Beyoncé fans disappointed after ‘favourite’ song missing from Cowboy Carter vinyl and CDs

‘Ya Ya’, one of the most popular tracks on the record, was reportedly absent – along with numerous other songs

Beyoncé fans have been left disappointed after vinyl and CD versions of her new country album, Cowboy Carter, were seemingly missing tracks that featured on the digital edition.

The 42-year-old’s eighth studio album, her first forray into the country genre, was released on Friday 29 March. The Independent’s music critic Helen Brown wrote in her five-star review: “Throughout it all, Beyoncé’s hands are confidently and charismatically on the reins. The righteous zeal of her mission, and the giddy range of sonic adventuring, repeatedly gave me chills I haven’t felt since the release of Lemonade.

“Back then she was fighting for her marriage. Now she’s fighting for a major culture shift. Throughout, she seeks to build bridges with the working men of the South, acknowledging their economic struggles.”

Vinyl pre-orders began to arrive on Friday, with fans complaining that five songs seemed to be missing: “Flamenco”, “Oh Louisiana”, “The Linda Martell Show”, “Spaghetti”, and “Ya Ya”.

All of the above, except for “Flamenco”, were reportedly missing from the CD, too. It remains unclear whether all CDs and vinyls lacked these tracks.

“So you’re telling me I’ve paid £40+ in a cost of living crisis for an album that’s missing five songs (coincidentally most of my favourites)??” one fan wrote on X.

“It’s such a shame because ‘Ya Ya’ is probably up there with my top five favourite songs at the moment... I’m quite miffed,” posted a TikTok user.

Cowboy Carter album artwork (Parkwood Entertainment/PA Wire)

Many buyers have commented on the Instagram feed for Beyoncé’s official online store and called for discounts.

Some have theorised that, because the vinyl edition would have been pressed many weeks before the album’s release, late changes that Beyoncé might have made to the album wouldn’t have been taken into account.

However, confusing things further, there are musicians who contributed to one song on the record, “II Most Wanted,” a duet with Miley Cyrus, who said they were working on the track as late as last month. That track appears on the vinyl and CD editions.

The Independent has contacted Sony Music for comment.

Beyoncé has collaborated with Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus and Post Malone on her new album, which includes a notable cover of Parton’s “Jolene” and “Blackbird” by The Beatles.

The album was preceded by the two lead singles, “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em”, the latter of which propelled Beyoncé to the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, making her the first Black woman to achieve the feat.