Gavin Adcock blasts Beyoncé after 'Cowboy Carter' ranks higher than his album
The 26-year-old Georgia native unleashed his harsh, candid thoughts about Beyoncé's Grammy-winning album during a recent concert. In a clip from the show, Adcock let off steam about his album "Own Worst Enemy" being ranked lower than "Cowboy Carter" in the Top 5 on Apple Music's country album chart.
Beyoncé's 27-track project currently ranks No. 3 on the chart. Meanwhile Adcock's album sits at No. 4. Parker McCollum's self-titled album is No. 2, and Morgan Wallen's album "I'm the Problem" tops the list. And that's clearly not sitting well with Adcock.
During his mid-concert rant he told the crowd, "You can tell her we're coming for her (expletive)."
"That s*** ain't country music, and it ain't never been country music. And it ain't gonna be country music," he said as the crowd cheered him on.
Adcock later doubled down on his stance in a video meant to clear up his onstage comments. He captioned it, "It just ain't country."
He acknowledged hearing a ton of Beyoncé songs growing up.
"I really don't believe that her album should be labeled as country music," he said. "It doesn't sound country. It doesn't feel country. And I just don't think people who have dedicated their whole lives to this genre and this lifestyle should have to compete or watch that album stay at the top just because she's Beyoncé."
As fans know, Beyoncé first announced her eighth studio album "Cowboy Carter" on March 29, 2024, and has broken many records and made history on multiple fronts. The project has also been a catalyst for the recent spotlight on Black country artists and the genre's roots. Consequently, it has challenged music industry norms and sparked conversations pertaining to the intersection of race and country music.
In 2025, the album won best country album at the Grammy Awards. It was the first time a Black woman was nominated and won in the category. She also took home the top prize of the evening, album of the year, joining only three other Black women in the show's history to earn the honor. Throughout its first year, the project also received many other awards and nominations.
While it has become a huge force within country music and the music industry as a whole, it has also revealed deep-seated biases still present in parts of the industry.
The album was snubbed at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards, garnering zero nominations. The CMAs are considered one of the most prestigious awards in the country music industry, and fans suspected this year the megastar would be the first Black woman to be nominated and win album of the year for her groundbreaking and culture-shifting project.
Prior to releasing the album, Beyoncé got candid about creating the five-year project and alluded to her 2016 performance at the CMA Awards, which was met with an icy reception and harsh criticism.
"It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn't," she wrote on Instagram. "The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. Act ii is a result of challenging myself and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."
Beyoncé is currently in the middle of her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour, with which she's already made history
Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Ernesto Barajas, founder of Mexican band Enigma Norteño, dies at 38: Reports
Ernesto Barajas, co-founder and singer/songwriter for the regional Mexican band Enigma Norteño, has died, according to multiple media reports. He was 38. The singer and bassist was fatally shot in western Mexico on Tuesday, Aug. 19, The Associated Press and newspaper El Universal reported, citing the Jalisco Attorney General's Office. The incident took place in Zapopan, located on the outskirts of Jalisco's capital, Guadalajara. USA TODAY has reached out to the prosecutor's office for more information. Barajas' management company, Talento Líder, confirmed the news to Billboard Español. His management also paid tribute to the musician in an Aug. 19 Instagram story that read, "Rest in peace, Ernesto Barajas. Your Talento Líder family will always be proud of you and remember you as the great artist and human being that you were. May God bless you." Peso Pluma knows you know who he is. How the Grammy winner put Mexican music on the map. Barajas founded Enigma Norteño alongside Humberto Pérez in 2004 in Culiacán, the capital of their home state of Sinaloa. Some of their most streamed songs include "El Deportivo," a collaboration with Billboard Music Awards winners Fuerza Regida, and "Hagnase A Un Lado." The group is known for narcocorridos – a genre that often glorifies drug cartels – with one of their tracks, "El Chapo Guzmán," directly referencing the infamous former Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquín Guzmán. Mexico's 'narcocorridos' go mainstream. What's behind their popularity explosion? The band released its most recent album, "Atención Al Cliente," in November 2024. On Aug. 14, they debuted "Hello Kitty," a collaboration with fellow Sinaloa musician Edgardo Nuñez. In addition to his musical work, Barajas also hosted the podcast "Puntos de Vista con Ernesto Barajas."
