From the surprise drop of 2013’s visual album to the three-act reclamation of Black musical history that began with Renaissance, Beyoncé’s mastery of viral promotion is peerless. So when the superstar signed on for the NFL’s Christmas Gameday halftime show, the Hive — her devoted and highly informed fan base — expected an album or tour announcement to follow. Instead, they got a cryptic post-game Instagram video that revealed the date “01.14.2025.” But the performance might have served another purpose: to lock in an album of the year Grammy win for Cowboy Carter.
With the Grammy Awards’ final voting period open from Dec. 12 to Jan. 3, what better way to showcase Act II of Beyoncé’s ambitious musical trilogy than a holiday performance beamed into millions of households across America?
The goal would be twofold: to reacquaint voters — who might be preoccupied with newer releases — with March’s Cowboy Carter and to highlight the album’s country chops after it was controversially snubbed by the Country Music Awards.
And she did just that. While the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens were taking a well-earned break, Beyoncé treated a hometown crowd to a 13-minute recap of Cowboy Carter. From her dramatic entrance atop a Lipizzan steed, replete in a white cowboy hat and knee-high boots, the 43-year-year-old immersed the crowd in her unique brand of country. Autobiographical ballad “16 Carriages,” a frontrunner for best country solo performance, displayed her mastery of traditional country, while her interpretation of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” delivered a vision for the future.
Joined by a quartet of rising country stars, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts and Brittney Spencer, Beyoncé celebrated the next wave of Black artists country artists while reclaiming the genre’s Black roots — a point she previously made by including Black country pioneer Linda Martell on the record. After dismounting Chardonneigh (as the Act II horse is lovingly known to fans), Beyoncé dusted off “YA YA,” which is nominated for best Americana performance, and linked up with breakout star Shaboozey for “Sweet Honey Buckiin’.”
While showcasing the thriving diversity of country was a preoccupation, emphasizing its inclusive nature — as America’s genre — continued when Post Malone, himself in the midst of a country era, joined her for “Levii’s Jeans,” a nominee for best pop duo/group performance. A rendition of “Jolene,” complete with a Dolly Parton voiceover, showed Beyoncé’s reverence for the greats; and “Texas Hold ‘Em,” a three-time Grammy nominee for record of the year, song of the year and best country song, was a victory lap with daughter Blue Ivy Carter.
It’s notable that Beyoncé steered clear of her signature hits — 2023 stand-alone single “My House” was the only non-Cowboy Carter song — and didn’t bow to tradition by belting out seasonal fare like previous halftime performers Mariah Carey, Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson. The focus was entirely on Cowboy Carter and sharing her interpretation of country music with as many viewers and potential Grammy voters as possible.
On that front, it was a resounding success. The NFL’s Christmas Gameday attracted over 27 million viewers in the United States, peaking during the halftime show. The two NFL games streamed on Christmas Day averaged over 24 million viewers each. The event’s success extended beyond traditional viewership metrics, with the hashtag #BeyoncéBowl trending worldwide. Furthermore, the full performance is available to stream on Netflix, which allows audiences worldwide to experience the “Beyoncé Bowl” in its entirety whenever they like.
While taking over Christmas programming is an extreme example, jockeying for favor with Grammy voters is standard industry practice. During the voting period, artists and their teams go all out to win the attention of Recording Academy members. Private listening events for Academy members are underway across Los Angeles, artists are amplifying their presence through media appearances and interviews, and, for major contenders, full-scale campaigns including advertisements in trade publications and high-profile billboards are the norm.
If Cowboy Carter wins album of the year, it will be a fitting acknowledgment of Beyoncé’s three-decade career. But her history in the category is rocky and controversial. Her 2013 self-titled album’s loss to Beck’s Morning Phase was a major talking point, which turned into a media-spanning conversation about broadening representation in the Academy when Lemonade lost to Adele’s 25 in 2016. History repeated six years later when Renaissance was edged out by Harry Styles’ Harry’s House.
Will an NFL halftime show be the key to winning a seemingly overdue album of the year honor? Time will tell. Oh, and as for that cryptic post-game teaser, don’t be too surprised if a tour or album announcement follows on Jan. 14. Beyoncé always has an ace up her sleeve.
