Photo Credit: Beyonce/Instagram
The Country Music Association (CMA) unveiled its 2024 award nominations on Monday, sparking controversy by excluding pop icon Beyoncé from the list despite her recent foray into country music. The 43-year-old superstar's album "Cowboy Carter," released in March, made waves in the country music scene but failed to secure any nominations for the upcoming November 20th ceremony.
Beyoncé's country-inspired album broke records upon its release, becoming Spotify's most-streamed album in a single day for 2024. It also claimed the title of most first-day streams for a country album by a female artist on Amazon Music. The lead single, "Texas Hold 'Em," topped the Billboard country charts, marking a significant milestone for the artist.
In a June statement to Billboard, Beyoncé expressed her motivation behind the album: "I'm honored to introduce so many people to the roots of so many genres. I'm thrilled that my fans trusted me." She added, "The music industry gatekeepers are not happy about the idea of bending genres, especially coming from a Black artist and definitely not a woman."
The snub has not gone unnoticed. Shaboozey, featured on two tracks from "Cowboy Carter," took to social media platform X to defend Beyoncé: "Thank you @Beyonce for opening a door for us, starting a conversation, and giving us one of the most innovative country albums of all time!"
While Beyoncé was overlooked, other artists garnered multiple nominations. Morgan Wallen leads the pack with seven nods, despite recent controversy surrounding his arrest in April for allegedly throwing a chair from a Nashville bar rooftop. Chris Stapleton and Cody Johnson followed with five nominations each, while Post Malone and Lainey Wilson secured four apiece.
The CMA's decision-making process involves approximately 6,000 industry professionals who make up the association's membership. This voting body determines both nominees and winners for the annual awards show.
This isn't the first time Beyoncé has faced award show disappointment. Her husband, Jay-Z, publicly criticized the Grammy Awards in February after her album "Renaissance" lost Album of the Year to Harry Styles' "Harry's House." Despite holding the record for most Grammy wins at 32, Beyoncé has yet to claim the coveted Album of the Year trophy.
While the country music community prepares for the 2024 CMA Awards, airing on ABC, the absence of Beyoncé's name from the nomination list continues to fuel discussions about genre boundaries and recognition in the industry.
