How Beyoncé Changed the Music Industry

On Friday, Beyoncé will release Cowboy Carter, the much anticipated album that signals the beginning of the second part of a three-act project, following Renaissance, a sparkling celebration of house and dance music. When the country album was announced during Beyoncé’s appearance in a Verizon Super Bowl commercial back in February, accompanied by two country singles, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” it declared a new era for the artist. And it’s one that positions her, rather boldly, in a genre that has been less than welcoming to her.