Racial justice nonprofit Color Of Change accuses the Country Music Association of snubbing Beyoncé at the 2024 awards ceremony.
Despite having had a highly successful album and single at #1 on both the country and pop charts, with Carter the cowboy and “Texas Hold 'Em”: The Grammy-winning star was completely excluded from the awards ceremony celebrating the best in country music.
“Beyoncé is bigger than the CMAs. She doesn’t need the CMAs. But when the CMAs make such a clear statement that they don’t need Beyoncé, they send a clear message that they align themselves with the forces desperately trying to cling to a mythical American past that never existed,” says Rashad Robinson, president of Color Of Change. The Hollywood Reporter.
“Recognizing Beyoncé at the CMAs would force everyone to confront a multitude of truths: country music's roots in black music, the history of racism in country music, and the prospect of having to give up not only their white audience, but also the segment of their audience that can't stand to see black excellence succeed in this country. It would also force them to confront the one enclave of culture they use as an escape from ever having to see black people: their music,” she continued.
Color Of Change was founded in 2005 and has seven million members. The nonprofit is committed to protecting Black culture and progress, holding corporate and political leaders accountable, and commissioning research into systems of inequality.
by Beyoncé Carter the cowboy made history this year when he spent four weeks on top Billboardchart of the top country albums of — making her the first black woman to achieve the feat. She also became the first black woman to reach the top spot on the chart Billboardcountry songs chart with “Texas Hold 'Em,” which held the top spot for 10 weeks. Both her single and album led Billboardthe Hot 100 and 200 all-genre album charts, while seven others Carter the cowboy the songs reached the Top 10 of the Billboard country chart. The 27-track project, featuring Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell and Miley Cyrus, sparked cultural conversations about black artists reclaiming the genres they started, including country music.
Despite being completely shut out, Beyoncé qualified for the CMA categories of Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Musical Event of the Year. She even qualified for Entertainer of the Year, though that award is typically reserved for country artists who have built a strong presence in the genre over the years.
Post Malone, who also released his debut country album this year and appears on Carter the cowboy —has been greeted with four nominations, including single and song of the year nods for “I Had Some Help.” That No. 1 pop and country hit features Morgan Wallen, who leads the CMA Awards with seven nominations. Beyoncé collaborator Shaboozey —who has gotten a major boost on the music scene after appearing on two Carter the cowboy tracks — earned her first CMA nominations: Best New Artist and Single of the Year for “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” the year’s biggest hit.
The CMA snub comes eight years after the controversy that erupted at the 2016 CMAs, when Beyoncé surprised the audience with a performance of her country song “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks. While some applauded the performance, there was a backlash from members of the country music community, some even calling for a boycott, while Queen Bey's performance was scrubbed from the CMA website. The singer appeared to be referencing the CMAs when she poked fun at Carter the cowboy in March: “This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience I had years ago where I didn't feel welcome… and it was very clear that I wasn't. But because of that experience, I've delved deeper into the history of country music and studied our rich archive of music.”