Oliver Anthony Calls Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' Album 'Complete Trash'

Oliver Anthony has shared a new video on YouTube discussing what he’s learned about the music industry (so far).

In said video, he blasted Nashville and the current state of country music, adding that Beyoncé’s country-inspired album, Cowboy Carter, is “complete trash.”

Anthony claimed that an unnamed figure in the music industry pitched him to praise the album to seem “cool.” The Rich Men North Of Richmond singer wouldn’t have a bar of it.

“One of the guys I worked with, he wanted me to make some stupid fucking post about Beyoncé’s country album, about how it was good, even though it was complete trash,” Anthony said. “It makes me want to throw up.”

Discussing Beyoncé’s take on the Dolly Parton classic, Jolene, he continued, “Even half trying to listen to the beginning of, like, her version of Jolene, it’s just total cringe.

“It represents how degenerative our society has become, that a song like a Beyoncé version of Jolene can come out, and anybody [can] actually listen to it and think it’s not just complete trash. So, I was supposed to make a post, basically trying to associate myself with Beyoncé in hopes of us doing some kind of song together, but how many people do that?”

Anthony added, “How many artists do you follow on social media that have never even looked at their social media, and you’re just reading words and posts and things that were written by somebody that you’ve never even met, that aren’t the artist, that don’t even necessarily work directly for the artist… It’s so much theatrics, illusion, and characterisations built in this whole thing to keep people hanging on for more.”

Elsewhere in the video, Anthony claimed that the music industry will “use you for whatever they can” and alleged that record labels will spend millions to boost their artists’ music up the charts. He also spoke up about selling concert tickets for just $25, calling other music industry figures “greedy” for charging $200 a ticket.

You can watch the video below.

Oliver Anthony will return to Australia in March 2025. The tour announcement arrived shortly after the singer revealed his plans to “get out of the music industry,” describing it as a “big joke.”

Oliver Anthony returns to Australia after making his debut appearance at CMC Rocks earlier this year.