The Country Music Association has revealed the nominees for its 58th Annual Awards, but there’s a surprising omission.
Beyoncé’s country-inspired album Cowboy Carter, which topped the charts with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” didn’t get any nominations. Instead, familiar faces like Morgan Wallen, Cody Johnson, and Chris Stapleton are leading the race for the awards happening on November 20 in Nashville. Even though Beyoncé’s collaborators Post Malone and Shaboozey got nods, it wasn’t for their work on her album.
It’s unclear if Beyoncé even submitted her music for these awards. Recently, artists like Drake and The Weeknd have avoided the Grammy Awards due to perceived biases. Beyoncé hinted at her issues with the CMAs when she said in March that Cowboy Carter came from a time when she felt unwelcome in country music circles: “I did not feel welcomed… and it was very clear that I wasn’t.”
People remember how her 2016 CMA performance of “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks received harsh criticism compared to other pop stars like Justin Timberlake who performed there earlier. She mentioned this experience led her to explore country music’s history more deeply: “I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.”
Despite its success, “Texas Hold ‘Em” barely played on country radio stations, and the same happened with her cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.” This snub seems to support what many believe—that country music gatekeepers want to keep their world exclusive and aren’t welcoming to outsiders or Black women.
Fans often wonder why things have to be this way.
Neither Beyoncé nor CMA representatives have commented on the situation.
