Beyoncé‘s groundbreaking venture into country music continues to ruffle feathers within Nashville’s establishment, proving that her cultural impact extends far beyond the pop and R&B genres that made her a global superstar.
The Houston native’s “Cowboy Carter” album has shattered streaming records and claimed the top spot on country charts while igniting passionate debates about authenticity and the definition of country music itself.
The album made history as the first by a Black woman to reach number one on the Billboard Country Albums chart while simultaneously topping the all-genre Billboard 200. It broke streaming records on both Spotify and Amazon Music upon release.
However, not everyone in the country music community is celebrating these achievements.
Gavin Adcock, a 26-year-old country singer nominated for new male artist of the year at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards, is making headlines with a profanity-laden rant during a live performance targeting Beyoncé’s chart dominance.
Standing before his audience, Adcock complained about the three albums ahead of his on the Apple Music country charts, singling out the global superstar with particular venom.
Country artist Gavin Adcock slams Beyoncé after his album currently ranks below ‘COWBOY CARTER’ on the Apple Music Country chart:
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 30, 2025
“That s*** ain’t country music and it ain’t ever been country music, and it ain’t gonna be country music.” pic.twitter.com/rKwaqymt5t
“One of them [is] Beyoncé, you can tell her we’re coming for her f—king ass,” Adcock declared to his cheering crowd.
Adding, “That s—t ain’t country music and it ain’t ever been country music and it ain’t gonna be country music.”
The moment was captured on video and quickly circulated across social media platforms, sparking intense backlash and debate.
When The Neighborhood Talks posted the clip on Instagram, it sparked sharp criticism from the platform’s followers.
“Imagine gentrifying somebody else’s musical heritage and then telling them that they’re not allowed to do it,” one user pointed out, highlighting the historical roots of country music in Black culture.
Another warned, “You gone perish coming for the Queen. Might as well dig a hole, Cowboy.”
Critics called out perceived racial undertones, with one commenting, “Sounding real confederacy, my boy.”
Others pointed to apparent double standards, noting, “Post Malone was a whole hip hop artist and yall say nothing about his crossover…” while another added, “Keith Urban is from Australia. Shania Twain and a few others are from Canada. They just don’t want to say the real reason out loud.”
A jokester noted, “How you gonna gate keep a genre you didn’t create.”
One final defender noted, “Black people made country music. Boy bye. I wanna see you top Beyoncé.”
Faced with mounting criticism, Adcock attempted to clarify his position through a follow-up Instagram post, revealing a more nuanced relationship with Beyoncé’s music than his stage rant suggested.
He acknowledged his childhood exposure to her work, recalling how his mother would play Beyoncé songs in the car and praising her past Super Bowl halftime performance.
However, he maintained his stance regarding “Cowboy Carter,” arguing that the album doesn’t sound or feel country to him. He also expressed concern that artists who have dedicated their lives to the genre shouldn’t have to compete with an album that stays at the top “just because she’s Beyoncé.”
Adcock’s comments come against the backdrop of Beyoncé’s own complicated history with country music institutions.
The inspiration for “Cowboy Carter” stemmed from an experience where she “did not feel welcomed” by the country music establishment, likely referring to her 2016 Country Music Association Awards performance of “Daddy Lessons” alongside the group then known as the Dixie Chicks.
That CMA performance faced significant backlash, and despite the success of “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé was notably shut out of nominations for the same awards show.
The controversy extends beyond individual artists to broader questions about country music’s relationship with its Black roots and contemporary gatekeeping.
Even media personalities outside the music industry have weighed in, with far-right commentator Megyn Kelly dismissing Beyoncé’s achievements and criticizing her interpretation of “Jolene” as representing what she called “modern-day feminism.” Kelly argued that people shouldn’t treat Beyoncé like “the second coming” and took issue with political figures celebrating the album’s success.
“Cowboy Carter” features collaborations with established country artists like Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, who publicly endorsed Beyoncé’s interpretation of her classic “Jolene.”
Adcock, whose hits include “A Cigarette” and “Four Leaf Clover,” is preparing to release his new album “My Own Worst Enemy” in August and is set to open for Morgan Wallen on several tour dates.
As this latest chapter in country music’s ongoing identity crisis unfolds, it reveals tensions about who gets to define authenticity in a genre with deep roots in Black musical traditions. While Adcock may question Beyoncé’s place in country music, her record-breaking success suggests that audiences are ready for a more expansive definition of what country music can be.
