Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Is Here! Every Artist Featured on the New Album

Giddy up — Beyoncé has officially entered her Cowboy Carter era.

The superstar’s eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, arrived in the U.S. at midnight Friday, marking Act II of her Renaissance trilogy. Fans in New Zealand and Australia got an early listen thanks to their time zones, while Beyoncé simultaneously dropped lyric videos for the full project on her YouTube channel.

In a press release, Beyoncé described the album as a return to musical instinct and authenticity. “The joy of creating music is that there are no rules,” she said. “With artificial intelligence, digital filters, and programming everywhere, I wanted to go back to real instruments — very old ones. I didn’t want everything perfectly in tune. I kept some songs raw and leaned into folk. The sounds are organic and human — the wind, snaps, birds, even chickens.”

That experimental freedom shaped a massive creative process. “I probably recorded about 100 songs,” Beyoncé explained. “Once that’s done, I can put the puzzle together, find the common themes, and create a solid body of work.”

The album was years in the making. “This project took over five years,” she revealed. “I was initially going to release Cowboy Carter first, but during the pandemic there was too much heaviness in the world. We needed to dance. We deserved to dance. I had to trust God’s timing.”

Though often labeled a country album, Beyoncé has been clear about how she views the project. “This ain’t a country album,” she told fans earlier this month. “This is a Beyoncé album.” Still, the 27-track release features some of the genre’s most influential voices.

Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson both appear on the album, with Nelson lending his presence to interludes “Smoke Hour Willie Nelson” and “Smoke Hour II.” Parton, who previously said she hoped Beyoncé would one day reinterpret her classic “Jolene,” appears in both a reimagined version of the song and the playful interlude “Dolly P.” Ahead of release, Parton teased the moment on Instagram, writing, “Just call me Dolly P 🤠.”

Also featured is country trailblazer Linda Martell, the first Black female solo artist to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, who introduces the track “Ya Ya.” Additional collaborators include Miley Cyrus on “II Most Wanted,” Post Malone on “Levii’s Jeans,” and genre-blending artist Shaboozey on “Spaghettii.”

The album also spotlights a powerful lineup of Black country artists, including Rhiannon Giddens, Tanner Adell, Willie Jones, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts. Giddens plays banjo on “Texas Hold ’Em,” while several of the artists join Beyoncé on her cover of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.”

Beyoncé teased the tracklist earlier this week with a flyer-style post stamped, “Brought to you by KNTRY Radio Texas.” The project was first revealed following her appearance in a Verizon commercial during the 2024 Super Bowl — and from that moment on, the Cowboy Carter rollout was officially underway.

“I think people are going to be surprised,” Beyoncé said. “This isn’t what everyone expects — but it’s the best music I’ve ever made.”