Shaboozey & Beyoncé Make History as ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ Replaces ‘Texas Hold ’Em’ Atop Hot Country Songs Chart
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” bounds to No. 1 from No. 6 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart (dated May 4). The song, which interpolates J-Kwon’s 2004 hip-hop classic “Tipsy,” marks the first leader on the list for the Virginia native (born Collins Obinna Chibueze).
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” surged by 95% to 20.9 million official U.S. streams; 1,202% to 170,000 radio airplay audience impressions; and 48% to 14,000 sold April 19-25, according to Luminate.
Notably, as Shaboozey dethrones Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which reigned for the past 10 weeks, two Black artists have led back-to-back for the first time since Hot Country Songs became an all-encompassing genre ranking in 1958.
Shaboozey guests on two tracks on Beyoncé’s LP Cowboy Carter, which leads Top Country Albums for a fourth week (with 66,000 equivalent album units): “Spaghettii” (also with Linda Martell) and “Sweet * Honey * Buckiin’.” He recently told Billboard that he’s “so happy to have such a powerhouse of an artist that chose to take this journey to country, so it’s amazing to be a part of that.”
A week earlier, Shaboozey soared to No. 1, from No. 34, on the Emerging Artists chart and “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” topped Digital Song Sales and Country Digital Song Sales, marking his first coronations on Billboard’s charts. He adds a second week atop Emerging Artists, while the track paces Country Digital Song Sales for a second frame.
The song is the lead single from Shaboozey’s American Dogwood/EMPIRE album Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, due May 31. He previously released the sets Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die in 2022 and Lady Wrangler in 2018. He told Billboard that he describes the new LP as “a little bit of this genre that even Cowboy Carter created, just a bit of everything. A lot of country, but some hip-hop moments on there, too. But a lot of my personal story and journey.”
J-Kwon’s “Tipsy” ruled the Hot Rap Songs chart for five weeks and hit No. 2 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 2004. The St. Louis rapper recently told Billboard of Shaboozey’s revival of the song, “It really ain’t even paying homage … let’s say it like this: we did that together, and I’m proud of him.”
All charts dated May 4 will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, April 30.
Gary Trust
Billboard