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Atlantis The Royal: The Resort

The new iconic landmark of Dubai, Atlantis The Royal welcomes guests to an experience that will completely redefine their perspective of luxury. Crafted by the world’s leading designers, architects and artists, this is a destination where everything has been designed to challenge the boundaries of imagination. Atlantis The Royal ignites the horizon with a collection of 795 elegant Rooms, Suites and Signature Penthouses. Featuring stunning views of the Dubai skyline and Arabian Sea, 44 of the Suits and Signature Penthouses have private infinity pools. The resort delivers a curated array of awe-inspiring experiences, inviting guests to swim amongst the clouds in sky pools, be dazzled by fountains that breathe fire or dine at more celebrity chef restaurants than anywhere else in the world. Guests are taken on a journey of the impossible, with artful masterpieces, iconic entertainment and beautiful craftsmanship at every turn, where the highest level of service sets a new standard in excellence.  Atlantis The Royal is the place where something incredible happens at every moment. This is Atlantis The Royal. This Is It.

• Size: 406,000 square metres
• Site area: 173,210 square metres
• Height: 43 storeys high/178 metres tall
• Rooms: 795 Rooms, Suite and Signature Penthouses, including 693 standard Rooms, 96 Suites, and 6 Signature Penthouses 
• Restaurants and bars: 17, including 8 by celebrity chefs
• Beach: 2kms

RESORT FEATURES

• Accommodation floors: 83 (over 3 Towers: Sunrise, Sunlight, Sunset Tower)
• 693 standard rooms: Seascape, Palmscape and Royal Club
• 102 suites: Sky View, Sky Terrace, Sky Pool Villa, including Signature Penthouses
• 6 signature Penthouse: Skyscape Penthouse, Horizon Penthouse, Panoramic Penthouse, Royal Mansion
• 8 accessible rooms
• 44 Suites and Penthouses with a pool : Sky Pool Villa, Skyscape Penthouse, Horizon Penthouse, Panoramic Penthouse, Royal Mansion
• Two adult pools: Nobu by the Beach and Cloud 22
• Over 30 cabanas resort-wide featuring private plunge pools: Cloud 22 and Nobu by the Beach
• Family Pool: The Royal Pool  which includes a kid’s pool
• One lap pool: AWAKEN Wellness
• Royal Club Lounges: Two: Royal Club Sky Lounge (Adults only) and Royal Club Sea Lounge (Family-friendly)
• VIP Majlis and Radiance VIP Lounge
• Royal Beach
• One of the largest jellyfish tanks in the world: 4,000 jellyfish
• 24-hour Reception
• 24-hour Concierge
• 24-hour Room Service
• The Skyblaze Fountain: The regions’s first water meets fire show
• Restaurants, Bars & Lounges: 17: 8 helmed by celebrity chefs
• AWAKEN Wellness – A 5,045 square meters holistic spa and wellness area including fitness, steam and sauna facilities, and indoor and outdoor pools  
• Aquaventure Waterpark- The world’s largest record-breaking waterpark
• The Lost Chambers Aquarium
• Dolphin Bay
• Sea Lion Point
• Atlantis Explorers Club- Ages 3-12
• Babysitting services
• Limousine services
• Retail shopping
• Business Centre & Meeting rooms
• Conference & Events facilities

ICONIC USPs

• DESIGNED by one of the world’s most pre-eminent architecture firms, Kohn Pederson Fox Associates 
• 795 rooms and suites, 44 of which offer terraces featuring private INFINITY POOLS
• 6 SIGNATURE PENTHOUSES , offering the most exquisite stay experiences in the world
• A curated array of bespoke ROOM AMENITIES from luxury brands including Hermès, Frette and Graff.
• Over 90 SWIMMING POOLS including Cloud 22 infinity pool and the world-first Nobu by the Beach
• Over 10 WATER FEATURES, AQUARIUMS AND FOUNTAINS including the region’s first fire meets water spectacle, SKYBLAZE and the largest jellyfish aquarium in the world
• Largest privately-owned stretch of continuous BEACHFRONT i n Dubai at over 2km
• A carefully curated journey of bespoke ARTWORK a cross the resort, including lobby sculpture ‘Droplets’ - an original artwork at 11.5 metres tall, consisting of 5.5 tonnes of stainless steel, representing the first cool drop of rain in a dry desert
• A total of 17 restaurants and bars, including the largest collection of CELEBRITY CHEF branded restaurants in the world
• AWAKEN WELLNESS offers half a hectare of transformative wellness including a 6-room Hammam Sensorium and unique experiences to the region, including moon manifestations, energy alignment, sound immersion and hypno-healing
• The world’s largest WATERPARK , Atlantis Aquaventure, which holds the 2022 Guinness World Records™ title for the Most Waterslides in a Waterpark: 50 slides

One of the world’s most preeminent architecture firms, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), based in New York City, is the lead architectural designer on the project. Recognised for excellence and innovation and driven by design, KPF creates buildings that demonstrate an extraordinary degree of craft and detail, elevating them to the highest levels of beauty and practicality.

