When the Country Music Award nominations dropped on September 9th, there was a noticeable absence.
Beyoncé, whose hit single “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” was the first song by a Black woman to hit number one on the Billboard Country Music Chart, was not nominated for a Country Music Award.
Why wasn’t a global-charting, top-selling artist with a number-one hit nominated for a CMA? Many people were asking that question.
Beyoncé Felt Unwelcome at the 2016 CMAs
Fans speculated the root of the CMA snub was a 2016 performance Beyonce did with The Chicks where they performed her song, “Daddy Lessons”. After the performance, she spoke about how she felt unwelcome at the CMAs.
Beyonce says that the experience is one of the factors that led her to create her country album “Cowboy Carter,” which takes a deep dive into the influence of Black women on country music.
Rumors swirled that she wasn’t nominated for a Country Music Award in retaliation for speaking out about her negative experience at the 2016 awards and the marginalization of Black artists in the country genre. She wrote about the influence of the experience saying:
“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.”
But defenders of the nomination committee say that Beyonce didn’t receive a CMA nomination because of the way that her label chose to promote the album.
Radio vs. Streaming
Typically, country music is promoted by labels distributing albums to radio stations for airplay. But radio stations were very slow to play “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES” from “Cowboy Carter.” Though the songs found mainstream success and were streamed by the millions, country radio stations seemed reluctant to play them.
Radio stations say Beyoncé’s label didn’t send promotional copies or promote the record to them. But once fans started inundating radio stations with demands to play the songs, they did.
Industry insiders say country music is very hierarchal, driven by radio power players. Beyoncé’s refusal to court their favor could have resulted in the CMA snub.
It’s worth noting that Post Malone, who was also new to the genre, was nominated for four CMAs. Malone collaborated with Beyoncé on “Cowboy Carter,” but also worked with country music stars like Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen, and Tim McGraw.
Celebrating Women in Country
Ultimately, it may not matter whether or not Beyoncé is ever nominated for a CMA. As a global superstar, she continues to use her significant influence to promote women in all genres of music — including country.
The importance of “Cowboy Carter” to country music doesn’t come from an award. It comes from Beyoncé’s commitment to preserve and shine a light on the contributions of Black women to country music.
