Rolling Stone Gets It Wrong: Cowboy Carter at Number 2 Over Real American Country Music?

Rolling Stone has officially made its boldest statement yet by declaring Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter the number 2 album of the year, leaving genuine country music stars like Lainey Wilson, Charley Crockett, and Megan Moroney in the dust. It’s hard to ignore that Rolling Stone’s choice seems less about the actual music and more about pandering to trends that have little to do with the heart of country music.

First of all, let’s be clear: Cowboy Carter isn't even a country album, as Beyoncé herself has stated. Yet, somehow, Rolling Stone places it above albums from artists who have truly earned their place in the genre. Lainey Wilson, Charley Crocket and Megan Moroney all put out albums that  stays true to the roots of the genre—something that Rolling Stone apparently doesn’t recognize in their obsession with “cross-genre experimentation.”

What Rolling Stone is doing here is a classic case of genre appropriation, where mainstream acts dip into country to grab the spotlight while ignoring the artists who live and breathe country music. Beyoncé may be a pop queen, but her exploration of country elements on Cowboy Carter doesn’t automatically elevate it above the hardworking country artists who have dedicated their careers to this genre.

Rolling Stone’s ranking doesn’t just feel wrong; it feels out of touch. The magazine has clearly lost its way, focusing more on headlines and clickbait than on celebrating the true artists who deserve the spotlight. It’s a slap in the face to real country musicians who put in the work day after day.

By putting Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter ahead of the genre’s true stars, Rolling Stone is making it clear: they’ve lost touch with what country music is all about, and they’re more interested in jumping on trends than giving credit where it’s due.

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