The design of Atlantis The Royal rethinks the conventional concept of the ‘iconic tower’ and its role in the skyline of the rapidly growing city. Rather than focus on form only, the building centres on extending the idea of indoor-outdoor living. This idea is transcended vertically into a 500-metre-long, 178-metre-tall mega structure, operating as a permeable screen porous to people, light and air. Atlantis The Royal was conceptualised as the ‘deconstruction’ of the traditional sculptural towers associated with Dubai, taking the form of a stack of individual blocks, each offering a bespoke private experience off of a single core. The individual series of blocks enhances the convenience of luxury and amenities for residents and guests, in what seemingly feels like a smaller and more intimate setting. The gaps between become outdoor courts, naturally ventilated and shaded, with incredible views over Dubai and the Gulf.

TOPLINE FACTS

• Operator: Kerzner International
• Architectural Designer: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
• Lead Architect: IBI Group
• Water Features: WET Design
• Residential Interiors: Sybille de Margerie
• Hotel Interiors: GA Design
• Construction: Six Construct and Ssangyong
• Structural Engineer: Arup (Competition); WSP (Building Phases) MEP Engineer: Arup (Competition): WSP (Building Phases)
• Lighting Designers: Light Touch
• Landscape Designers: SKS Studio and 40NORTH
• Building start date: 2016
• 90,000 square metres of glass (the equivalent to 10 FIFA football fields)
• 220,000 cubic metres of concrete
• 2,400 piles across the site, some as deep as 45 metres
• 45,000 tonnes of steel rebar
• 5,500 tonnes of structural steel
• 150,000 square metres of marble

ARCHITECTURE

The visual identity of Atlantis The Royal mediates between the classic form of the nearby Atlantis, The Palm Resort, and the progressive architecture of Dubai, visible on the coastline running to the northeast. The building’s two terraced towers step down towards one another to meet through the sky bridge, which features dramatic views of the Gulf and Dubai skyline. The bridge is punctuated with pools, lounges, and other amenities that create a lush oasis stepping down to the tranquil Palm Island lagoon. A principal highlight of the building design is the structure’s double curvature façade. The elegant composition and stepped profile create exterior views unlike any other property in Dubai. The views northwards are an uninterrupted scene of the Arabian Gulf and the horizon beyond. Looking southwards is the breathtaking scenery of the Palm Island, expansive beaches and the Dubai skyline.  A key and central element to the design is the resort’s Sky Pool Villas. These rooms feature vast elevated terraces, each with its own private outdoor pool and architecturally landscaped gardens. The pool’s careful positioning provides maximized views both inside, underwater and outside of the pool, while still maintaining complete privacy. Similarly, each of these private pools has been carefully positioned providing maximum frontage across the balcony, giving guests an interrupted view from inside the water.

STAYS: ROOMS, SUITES & SIGNATURE SUITES

Atlantis The Royal is home to collection of some of the most elegant hotel rooms and suites in Dubai, designed to immerse guests in absolute comfort and unparalleled luxury. Soaring 43 storeys (185 metres above sea level), the interiors represent the absolute pinnacle of modern contemporary opulence, embodying illuminating materials and hand sculpted textures, leathers and geometrics to frame walls. Guests can also enjoy a curated array of bespoke amenities from luxury brands including Hermès, Frette and Graff.

• 795 Rooms, Suites and Signature Penthousesuites spanning three towers: Sunset Tower, Sunlight Tower and Sunrise Tower
• 693 standard rooms: Seascape, Palmscape and Royal Club, as well as interconnecting Family Rooms
• 96 Suites: Junior Sky View Suite, Sky Terrace Suite, Sky Terrace Family Suite, 2-bedroom Sky Terrace Suite, 3-bedroom Sky Terrace Suite and Sky Pool Villa
• 6 Signature Penthouse: Skyscape Penthouse, Horizon Penthouse, Panoramic Penthouse, Royal Mansion
• 44 Suites and Penthouses with a pool: Sky Pool Villa, Skyscape Penthouse, Horizon Penthouse, Panoramic Penthouse, Royal Mansion
• Room benefits include daily complimentary access to Atlantis Aquaventure, The Lost Chambers Aquarium and Atlantis Explorers Club, pool and beach access and usage of the fitness center, steam and wet facilities

DINING: A CULINARY DESTINATION

Atlantis The Royal has gathered some of the finest chefs in the world to offer guests and visitors a dining experience like no other. Home to more celebrity chefs under one roof than anywhere in the world, as well as an incredible beverage programme and many world-first culinary experiences, Atlantis The Royal is the c ulinary and entertainment destination in the region.

