Country music star Gavin Adcock has publicly criticised Beyoncé over her chart-topping album Cowboy Carter, claiming it doesn’t belong in the country music genre.
The 26-year-old singer, best known for his hit My Own Worst Enemy, shared his strong views during a live concert, where he slammed the Grammy-winning album and Beyoncé herself.
During the show, Gavin Adcock pointed out that Cowboy Carter currently sits at No. 3 on Apple Music’s country album chart, while his own album is right behind it at No. 4.
He didn’t hold back, telling the crowd, “You can tell her we’re coming for her,” and claiming that her music “ain’t country and never will be.”
The comments quickly went viral on social media, sparking debate among fans of both artists.
Gavin Adcock later addressed the backlash in an Instagram video on Monday, 30 June, where he repeated his opinion.
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He admitted to enjoying some of Beyoncé’s past music, including her Super Bowl performance, but stood by his belief that Cowboy Carter shouldn’t be labelled as country.
Gavin Adcock said it was unfair for artists like him, who have dedicated their lives to the genre, to have to compete with a global pop icon like Beyoncé.
Gavin Adcock added that Cowboy Carter doesn’t sound or feel like country music and suggested it only topped the charts because of Beyoncé’s fame.
The feud with Davin Adcock comes months after Beyoncé made history by winning Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter at the 2025 Grammy Awards.
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In her acceptance speech, Beyoncé thanked country legends like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson for their support and said that genre labels often limit artists.
Beyoncé also won Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter, making it one of the most successful projects of her career.
Meanwhile, Gavin Adcock’s criticism of Cowboy Carter arrives not long after he was arrested in Tennessee in May for reckless driving and open container violations.
