While Beyoncé’s country-inspired Cowboy Carter isn’t quite a week old, fans are understandably already speculating about how the singer might wrap up her planned trilogy. Namely, could she be tackling rock's history next?
Such speculation received one hell of a boost back in February after Bey rocked an impressive mullet for a CR Fashion Book photo shoot, with fans pointing to the pics as proof that a rock-focused third chapter was on the way.
Post-Cowboy Carter, the speculation has only continued to build. Fans have gotten specific with regards to who, and what, they're hoping to hear on this hypothetical (for now) rock turn from the 32-time Grammy winner. Most recently, the Rockyoncé talk procured more fuel for the hype fire thanks to a timely handwritten note, paired with flowers, that saw Bey telling Third Man Records founder (and previous Lemonade collaborator) Jack White “how much you inspired” her work on Act II.
White is far from the only rock music figure to have recorded and/or performed with Bey over the years. In 2004, she and the late Prince unforgettably opened that year's Grammys ceremony with a medley including “Purple Rain” and “Crazy in Love.” 12 years later, she joined the Chris Martin-fronted Coldplay for the band's Super Bowl 50 halftime show, where she performed the Lemonade-launching “Formation.”
Like with Cowboy Carter and its inclusion and celebration of Black country artists who are often unfairly not given the same due as white artists, a potential rock album from Bey could see her diving deep into rock’s history. For one, the very existence of rock 'n' roll at large can be traced straight back to the work of influential Black musicians. From there, the music’s skyrocketing popularity and continued experimentation led to numerous subgenres, from punk to alternative.
With that in mind, it's easy to see why fans are so stoked on the idea of a (again, theoretical) rock-inspired album from Beyoncé. Below, see a wide-ranging sampling of who, and what, fans are hoping to hear on Act III. The list is fittingly lengthy and includes but is certainly not limited to: a Tina Turner cover (and/or a posthumous feature) plus collaborations with Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Playboi Carti, blink-182, Brittany Howard, and more.
Will any of this ultimately come to pass? Hard to say. However, it's not been lost on fans that Bey does indeed mention protecting someone “in the mosh pit” on the Cowboy Carter track “Bodyguard.”
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