17 restaurants and bars including :

8 celebrity chef restaurants

• Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Contemporary British
• Jaleo by José Andrés  Spanish Tapas
• Ariana’s Persian Kitchen Persian
• La Mar by Gastón Acurio Peruvian
• Estiatorio Milos by Costas Spiliadis Greek Mediterranean
• The Little Venice Cake Company by Mich Turner Speciality cakes and cake artistry
• Nobu by the Beach Japanese Peruvian

1 signature restaurant

• Malibu  90265 American
• The Royal Tearoom Tearoom/afternoon tea

1 nightlife and entertainment

• Cloud 22 Skypool

4 bars and lounges

• Seascapes Beach Bar
• Elements Cocktail Bar  
• Horizon   Cocktail Bar
• House of Desserts Waffles, crepes, ice cream

1 Dining hall

• Gastronomy Gourmet Dining Hall 

1 Food court

• Food Marquet International Cuisine

FOUNTAINS AND WATER FEATURES

The architecture, water views, context and the Atlantis brand were all inspiration source points for the design process of WET’s fountains and water features, with the location of the resort on The Palm creating a constant visual connection to water with the bay and the Gulf on either side of the property. WET aimed to make the connection to water physical so visitors feel as if they are always surrounded by water. The connection is made through a series of water fountains along the resorts main axis that guide visitors from its entry to their climactic finale, the Horizon and Skyblaze feature. The fountains highlight the power of water’s presence and its effect on us whether creating quiet, contemplative moments or the spectacular. Collectively, the combination of water and fire together in so many features in one location is something never done before anywhere else in the world.

TOPLINE FACTS:

• Surge: Porte cochère water wall
• The only permanent fire and water feature in the Middle East
• The first of its kind fire and water wall in the Middle East
•    The only elevator of its kind in the Middle East
• Water Candles and the technology were designed exclusively for Atlantis The Royal
• Atlantis The Royal is the only resort in the world with Water Candle/Fire technology
•   First and only permanent fire and water performance fountain in the Middle East
•  Largest jellyfish aquarium in the world
• Only aquariums in the world to use this LED screen technology

ENTERTAINMENT

Atlantis The Royal has gathered some of the some of the world’s leading hospitality groups to offer an entertainment offering unlike any other.  With five hero experiences including Cloud 22, Elements, Ling Ling Ultra Lounge by Tao Group Hospitality, Nobu by the Beach and Horizon Bar, Atlantis The Royal joins Atlantis, The Palm as the entertainment destination in Dubai.

5 nightlife and entertainment venues

• Ling Ling Ultra Lounge by Tao Group Hospitality- Modern Pan-Asian- Day to night venue with 180-degree panoramic views of Dubai
• Cloud 22 Sky pool
• Horizon Cocktail Bar
• Nobu by the Beach- Japanese Peruvian- Nobu operated pool & beach club, world with an outdoor sushi bar

Unique entertainment experiences

• Watch the regions only fire and water fountain from the terrace of Milos
• Sip on a cocktail whilst floating in Cloud 22’s infinity pool 22 stories in the air
• Sunbathe to live DJ’s at Nobu by the Beach, the brand’s first pool and beach club
• Dance into the night as you look over the skyline of Dubai from Ling Ling, 23 storeys in the air

ATTRACTIONS: UNLIMITED ENTRY TO THE WORLD’S LARGEST WATERPARK

All stays at Atlantis The Royal include complimentary access to Atlantis Aquaventure, the largest waterpark in the world. Here guests can discover excitement the entire family can enjoy – with a total of 105 slides and attractions to get the hearts racing and private cabanas for that moment of calm.

