Beyoncé Overlooked at Country Music Awards Despite Major Hit

Beyoncé, one of the biggest names in music, has been notably absent from the Country Music Awards (CMAs) nominations this year, despite her significant contribution to the genre with her hit single “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The omission has left many surprised, as Beyoncé was expected to be recognized for her album “Cowboy Carter,” which was speculated to make history by becoming the first album by a Black woman to be nominated for Album of the Year.

The CMA nominations were announced on Monday morning, and Beyoncé’s name was conspicuously missing. This comes despite her album, “Cowboy Carter,” and the single “Texas Hold ‘Em” both making substantial waves in the country music scene. The single even topped the US country charts earlier this year, demonstrating Beyoncé’s impact on the genre.

In contrast, Morgan Wallen, who has faced controversies in the past, including being suspended by his record label for using a racial slur, emerged as a major nominee. Wallen, who had a double album titled “One Thing At A Time” dominate the charts for 16 weeks last year, received multiple nominations this year. He is recognized for his role as a featured artist on “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone, a pop artist who, like Beyoncé, does not traditionally belong to the country music establishment.

Shaboozey, another artist featured on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” secured two nominations: Best New Artist and Single of the Year for “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Notably, Shaboozey’s single replaced Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” at the top of the US country charts, making him the first Black male artist to achieve this feat, and marking the first time two Black artists have topped the charts consecutively.

The snub of Beyoncé has stirred discussions, particularly considering her past experiences with the CMAs. In 2016, Beyoncé performed “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks) at the CMAs, a performance that faced significant backlash and racism online. The treatment she received prompted Beyoncé to channel her experiences into her country album, “Cowboy Carter.”

In an Instagram post, Beyoncé revealed that “Cowboy Carter” was inspired by her feelings of exclusion at the 2016 CMAs. The album is part of a trilogy exploring American musical traditions and highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of Black artists. Despite Billboard classifying “Cowboy Carter” as a country album and “Texas Hold ‘Em” spending ten weeks at the top of the country charts, the CMAs did not recognize her work this year.

Beyoncé did receive 12 nominations for the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, the most of any artist. However, the CMAs have yet to comment on why she was overlooked. According to the CMA’s judging criteria, the Album of the Year award considers various factors, including the artist’s performance, musical background, engineering, and packaging. The nominations are determined by eligible CMA members within the country music industry.

The nominees for Album of the Year this 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 CMA ceremony is set to take place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 20. The main nominees for this year’s awards include:

Entertainer of the Year:

• Luke Combs
• Jelly Roll
• Chris Stapleton
• Morgan Wallen
• Lainey Wilson

Single of the Year:

• “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey
• “Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
• “I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen)
• “Watermelon Moonshine” – Lainey Wilson
• “White Horse” – Chris Stapleton

Album of the Year:

• “Deeper Well” – Kacey Musgraves
• “Fathers & Sons” – Luke Combs
• “Higher” – Chris Stapleton
• “Leather” – Cody Johnson
• “Whitsitt Chapel” – Jelly Roll

Song of the Year:

• “Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum
• “Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
• “I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen)
• “The Painter” – Cody Johnson
• “White Horse” – Chris Stapleton

Female Vocalist of the Year:

• Kelsea Ballerini
• Ashley McBryde
• Megan Moroney
• Kacey Musgraves
• Lainey Wilson

Male Vocalist of the Year:

• Luke Combs
• Jelly Roll
• Cody Johnson
• Chris Stapleton
• Morgan Wallen

Vocal Group of the Year:

• Lady A
• Little Big Town
• Old Dominion
• The Red Clay Strays
• Zac Brown Band

New Artist of the Year:

• Megan Moroney
• Shaboozey
• Nate Smith
• Mitchell Tenpenny
• Zach Top
• Bailey Zimmerman