Country Kerfuffle: Despite Being The Best Selling New Country Album Of 2024, Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Gets Zero CMA Nominations

Even though she’s one of the most decorated artists of our generation, Beyoncé is still no stranger to getting snubbed.

The 2024 Country Music Association Awards nominations were announced on Monday, September 9. Following Cowboy Carter’s insane success this year, a lot of fans expected to see Beyoncé nominated in at least one category at the awards show–but, sadly, the singer was noticeably absent from every category.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that Beyoncé qualified for CMA categories like single of the year, song of the year, album of the year, female vocalist of the year, music event of the year and even qualified for entertainer of the year, “though that award is typically reserved for country acts who have built a strong presence in the genre for years.”

The CMAs are voted on by members of the Country Music Association, which includes artists, executives, songwriters, musicians, publicists, touring personnel and other industry professionals

Ironically enough, not being welcomed at the 2016 CMAs is a huge reason Bey decided to venture into country music in the first place.

When announcing Cowboy Carter, the star revealed that her performance of “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks that year is what made her do “a deeper dive into the history of Country music.”

“This album has been over five years in the making,” Bey wrote in a lengthy Instagram caption on March 19. “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. 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.”

She continued, “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.”

Now that she’s been snubbed at this year’s CMA Awards, it’s pretty clear that a lot of folks in the world of country music still aren’t welcoming Beyoncé into the genre.

Shaboozey–who worked with Bey on Cowboy Carter and is featured on both “SPAGHETTII” and “SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN'”–made sure to thank the singer for “opening a door” for Black artists in country music. He was nominated for both New Artist and Single of The Year for “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” marking his first nominations at the awards show.

“That goes without saying. 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,” he tweeted.

Beyoncé has yet to say anything about the snub, but the Bey Hive has made it known that the critical acclaim/sales and the lack of nominations just don’t match up.

Check out some reactions to Cowboy Carter’s snub down below: