Beyoncé Snubbed by 2025 Academy Of Country Music Awards, Despite Historic Country Grammy Wins

Despite a groundbreaking year in country music, Beyoncé snubbed by 2025 Academy Of Country Music Awards has the culture side-eyeing the industry hard. The full nominations list dropped Thursday, March 27 — and Queen Bey’s name was nowhere to be found.

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The CUFF IT singer wasn’t listed among nominees, even after winning multiple country Grammys. Her album Cowboy Carter snagged Album of the Year, Country Album of the Year, and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II Most Wanted” featuring Miley Cyrus. But when the Academy of Country Music dropped their nominations, Beyoncé was left out entirely.

That’s got fans and fellow artists calling foul — especially since Cowboy Carter didn’t just win, it dominated.

The album topped the Billboard 200, and lead single Texas Hold ‘Em went No. 1 on the Hot 100 — a historic moment for a Black woman in country music.

Kelly Clarkson, Whoopi Goldberg & Others React to Beyoncé Being Shut Out

The silence from the Academy hasn’t stopped folks in the industry from speaking up. Stars like Kelly Clarkson, Luke Bryan, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Whoopi Goldberg all had something to say following the announcement.

“I kind of find it fascinating,” Clarkson told NBC10 Boston, referring to Beyoncé’s absence from the country nominations. “Because I feel like those songs were everywhere.”

Clarkson kept it real, adding, “That’s a hard industry, even for me. I was told at a lunch if I didn’t quit pop music and just go country, I would not be played. I was literally told that to my face at a lunch, and I was like, ‘Okay, no offense, but I’m not ever gonna just pick one.’”

This ain’t the first time country music’s gatekeeping been called out either. Back in September, the CMA Awards also left Beyoncé off the nominations list — even though Cowboy Carter was making noise in every lane.

“Genre Is a Code Word”: Beyoncé’s Grammy Speech Hits Different Now

When Beyoncé took the stage at the 2025 Grammys to accept Best Country Album, she gave a speech that’s hitting even harder after this ACM snub.

“I think sometimes genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists,” she said. “And I just want to encourage people to do this — stay persistent.”

Let’s not forget — Bey was the most nominated artist of the year at the Grammys with 11 nods total for Cowboy Carter. She walked away with three wins that night, but it’s clear that respect in country circles is still being withheld.

Her statement feels like more than just words now. It’s a rally cry for artists breaking molds, defying labels, and stepping into genres that weren’t built with them in mind.

The 2025 ACMs: Who Made the Cut While Beyoncé Was Left Out?

Leading the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards nominations is Ella Langley, followed by Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, and Cody Johnson with seven nods each.

Chris Stapleton earned six, while Riley Green and Post Malone each picked up five.

While the show will go down on May 8 in Frisco, Texas, hosted by Reba McEntire, Beyoncé fans are already questioning the credibility of this year’s ballot. Performers include Blake Shelton, Eric Church, and Lainey Wilson — but some fans are wondering if the show truly represents the genre’s evolution.

Tickets are being sold through SeatGeek, and the whole thing will stream live on Prime Video — but the controversy is already louder than the awards.