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Beyoncé's latest album, Cowboy Carter, released to widespread acclaim on Friday, has left some fans disappointed as reports emerge that five tracks are missing from the vinyl edition.
While the album has been hailed as a "masterpiece" and a "slick and starry Western epic," fans who pre-ordered the vinyl version have noted the absence of some of the most praised songs, including Ya Ya and Spaghetti.
Expressing their dismay, one fan lamented on Reddit, "I'm so sad," while vinyl collectors Matt and Juan voiced their disappointment on TikTok, with Matt stating, "It's such a shame, because Ya Ya is up there with my top five favourite songs on the album."
Among the songs and interludes reportedly missing are: Spaghetti, Flamenco, The Linda Martell Show, Ya Ya, and Oh Louisiana. Some fans have also reported that CD copies are missing four tracks.
The likely explanation for this discrepancy is that Beyoncé added these songs late in the album's creation process.
Vinyl pressing plants are typically booked months in advance, with lead times ranging from 10 weeks to six months.
This means that albums must be submitted well in advance of their release date. Additionally, it's not uncommon for artists to make last-minute tweaks to track lists and arrangements.
Beyoncé herself acknowledged the extensive creative process behind Cowboy Carter, stating in a press release that it took "over five years" to create.
Originally slated for release in 2022 as the first part of a planned trilogy, the album was delayed, with the more dance-centric Renaissance released in response to the Covid-19 lockdown.
While fans eagerly anticipated the album's release, confusion arose when physical copies were found to be incomplete.
Some fans have demanded explanations and refunds, with one Instagram user urging the official Beyoncé store to "address the mess."
Adding to the intrigue, the spine of CD and vinyl copies is labeled "Act ii: Beyincé," leading fans to speculate about a possible late change in the album's title.
This reference to Beyoncé's ancestral surname, Beyincé, ties into Cowboy Carter's narrative, which explores the marginalization of black people in country music and the American South.
In her press release, Beyoncé emphasized the album's organic sound, achieved by using real instruments and eschewing digital production techniques.
She explained, "I wanted to go back to real instruments... All the sounds were so organic and human, everyday things like the wind, snaps, and even the sound of birds and chickens, the sounds of nature."
