however, this is the first time a black woman has gone to No. 1 in the US country music charts, provoking several talking points about diversity within the country music genre. Ho ... Show More
22m 59s