The Country Music Association Awards nominations were announced Monday, and one superstar was noticeably absent from the list: Beyoncé. Her album, Cowboy Carter, was a critical and commercial success, topping the Billboard Country chart and becoming the first No. 1 country album by a Black woman in history. So why was the album completely snubbed by the CMAs?
The CMA snub of Beyoncé, a Black woman, is being met with criticism by many, who see it as a clear example of misogynoir. In a year when other pop crossover artists like Post Malone and Shaboozey were nominated, the CMAs’ decision to ignore Beyoncé’s album is puzzling, to say the least.
Some point to the fact that Beyoncé’s label, Parkwood, did not aggressively promote the album to country radio stations. The album’s lead single, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” was initially cataloged as a pop song, and it wasn’t until a week after its release that country stations received copies of the song. This may have hurt the album’s chances of getting nominations, as country radio has traditionally been reluctant to play songs that aren’t actively promoted by labels.
But others argue that the CMA snub is simply a reflection of the industry’s continued resistance to Black women in country music. Beyoncé has been a vocal critic of the industry’s lack of diversity, and her album Cowboy Carter was seen as a challenge to the status quo. The CMAs’ decision to ignore her album may be a way of sending a message that they are not ready for change.
The CMA snub is a reminder that the country music industry still has a long way to go in terms of diversity and inclusion. While there has been some progress in recent years, the industry is still dominated by white men. The CMAs’ decision to ignore Beyoncé’s album is a clear sign that they are not yet ready to embrace the diversity that is so vital to the future of country music.
The CMA’s History of Snubbing Black Artists
This isn’t the first time the CMAs have been accused of ignoring Black artists. In 2016, Beyoncé’s performance of “Daddy Lessons” at the CMAs sparked backlash from some country music fans who felt that she didn’t belong in the genre. The CMAs responded by removing posts referencing Beyoncé’s performance online, a move that was widely seen as an attempt to erase her presence from the event.
And in 2019, Lil Nas X’s hit song “Old Town Road” was initially categorized as a “pop” song by the CMAs, despite its undeniable country influence. Lil Nas X was nominated for only one award, for his collaboration with Billy Ray Cyrus on a remix of the song. This move was widely seen as a way to downplay the contributions of the Black artist and give credit to his white collaborator.
The Future of Country Music
The CMAs’ snub of Beyoncé is a sign that the industry still has a long way to go in terms of diversity and inclusion. There have been signs of progress in recent years. But the CMAs’ continued exclusion of Black artists like Beyoncé and Lil Nas X suggests that there is still a lot of work to be done.
The future of country music is dependent on its ability to embrace diversity. The CMAs’ decision to ignore Beyoncé’s album is a sign that they are not yet ready for change. This could have serious repercussions for the future of country music. Country music is already losing listeners, and the CMAs’ continued resistance to diversity is only going to accelerate that trend.
The Music Transcends the Awards
Ultimately, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter is a groundbreaking album that deserves to be celebrated. The album’s success shows that there is a growing audience for Black artists in country music. The CMAs’ snub of the album is a setback, but it is not a defeat. Beyoncé’s music transcends the awards, and it will continue to inspire and move people for years to come.