• 22.5 hectares of waterpark
• Guinness World Records™ title for the Most Waterslides in a Waterpark: 50 slides
• 79 rides and attractions
• 26 marine experiences and watersports
• 105 total slides, attractions and experiences
• 26 food and beverage outlets
• 1km of private beach front
• 1000 sun loungers available
• 500 Ellis and Associates trained lifeguards

Unique marine experiences

• One of the largest jellyfish tanks in the world (4,000 jellyfish)- Resonance by Heston Blumenthal
• The Lost Chambers Aquarium- The largest open-air aquarium in the region (65,000 marine animals)
• State of the art, educational marine mammal facilities- Dolphin Bay, Sea Lion Point
• Unforgettable activities, including Aquatrek, Scuba Diving, snorkelling
• Mini, junior and master marine biology programmes
• Fish Tales Tour and Dolphin Tales Tour to learn more about how we care for our marine mammals
• Underwater yoga

AWAKEN: HALF A HECTARE OF TRANSFORMATIVE WELLNESS

AWAKEN Wellness aligns to each guest’s unique quest for mindfulness, health and happiness, awakening all elements of true nature – body (earth), mind (fire), emotion (water) and spirit (air). Each service is curated to unlock a spiritual alchemy and align to one’s higher self, taking guests from self-exploration to self-realisation.

Located on the Promenade level of Atlantis The Royal, AWAKEN includes both indoor and outdoor facilities consisting of 15 therapy and VIP suites and 2 specialty suites, which feature fireplaces, personal styling studios for men and women and so much more. The 6-room Hammam Sensorium showcases bathhouse culture in a new light with services inspired by the four elements and how they are linked to our bodies, making it an immersive and sensorial experience.

The Elements Retreat moves beyond the usual spa wet area by creating a purposeful experience circuit that purifies and resonates with each of the elemental bodies - Fire for the mind featuring a charcoal sauna and tepidarium, Earth for the physical body with Halotherapy Salt Rooms and grounding meditation gardens, Water for emotional release in the Hydrotherapy Pool, Charcoal Sauna or Alchemy Shower and Air to lift your spirit in the Aromatherapy Steam and air loungers.

AWAKEN Fitness gives guests the opportunity to explore both physical and mental fitness as well as spiritual and emotional fitness while on holiday. With indoor and outdoor options, guests can expect group exercise classes, a movement studio, a 25m lap pool with aquatic training and beach-camp HIIT sessions along the 2km stretch of beachfront.

TOPLINE FACTS 

• Size : 5,045 square meters (3,344sqm indoor/1,701sqm outdoor)
• Location : Promenade level of Atlantis The Royal
• 2 Specialty Suites - Hypnotherapy Suite and Fitness Recovery Suite
• 1 VIP Therapy Suite with private access
• 14 Single and Double Therapy Suites
• Hammam Sensorium : 6 rooms
• Vegan : The spa is 100% cruelty-free, plant-based and vegan
• Partners : Dr. Barbara Sturm, 111Skin, La Sultane de Saba, Amra, Augustinus Bader and Subtle Energies
• The Golden Hour – 24kt gold stone massage
• Royal Gold – 24kt golden guasha facial
• Massages of the World
• All therapists trained in reiki energy healing

MICE, EVENTS AND WEDDINGS

Two unique properties anchored on the crescent of The Palm, Atlantis Dubai shake up the world of luxury MICE, transporting the meetings, events, and incentive travel market to a new league. With spaces of all sizes that lend themselves to a range of buzz-worthy events, spontaneous interactions and private meetings, every engagement is bespoke, exciting and memorable.

With its striking lobby bar home to one of the largest jellyfish tanks in the world, along with the city’s most dramatic sky pools and some of the region’s most exciting new restaurants, the diverse range of entertainment and networking spaces at Atlantis The Royal provides novelty and inspiration for all attendees. The ultimate destination to mix business with pleasure, guests, clients and delegates benefit from an all-encompassing event experience in a transformative space where doors are opened to a whole new destination. A place where extraordinary things happen, here the impossible becomes possible.

• Diamond Ballroom 1,000 square metres (332m2 per space)/660 guests
• Business District 6 meetings rooms (Amber, Quartz, Onyx, Sapphire, Opal and Topaz)/ 29-84 square metres /12 guests
• Royal Majilis 80 square metres /20 guests
• Bridal Suite 48 square metres /20 guests
• Outdoor Event Lawn (Emerald Lawn)

Atlantis The Royal

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• Excellent 524
• Very Good 28
• Terrible 22
• All languages ( 603 )
• English ( 529 )
• Russian ( 20 )
• French ( 17 )

" To go try to see everything the Royal atlantis the palm has to offer 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯 "

" The breakfast restaurant gets very busy "

