Unable to attend the Country Music Awards is Beyoncé
The list of nominees announced on Monday morning did not include Beyoncé, leaving fans disappointed and speculating that she could have been the first Black woman nominated for Album of the Year with her record Cowboy Carter.
Beyoncé has been notably absent from the Country Music Awards (CMAs) nominations, despite her song "Texas Hold 'Em" being one of the year's biggest country hits.
The list of nominees announced on Monday morning did not include Beyoncé, leaving fans disappointed and speculating that she could have been the first Black woman nominated for Album of the Year with her record Cowboy Carter.
Instead, Morgan Wallen led the nominations. Wallen, who was suspended by his record label three years ago for using a racial slur but later apologized and resumed his career, received several nominations this year.
Last year, his double album One Thing At A Time topped the US charts for 16 weeks and earned a nomination for Album of the Year.
This year, Wallen has four nominations as a featured artist on Post Malone’s hit song “I Had Some Help.” Malone, a pop artist, like Beyoncé, has not traditionally been associated with country music.
Shaboozey, who is featured on Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter, also received two nominations: Best New Artist and Single of the Year for “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
This track replaced Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold 'Em” at the top of the US country charts in April, making Shaboozey the first Black male artist to top both the country chart and the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously.
It was also the first time that two Black artists had consecutively held the number one spot.
Beyoncé’s decision to create Cowboy Carter was influenced by her previous experience with the CMAs. In 2016, she performed her song “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) at the CMAs, only to face significant online criticism and racism.
Natalie Maines of The Chicks later described the treatment Beyoncé received as “disgusting.”
In response, Beyoncé revealed on Instagram that Cowboy Carter was inspired by her feeling of not being welcomed and her desire to explore the history of country music more deeply.
The album is part of a trilogy examining American musical traditions and the contributions of Black artists.
Despite this setback, Beyoncé has garnered 12 nominations for the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, more than any other artist.
The CMA has not explained why her album was overlooked, but according to their judging criteria, the Album of the Year prize considers various aspects, including performance, musical background, and packaging.
The awards are decided by eligible voting CMA members from within the country music industry.
The nominees for Album of the Year include Kacey Musgraves' Deeper Well, Luke Combs' Fathers & Sons, Chris Stapleton’s Higher, Cody Johnson’s Leather, and Jelly Roll’s Whitsitt Chapel.
The winners will be announced at the CMAs ceremony at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 20.
