The Country Music Awards are coming up in November, and the association has faced backlash over its nominations list, which revealed that Beyoncé was snubbed despite releasing her acclaimed country-themed album, Cowboy Carter, this year. After reaching the number one spot on the charts with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” but receiving zero nominations, the Beyhive has rallied to defend the 43-year-old superstar.
The nominations include several country music stars, such as Kacey Musgraves, Jelly Roll, and Kelsea Ballerini. With the awards show approaching, HollywoodLife has compiled details about the CMAs.
From categories like ‘Entertainer of the Year’ to ‘Album of the Year,’ Morgan Wallen leads with seven nominations, followed by Chris Stapleton and Cody Johnson, each with five. Post Malone and Lainey Wilson follow with four nominations each.
The “Flawless” singer had an extraordinary year, releasing her eighth studio album, which embraced her Texas roots. Despite holding the top spot on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart for four weeks, fans were surprised to see that she was not recognized with any nominations.
In a statement to Billboard in June, Beyoncé said, “I’m honored to introduce so many people to the roots of so many genres. I’m thrilled that my fans trusted me. The music industry gatekeepers are not happy about the idea of bending genres, especially coming from a Black artist and definitely not a woman.”
Known for her creative musical style, Beyoncé has explored various genres, such as Pop and Dance, while remaining true to her roots. In her Lemonade album, she included country influences in the song “Daddy Lessons.” With Cowboy Carter, she dove deeper into the country genre, collaborating with artists like Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, and Shaboozey.
In a post shared on March 19, she wrote, “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 those who have dedicated their lives to preserving our musical history.”