" Don’t get too bothered if you can’t get a seat when the fountain show is on, you will if you wait a few moments and they are on every hour! "

" Ensure you book your stay from your own country as if you book last minute you end up getting the UAE resident rate which you can’t claim. "

" Recommend the Royal Club access esp for private breakfast and cocktails throughout the day. "

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Race against the clock and fellow adventure-seeking competitors with the Nassau City Seeker Tour! This experience will take you to the greatest monuments, galleries, restaurants, bars, churches, and shops that downtown Nassau has to offer! The discovery of each location will unfold Bahamian history, heritage, art, and culture before your very eyes — but don’t dally too long as prizes await you at the finish line! For more information contact Islandz Tours Email: [email protected] or call: US. Toll free: (866)-600-7198 Bahamas: (242) – 698-2708

City seekers will be divided into teams of three or more, each receiving a map of downtown Nassau. The map contains all the information you need to accomplish the captivating questions or challenges that await you at every stop. Visit as many locations as possible to collect points and secure your spot in the annals of our history as one of Nassau’s finest explorers!

Guests of Atlantis are invited to experience magnificent excursions to nearby islands on private charter boats in comfort and style via a new program we're offering through Pieces of 8 charter company. Take a waterway tour of the harbor and spend time on the pristine beaches of Rose Island. Swim with the pigs in Exuma or escape for the day to Norman’s Cay in Northern Exuma to relax on the beach or have the snorkeling experience of a lifetime.

Paradise is full of adventures, explorations, discoveries, and experiences that makes every stay more exciting than the next.

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Why Beyoncé's  Cowboy Carter  Should Finally Win Her Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys

The album, acclaimed by both fans and critics, will likely compete against Taylor Swift's new LP at the music awards show next year

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Beyoncé deserves to finally lasso herself an album of the year win.

Late last month, the music superstar, 42, released her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter , which serves as the second installment in a planned trilogy of albums following 2022’s Renaissance .

The LP, like many of Beyoncé’s works, blends a diverse mix of musical genres, and it is conceptualized as a radio broadcast by the fictional KNTRY Radio Texas, with country superstars Dolly Parton ,  Willie Nelson  and Linda Martell acting as disc jockeys.

The 27-track album features collaborations with big names including Miley Cyrus and Post Malone — plus Beyoncé's 6½-year-old daughter Rumi — as well as those from lesser-known Black country artists such as  Tanner Adell ,  Brittney Spencer ,  Tiera Kennedy ,  Reyna Roberts ,  Shaboozey and  Willie Jones .  Stevie Wonder ,  Paul McCartney ,  Nile Rodgers ,  Jon Batiste ,  Gary Clark Jr. and  Rhiannon Giddens , meanwhile, perform instruments on various tracks.

Looking at the album now, and looking ahead to the 2025 Grammy Awards , Nicholas Rice, a Senior News Editor for PEOPLE, highlights why Beyoncé deserves to take home the coveted album of the year honor for Cowboy Carter.

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Beyonce Instagram 

Beyoncé has been nominated for album of the year four times over the past two decades — in 2010 for   I Am … Sasha Fierce ,  in 2015 for  Beyoncé , in 2017 for Lemonade  and in 2023 for  Renaissance . (The nominees for the 2025 Grammys will be announced sometime later this year, following the eligibility period, which runs from Sept. 16, 2023, through Aug. 30, 2024, per Billboard .)

Beyoncé's latest project has received universal acclaim from both fans and critics, who praised the star's expansion into the country genre.

On Metacritic , a website that collects reviews of media through reviews from sources such as magazines and websites, Cowboy Carter scored an impressive score of 92/100 based on 20 critic reviews.

Rolling Stone , for example, praised the LP as having "Beyoncé’s best vocal work on record," adding that the album was "produced flawlessly." Variety , meanwhile, called Cowboy Carter a "masterpiece of sophisticated vocal arranging," also describing it as "a 27-course meal" that is "difficult to describe in whole, but endlessly easy to digest, serving by serving."

Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty

The Bey Hive — as Beyoncé's loyal legion of fans are collectively known — also have had high praise for the superstar and her latest musical project.

"The vocals on cowboy carter are INSANE. do not ever play with my sister!!!!" wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).

"COWBOY CARTER IS SO GOOD I’M LITERALLY SCREAMING CRYING THROWING BEYONCÉ IS WINNING AOTY NEXT YEAR I’M CALLING IT," said one other, as another fan added , "Cowboy Carter is really Beyoncé’s best album."

