Saddle up because a new Queen Bey era is upon us. Cowboy Carter, her latest album release, is like nectar for the BeyHive, with the cowboycore trend set to dominate the summer.
As Grammy winner Lainey Wilson declares in her new single, ‘Country’s Cool Again.’
This is not Houston-born Beyoncé’s first rodeo. The star has crossed over into country before — we’re still obsessed with Lemonade track ‘Daddy Lessons’ — but as she ushers in an era that’s already made history, organisers can kickstart 2024 by tapping into her incredibly loyal fanbase and host some memorable cowboycore experiences.
What is cowboycore?
Cowboycore is a trend celebrating all things country, inspired by Beyoncé’s new album. Think fashion, music, food, and culture — even line dancing is trending.
Last year, event organisers answered the calls of dedicated fans by launching events themed around single artists, from club nights dedicated to the music and aesthetic to full orchestral tributes under UK brand Re:Imagine. Following the success of these events, Eventbrite named ‘Fandemonium’ as one of the key music and nightlife trends for 2024.
In 2023, the year of the Renaissance tour, the number of Beyoncé-related events on Eventbrite in the US grew by a whopping 113% year-on-year. While in the UK, Swiftoggedon — a club night dedicated to “worshiping at the altar of Taylor Swift” — is preparing for a bumper year as the Eras tour arrives in Europe.
Download our 2024 Music & Nightlife Event Trends Report
If wall-to-wall Beyoncé music doesn’t quite work for you then there are plenty of other ways to make the most of the wider trend. For a start, Queen Bey isn’t the only megastar feeling inspired by the South. Post Malone — whose music usually sits somewhere between hip-hop and pop — is set to release a country album, while Lana Del Rey swapped her usual recording base of Los Angeles for Muscle Shoals, Nashville, and Mississippi to record her forthcoming release, Lasso.
Globally, searches on Eventbrite for “country music” and “country music festival” grew by a huge 191% and 156% respectively, from the first half of 2023 to the second. And in the US, line dancing events grew by 96% from 2022 to 2023. Yee-haw.
How event organisers can embrace cowboycore
As new and younger audiences turn their attention to all things country — from music to clothing to culture — there are plenty of ways for venues, promoters, and businesses to get involved.
Unsurprisingly, creatives operating in Texas cities such as Austin, Dallas, and Bey’s birthplace of Houston are ahead of the curve when it comes to events that showcase country at its coolest.
Neon Rainbows host inclusive events at various locations in Austin, including a Rodeo Roller Disco — complete with a couples’ costume contest and founder Boi Orbison on the decks. They previously welcomed cowboycore pioneer Orville Peck for a Halloween event, before holding a Country Bangers for Lonesome Hearts night at a dive bar on Valentine’s Day.
Now, back to line dancing. Gen Z is already learning the moves (influencer Bizzy Boom’s tutorial has more than 6.2m views), so why not cut in line by incorporating it into your own event?
In Dallas, famous LGBTQ+ space The Round-Up Saloon offers line dancing lessons and nights with playlists “just as diverse as its clientele,” Thrillist noted in September, adding: “A trending TikTok dance can bring a few people together, but a classic line dance can get the whole party moving.”
The craze has left the South, too. In New York, the Gottscheer Hall, which turns 100 this year, plays host to a monthly Honky Tonk in Queens, which regularly sells out and welcomes a diverse crowd of “boot-scooting Gen Z urban cowboys,” the New York Post reported.
It was the historic venue that inspired founders DJs Charles Watlington and Jonny Nichols to start the event. “We thought ‘this place has a great dance floor! We should do a show here!’” Watlington told the Post. “We wanted to create more of an atmosphere that would be reminiscent of the old dance halls.” Finding the right space can really make an event shine, so read our top tips on venue sourcing here.
Of course, you don’t have to be operating in the nightlife space to tap into country audiences.
With the first album in her Renaissance trilogy, Beyoncé fans dusted off their sewing machines and mastered the art of glue-gunning to create bedazzled ensembles. Now, disco-ball cowboy hats are going into storage and the BeyHive is searching for the real thing.
This is where organisers can two-step in. Montrose Collective, a shopping and restaurant hub in Houston, is throwing a Rodeo Rally afternoon where shoppers can enjoy live music as they browse Western wear markets.
Fans will also tap up flea markets and vintage shopping events for authentic and sustainable options — so why not go all out and host a food truck offering Southern favourites to savour the country vibes?
When it comes to clothing, the DIY spirit is sure to live on too, and let’s face it, online tutorials can only take a person so far. On TikTok, #cowboycore has over 11.4 million views, CNN reported this month, and organisers operating in the crafts space can tap into the market by offering upcycling workshops — with a strong focus on denim, cowboy boots, and hats, of course.
Check out Instagram accounts from influencers and designers, such as Whinnie Williams, musician Orville Peck and, obviously, Queen Bey herself, for inspo on the cowboycore aesthetic Gen Z fans will be looking to recreate.
So giddy up! It’s time to embrace cowboycore.
