Beyonce, Lana Del Rey, Post Malone and more might be going country in 2024.
Queen Bey is apparently being “tight-lipped” about her next musical project, but fans think she’s going to lean into country, according to Axios. She previously released the song “Daddy Lessons” on the iconic “Lemonade” album and went on to perform it with The [Dixie] Chicks at the CMA Awards. Along with rumors from her set designer for the Renaissance World Tour, who said Bey is “interested in country,” fans are now convinced it’ll be her next move.
INDIO, CA – APRIL 14: Beyonce Knowles performs onstage during 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival Weekend 1 at the Empire Polo Field on April 14, 2018 in Indio, California. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella )
And Queen Bey isn’t alone. We already know Post Malone is working on a country album. He dropped a great sample of a potential future track with country music’s leading artist Morgan Wallen back in December. But who else is hopping on the bandwagon?
The True Life Story Behind Mega Viral Country Hit ‘Rich Men North Of Richmond’ Sent Chills Up My Spine | @DailyCaller
Congrats @aintgottadollar and @johnrich
Everyone needs to surrender to Christ ASAP https://t.co/EntASo5HhN
— KAY SMYTHE (@KaySmythe) August 11, 2023
Axios believed Lana Del Rey is the next big name ready to go country. “[T]he music business is going country,” she told Billboard. “We’re going country. It’s happening.”And even T Pain leaned into his melodic brilliance with his rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey,” released almost a year ago.
LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 16: Singer/songwriter Lana Del Rey performs during a stop of her LA to the Moon Tour in support of the album “Lust for Life” at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on February 16, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
But, these moves really shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone tracking the music industry’s trajectory in the last two years. (RELATED: Morgan Wallen Announces Career Update)
The biggest-selling artist in the last 24 months is Morgan Wallen. Sure, there are other artists who’ve done well, but largely thanks to their unending support from the mainstream music industry. Wallen managed to become the most popular artist in America without any real corporate support, so of course those within the industry’s clutches are concerned.
Americans don’t want manufactured crap on their soundwaves anymore. We want melody that speaks to our cultural experience at this moment in time. And the only genre capable of doing that is country, because country is real American culture.