Beyoncé Snubbed by Country Music Awards Despite Major Hit
Beyoncé has been overlooked by the Country Music Awards (CMAs), receiving no nominations despite her hit “Texas Hold ‘Em” being one of the year’s top country songs.
Fans had speculated that her album “Cowboy Carter” could earn her a historic nomination as the first Black woman in that category.
Instead, Morgan Wallen led with the most nominations, three years after facing suspension for using a racial slur. Wallen has since apologized and rejoined his label.
Last year, his album “One Thing At A Time” topped the charts for 16 weeks and earned a nomination at the CMAs.
Shaboozey, who features on “Cowboy Carter,” also received two nominations, making history as the first Black male artist to simultaneously hold the number one spots on both the country chart and the Billboard Hot 100.
Beyoncé’s experience at the CMAs in 2016, where she faced backlash after performing with The Chicks, influenced her decision to create a country album.
In an Instagram post, she expressed that “Cowboy Carter” was inspired by feelings of unwelcomeness in the country music scene.
Despite her snub, Billboard classified “Cowboy Carter” as a country album, and Beyoncé received 12 nominations for the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, the most of any artist.
The CMA has not commented on her exclusion, but the Album of the Year award considers various factors including performance and production quality.
Nominated for Album of the Year are Kacey Musgraves’ “Deeper Well,” Luke Combs’ “Fathers & Sons,” Chris Stapleton’s “Higher,” Cody Johnson’s “Leather,” and Jelly Roll’s “Whitsitt Chapel.”
Winners will be announced on November 20 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.