In a surprising turn of events, Beyoncé has been snubbed by the Country Music Awards (CMAs) despite delivering one of the year’s biggest country hits, Texas Hold ‘Em. When the CMA nominations were announced on Monday, Beyoncé’s name was nowhere to be found, leaving fans shocked and disappointed.
Many had anticipated that Beyoncé’s groundbreaking country album Cowboy Carter would make history at this year’s awards. Fans speculated she could become the first Black woman to be nominated for Album of the Year. However, the CMAs had other plans, as Cowboy Carter received zero nods. Instead, the spotlight went to Morgan Wallen, who led the nominations, marking a controversial comeback for the artist who was previously suspended by his label after using a racial slur. Wallen, who later apologized and re-signed with his label, secured four nominations, largely thanks to his feature on Post Malone’s country hit I Had Some Help.
Post Malone, like Beyoncé, isn’t typically known as a country artist, yet both pop superstars have successfully crossed over into the genre. Beyoncé’s Texas Hold ‘Em spent 10 weeks at the top of the country charts, but it was Shaboozey, featured on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, who unseated her with A Bar Song (Tipsy) in April. His achievement made history, becoming the first Black male artist to top both the country charts and the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously. This back-to-back success by Black artists was a landmark moment in country music history.
Beyoncé’s foray into country music has deeper roots. Earlier this year, she hinted that her experience at the 2016 CMAs, where she performed Daddy Lessons with The Chicks, played a role in her decision to make a country album. Following that performance, Beyoncé faced an onslaught of online criticism and racism, with The Chicks’ lead singer Natalie Maines calling the backlash “disgusting.”
In an Instagram post, Beyoncé revealed that Cowboy Carter was inspired by that moment, describing the album as “born out of an experience where I did not feel welcome.” Her album delves into the history of country music, highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of Black artists. Billboard classified Cowboy Carter as a country album, with Texas Hold ‘Em topping the charts, yet the CMA voters failed to recognize her achievements.
Despite the CMA snub, Beyoncé remains a dominant force in the country scene. She received 12 nominations for the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, the most of any artist this year. However, the CMA’s decision to overlook Cowboy Carter raises questions about the industry’s gatekeeping.
The CMAs have not commented on the exclusion of Beyoncé’s album, but their voting criteria for Album of the Year includes judging on factors like artist performance, musical background, and production quality. Still, the artists who made the shortlist for Album of the Year—Kacey Musgraves, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, and Jelly Roll—highlight the competition Beyoncé faced.
The winners will be announced at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 20, but one thing is clear: Beyoncé’s absence in the nominations hasn’t gone unnoticed, and the country music establishment may need to reckon with its treatment of Black artists.
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