Beyoncé released Cowboy Carter last Friday, March 29, and the BeyHive couldn’t have asked for more. The 27-track album — billed as “act ii” of Renassaince — hits every note, including covers of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” (stylized as “Blackbiird“) and Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and features from Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Willie Nelson, Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and more.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter rollout has been flawlessly methodical. Even still, people found something to be upset about. According to Rolling Stone, people were less than enthused about the Cowboy Carter vinyl because it reportedly excludes “Ya Ya,” “Spaghettii,” “The Linda Martell Show,” “Oh Louisiana,” and “Flamenco.”
“The preordered CD is also missing those first four songs but includes ‘Flamenco,’ which has spawned another complaint: The ‘limited edition’ compact disc version promised the inclusion of an ‘additional song,’ with many fans assuming it was an unreleased, exclusive bonus track,” Rolling Stone relayed. “Instead, the ‘additional song’ appears to just be ‘Flamenco,’ a track already on the digital version of the album.”
Nobody definitively knows why those five songs (allegedly, seemingly, reportedly) were left off from physical versions of the album, but the BBC suggested that perhaps Beyoncé “added these songs late into the album’s creation.” Also worth noting is that the album is 79:03 long, and the Cowboy Carter vinyl edition is a 2LP release. Each side of a standard record can hold up to 25 minutes of audio, so the full album would fit into the 100 minutes of space across the 2LPs. Additionally, the tracklist of the songs included on the vinyl release isn’t listed on Beyoncé’s online shop or even on the physical release itself.
It’s only a guess, but the outlet posited, “Vinyl pressing plants are booked months in advance, with lead times of 10 weeks to six months — meaning albums have to be submitted long in advance of their release.” However, Variety smartly pointed out that the explanation wouldn’t necessarily make sense if “II Most Wanted” was under construction as recently as February, as contributing musicians suggested.
It should also be noted that Beyoncé’s store offers Cowboy Carter in four different vinyl variations — black, blue, red, and white — so specific complaints might only apply to certain vinyl variants.
See some of the reactions emerging from the BeyHive below.
Some Beyoncé fans who received their physical copies of “Cowboy Carter” were confused that tracks included on the digital release were missing, with four omitted from the CD and five from the LP. https://t.co/gS8HJFJs5y
— Variety (@Variety) April 1, 2024
if I spin this #COWBOYCARTER vinyl and YA YA is really not on there, I will let the world know who you REALLY are, bee lady. 😤 pic.twitter.com/mKnze3EUOz
— DE’RON 🌞 (@deronworld) March 30, 2024
My vinyl has arrived!!! #COWBOYCARTER #Beyonce
😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/RfaZznuCCt— 💕 Tash the Tyrant 💕 (@LilTasha2) April 1, 2024
Just received my Cowboy Carter vinyl and it has a hidden track called “Telephone Pt. II”????
— Russell (@RussellFalcon) April 1, 2024
life right now because I still don’t have the Cowboy Carter vinyl pic.twitter.com/JGl8eKBANu
— Daniël 🤠 (@bbeyvibes) April 1, 2024
The #COWBOYCARTER BLUE VINYL
— Beyoncé Press. (@beyoncepress) March 29, 2024
https://twitter.com/gumbo_skriimp/status/1774840479101726720?s=20
the physical release for cowboy carter is so messy like? no regular cover vinyl, spine of the alt cover saying beyince instead of cc, missing songs on both cd and vinyl, no deluxe cd song unlike advertised and still no official reason why pic.twitter.com/NVqGaqMGax
— george (@ma55eduction) March 30, 2024
My copy of @Beyonce ‘s Act ii : #COWBOYCARTER , the white vinyl- Alternative cover is here! #Beyonce #actii #whitevinyl #NewMusic pic.twitter.com/vKqSO6MBn2
— Jen’s Reputation 🐍🖤🤍 (@BionicJen77) March 30, 2024
streets saying ya ya and spaghetti not on the cowboy carter vinyl since they were pressed a while ago and she has since changed the album pic.twitter.com/DalNtPz73X
— noah (@chaiamet) March 29, 2024
I really won’t be able to blast YA YA and SPAGHETTI on the vinyl…someone hold me 🥺 #COWBOYCARTER pic.twitter.com/B4lYXZoSeN
— DE’RON 🌞 (@deronworld) March 30, 2024
Beyoncé releasing a vinyl without major tracks is SO unlike her…I’m really in shock. 🙃 #COWBOYCARTER pic.twitter.com/AJXjs43f6F
— DE’RON 🌞 (@deronworld) March 30, 2024
MY COWBOY CARTER VINYL’S ARRIVED pic.twitter.com/REhCFULqCh
— louise ✨ (@hunybey) March 29, 2024
now why my #COWBOYCARTER vinyl sitting in Michigan? pic.twitter.com/5KQSGSj8fa
— Tate 𐚁 (@TheTateProject) March 28, 2024
YA YA not being on the Cowboy Carter vinyl… pic.twitter.com/w6yBottpjR
— aram (@aramnotagoat) March 29, 2024