The Queen Bey had the music industry buzzing all 2024 long thanks to her latest chart-topping album ‘Cowboy Carter‘ – albeit for different reasons.
That trend seems poised to continue into 2025.
Beyonce‘s fans (affectionately called the #Beyhive) may have been swarming to digital shelves to spin the LP and tune in to its related ventures (see: ‘Beyonce Bowl‘), but ‘Carter’ garnered its fair share of jeers from Country music gatekeepers who kept its content from spinning on radio or winning any of the genre’s leading awards.
And while some of the biggest names in the scene like Dolly Parton, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mickey Guyton, Shaboozey, and more made headlines for defending the diva, others like Luke Bryan, Oliver Anthony, and others seemingly sided with the traditionalists who refused to welcome Bey.
photo source: Getty Images
The most recent Country celeb to get tongues wagging for his weigh-in on the topic is Jelly Roll – an award-winning superstar in his own right who is competing against ‘Cowboy Carter’ cuts in a few of 2025’s GRAMMY categories.
During a visit to Andrew Schulz‘s controversial ‘Flagrant‘ podcast (January 2), Roll shared his thoughts on the controversy around Bey’s album.
“The record was good. I don’t know if it was Beyoncé’s best record, you know what I mean, it didn’t make me feel the way ‘RENAISSANCE’ made me feel as a full body of work, but there was two or three songs on there that I thought could be Country Song of the Year for sure,” he relayed. “What she did with ‘Jolene‘ was just unbelievable, and how much Dolly [Parton] loved it, to me, that’s the real tale. If Dolly loves it, it’s a big deal.”
Elsewhere in the chat, Jelly suggested he doesn’t believe there is malicious intent against Beyonce from the Country music scene at large as much as they’re simply protecting the genre’s “boundaries.”
Hear his full statement below.
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Dolly liked Bey’s Jolene cover for the same reason she liked Whitney’s Always Love You cover: big $ royalties forever! Don’t let the silly voice, frail frame, or big jugs fool ya: Dolly is ALL ABOUT MONEY. Every old performer dreams of a successful youngin remaking one of their songs; Aretha darn near begged Adele to cover one of the songs Aretha wrote (to no avail). Moral of the story? Only “Bodyguard” was palatable on Clownboy Carter. Fin.
I disagree. Dolly liked Beyonce’s Jolene because it was brilliant. Instead of coming in a just coveting an old song, Beyonce completely changed the lyrics for 2024. Its a completely different woman. Dollys version is literally begging jolene please please dont take my man. Beyonce’s version is warning Jolene you better not come for my man or I’m gonna beat you @$$! Its absolutely brilliant. Beyonce warns her that shes still a creole banji B**** from Louisianne!
THIS is way Dolly loves it!
Will Dolly get $ for her song being readapted or nah?
He’s 100% right
Beyonce’s country album is not good. Nobody bought it, or plays it. It came, and went, and the only way she is able to keep it going is because of blonde hair, bedazzled outfits, and bright lights that stun and hypnotize the masses into thinking every single thing she does is perfection and worthy of praise. If she wasn’t already famous, and this were her first album this wouldn’t have done the trick to put her on anybody’s list as one to watch.
Genuine question: did Obama include her “country stuff” on his annual faves list? If not, he’s got good taste. 🤣
You are missing the bigger picture. And its sad. This is way bigger than Beyonce, its about a culture thats been taken from African-American. The black artist she chose, even the Banjo player on Texas hold em was a biracial black & Cherokee female banjo player. Blackbird by the Beatles was written with inspiration on the black civil rights movement of the late 1960s. Beyonce decided to cover with the help of four black female country music singers. She has even said she decided to record this album after a horrible racist experience performing for the CMA Awards. She creating permission for black artist to step outside their boxes to be artistic. She the first black woman with a #1 album on the country music billboard charts. And for petes sake….Shes from Texas! Stop being a hater and give this woman the adulation she is deserving of. She pushing boundaries!
LNX & K. Michelle did it first.
His opinion is irrelevant.
Your is far more irrelevant than his. And always will be
#facts
Album is awful and only briefly survived off of her usual hype machine atleast Renaissance was a great album…………
Agree. Renaissance is her ONLY album I like. And I’m a Beehive hater. 🙃
Let me wrap this up. Beyonce doesn’t have a country voice. PERIOD!!! Even her music is decent but she doesn’t have THAT vocal!
Her Soprano could suit country a la Carrie Underwood’s Cowboy Casanova. It’s her Mezzo mumbling that turned me (and any unbiased listener) off. I believe she’s DONE with melismatic fireworks. Smart, since no big voice is popping on the charts now (and for quite a while). This is a stoner hoochie generation; all they want is spoken snoozefest, Billie Ellish, or Meg Thee Stalling. 🤑
Taylor Swift was a country artist first. Where was this energy? She sounded like a whiney preteen
Its time for Beyonce to retire the blond wig. Its not working like she thought LOL