Beyoncé made an incredible leap into the country music genre with her album “Cowboy Carter,” earlier this year. The album not only garnered popularity but also made significant waves in the industry, yet it’s disheartening to report that she was snubbed for the 58th CMA Awards!
On Monday, the nominations for the 2024 CMA Awards were unveiled, and to the surprise of many, Beyoncé’s name was conspicuously absent from the list. The CMA Awards, known as one of the most prestigious accolades in the country music realm, seemed like the perfect platform for Beyoncé to make history as the first Black woman to be nominated for and potentially win Album of the Year with her groundbreaking project.
Unfortunately, that will not materialize this year. According to a press release, the Album of the Year award is “evaluated based on various factors, including the artist’s performance, musical background, engineering, packaging, design, art, layout, and liner notes. The awards are determined by eligible voting members of the CMA, who are professionals within the country music industry, according to the Country Music Association.
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So, who will be possibly taking home awards this year? Controversial country singer Morgan Wallen leads the nominations with a staggering seven nods. Other prominent nominees include Chris Stapleton, Post Malone, and Lainey Wilson. Additionally, Shaboozey, who collaborated with Beyoncé on “Cowboy Carter,” received a nomination for Single of the Year for his track “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
As of now, Beyoncé has not publicly addressed her snub. However, she has previously shared the significance of this project to her. Reflecting on the album’s creation during its March release, she expressed, “This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.”
She continued, “It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history. The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. Act II is a result of challenging myself and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”
The CMA Awards will air live on November 20 from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, but it’s hard not to feel a sense of disappointment that a project as transformative as “Cowboy Carter” is being overlooked.