"Cowboy Carter is such. an. insane. flex. If this doesn’t finally get Beyoncé AOTY..." one more fan wrote .

METROPOLIS/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

While many praised Cowboy Carter for its impressive vocals, creative concept and clear flow, Beyoncé was also celebrated for stepping into what is seen by many as a heavily white genre as a Black woman.

In the LP's first track, " American Requiem ," the mother of three reminds listeners of her country roots growing up in Texas, singing, "Used to say I spoke too country / And the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ’nough / Said I wouldn’t saddle up, but / If that ain’t country, tell me what is?"

Martell, 82, who begins “ Spaghettii, " touches upon the idea that artists can only be limited to certain subjects, stating ahead of the tune, "Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they? / In theory, they have a simple definition that’s easy to understand / But in practice, well, some may feel confined."

Beyoncé not only highlighted her ability to be a musical chameleon with this project, but also used her space to uplift other Black artists, allowing them to showcase their own vocal abilities and stories while illustrating how music truly sees no color.

Mason Poole/Parkwood Media/Getty

But the music icon still knew that not everyone in the entertainment scene — or larger world, for that matter — would be as accepting or welcoming of her trying to stray from the boxes that she has been put into throughout her career.

In a past Instagram post, Beyoncé thanked fans for their early support of Cowboy Carter and detailed how it came to be . According to the star, the project was five years in the making and was "born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed." (Many fans speculated the event Beyoncé was referring to was the 2016 CMA Awards , where she performed her country tune "Daddy Lessons" off her album Lemonade alongside The Chicks .)

"And it was very clear that I wasn’t," Beyoncé continued. "But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history."

She added, "The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."

Image Group LA/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

And with that, Beyoncé knew she had a story to tell, and Cowboy Carter was released on March 29.

It eventually broke several chart records and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart , which marked Beyoncé's eighth consecutive No. 1 album. (It was also the first album by a Black woman to top Billboard 's Top Country Albums chart.)

Spotify later announced on social media that Cowboy Carter became the platform's most-streamed album in a single day in 2024 so far.

The LP also earned the title of most streams of a country album by a female artist on Amazon Music, and it also had the biggest debut on the streaming platform, the company revealed on social media .

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Beyoncé initially surprised fans by  announcing her new album during the 2024 Super Bowl  in early February.

At the time, the singer appeared in a Verizon commercial, in which she joked about her internet-breaking abilities. She then posted the trailer  for her new album on Instagram, sending fans into a frenzy.

After the viral announcement, Beyoncé dropped two singles from the album, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages."

"Texas Hold 'Em" eventually hit No. 1 on Billboard 's Hot Country Songs chart , which allowed Beyoncé to make history as the first Black female artist to ever reach the top spot there.

Despite the success of the two singles, Beyoncé fans were still left mostly in the dark about Cowboy Carter , which, at the time, was referred to simply as Act II , given that the singer had yet to reveal the LP's name.

But, weeks before the album was set to drop, Beyoncé revealed the title by simply adding it and the release date to her Instagram bio and posting a shot of a saddle with a red, white and blue sash that read “Cowboy Carter” on her  Instagram Stories .

Not long after, Beyoncé then revealed the album's official artwork — a photo of herself wearing a red, white and blue outfit on a horse and holding up an American flag.

The album cover is reminiscent to that of the one she chose for Renaissance , which features her sitting on top of a luminous horse.

Earlier this year at the 2024 Grammy Awards, JAY-Z was honored with the 2nd annual  Dr. Dre  Global Impact Award — in recognition of his musical legacy — and used his acceptance speech to call out the organization that honored him in defense of his wife .

Questioning the process behind the voted categories, the rapper, 54, said, "We want y'all to get it right. At least getting close to right. And obviously it's subjective ... because, you know, it's music, and it's opinion-based."

Then, seemingly referring to Beyoncé, he continued, "I don't want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn't work. Think about that. The most Grammys, never won album of the year. That doesn't work."

While there is still plenty of time ahead of the 2025 Grammys, and before Beyoncé will potentially even lock in a nomination for the album of the year category, it's clear that the universal acclaim, Beyoncé's dedication to her craft and her fearlessness to step into any musical territory prove her worthy of finally clinching the long overdue honor.

And yet, even if she doesn't, Beyoncé will continue to shine, as she points out on one of the tracks on Cowboy Carter , singing: “A-O-T-Y, I ain’t win (That’s cool) / I ain’t stuntin’ ’bout them / Take that s--- on the chin / Come back and f--- up the pen."

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