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Outside Lands' biggest performer just canceled three festival appearances
Fans who caught Doechii 's electrifying Outside Lands performance in San Francisco earlier this month lucked out, because the rapper will not be hitting the stage again any time soon. The Grammy-winning singer abruptly canceled three European appearances on Monday, Aug. 18. She was scheduled to perform at France's Rock en Seine on Thursday, Aug. 21; All Points East in London on Saturday, Aug. 23; and Bristol's Forwards Festival on Sunday, Aug. 24. While each festival issued its own statement on social media, none of them provided a reason for the Florida native's absence. The 'Anxiety' hitmaker herself has not yet made any comments about the cancellations. Doechii's only other appearance since wowing festivalgoers at Outside Lands was at Pukkelpop in Belgium on Sunday, Aug. 17. Doechii's School of Hip-Hop spectacle at Golden Gate Park show drew tens of thousands of fans — a noticeably larger crowd than Doja Cat, whose headlining set followed on the first day of the festival. The highly-choreographed production featured songs from her 2024 EP 'Alligator Bites Never Heal' in addition to a handful of singles such as 'Alter Ego.' While many of her European fans won't get to see her live this summer, the Bay Area will have one more opportunity to witness the hip-hop artist in action this fall. She is scheduled to bring her Live From the Swamp Tour to San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on Nov. 7. All 12 scheduled shows on her tour are sold out.
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Kaskade is ready to bring Sun Soaked to Orange County
Kaskade has a plan — and it's been seven years in the making. The electronic music powerhouse brings his soulful house beats and favorite performers to Orange County next month, landing beachside at Sun Soaked in Huntington Beach on Sept. 6. The sold-out event has a stacked lineup, including Malaa, Meduza, Sidepiece, Walker & Royce, Anabel Englund, MPH and Skilah. It wasn't easy to get there, but this Insomniac-produced event has been a dream in the making for Kaskade (Ryan Raddon), the American DJ and Grammy-nominated artist. 'Sun Soaked was the party I always wanted to go to — 10 toes in the sand, blue sky above, the ocean providing an ambient soundtrack, breeze on climate control and visuals courtesy of our surroundings,' he told the Daily Pilot. 'The outpouring of support for Sun Soaked from day one let me know I wasn't alone in wanting this.' Based on a few iterations over the years, including some growing pains, the audience continues to remain committed, he said. 'I get 'Bring back Sun Soaked' DMs and comments almost more than any other request,' he said. 'Somehow, this whole concept has struck a chord with my West Coast fans as well as those traveling in from all over the world.' So why Orange County? 'Because they said yes,' he said. 'Somehow, it's still difficult to get through red tape and obstacles — even when everything is on the up-and-up and in order. So, we search for the best spot to do it, then put the puzzle together when we find a partner who sees it the way we do.' It worked out and Huntington Beach was ready to host. Now, hundreds are expected to hit the sand for the artist's curated experience. 'The lineup for Sun Soaked is your favorite DJ's favorite DJ's playlist,' he said. 'If Malaa is the gritty back-alley warehouse, Meduza is the panoramic cliffside sunset.' It's all about creating the right vibe, he added. 'There's a musical landscape that belongs at Sun Soaked, and when we have talent like MPH who has insane musical versatility combined with Sidepiece, who load their sets with unreleased edits and mashups, then we drop in Walker & Royce, who are essentially the friends you have that say they don't take themselves too seriously, then punch you in the gut with the most rubbery bassline that leaves you stunned,' he said. Fans will also be impressed to see some of the top talents in house and electronics on stage. 'Bring in Annabel Englund with her instantly recognizable, haunting singer/songwriter vocals that emotionally connect with a crowd in the time it takes to pop a bag of popcorn, and of course — Skilah, who is perfecting the art of melding a party vibe into a full-on live experience,' he said. 'The vibe is eclectic, but they all play off each other in a super uplifting way.' It's a moment he's been waiting for, he said. 'I'm hoping to keep up,' he said. 'Sun Soaked 2025 is sold out, so I'm taking that as a positive response,' he said. 'When I announced it was happening, I could hear cheering in the streets. I mean, that could have been the people on my team, but I choose to believe it could be heard around the world.' That humor — plus an audience ready to dive into drops and live mixing — are just what he has in mind. He doesn't have the full plan and set pre-recorded, but he knows what works. 'I enjoy communicating with the audience in such a way that we take the journey in real time,' he said. 'I can't predict in my studio that there could be the entire front row screaming along to 'Let Me Go,' which will point me in the direction I need to go next. There will, of course, be fan favorites because those are my favorites, too. I guess in a way the audience decides what will be showcased. The louder they scream, the more I zoom in on that vibe that got them there.' Following several tough years in the music industry post-pandemic, especially for artists heading back to live performances and festivals, Kaskade wants the festival to bring people back together again. 'It has been important for us to dance again,' he said. 'During the pandemic, there was a while where I wondered if it would ever come back. I don't forget the despair that thought gave me, and I appreciate the gratitude it hardwired in me for each time it's happened since.' It comes down to creating an opportunity for music lovers to simply enjoy. 'Festivals are tricky for sure, but working hard at something I love is what brings me the most joy,' he said. 'I am bringing Sun Soaked back because it's much bigger than 'Kaskade,' it's a gathering where we can all appreciate the simple things we have around us, the magic of dancing with strangers and experiencing music we haven't heard. Knowing that the sun and the ocean remain constant sources of love and life even in the toughest of times is the legacy of Sun Soaked, and I hope that message is absorbed this year.' Sun Soaked 2025 is sold-out. Waitlist tickets for general admission and VIP are available for 2026
