2024 CMA Awards: Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Album Shut Out of Nominations
When it came to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter nominations,ésCowboyCarterAlbumShutOutofNominations the CMA opted to hold ‘em.
Although her newest album had the biggest debut of the year for a country album and spent weeks on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, among other accolades, it wasn’t nominated in anything at the 2024 CMA Awards.
The absence of nods during the Sept. 9 announcement for the Nov. 20 award show came as a surprise to many fans since the 29-time Grammy winner qualified for several CMA categories, including Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year.
And although the album is country, it previously sparked a slew of controversy after radio stations deemed it wasn’t country enough to play on their airwaves. But the irony of it all?
Beyoncé’s inspiration behind Cowboy Carter came from a moment of exclusion she experienced, which fans have speculated referred to the backlash from her 2016 performance at the CMA Awards.
"It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed," she wrote on Instagram in March, "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."
"The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre," she continued, "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."
And she even had country royalty like Dolly Parton, whose song “Jolene” was covered on the album, sing her praises amid the controversy.
"I was very proud of her album," Dolly told E! News earlier this year. "I thought she did a great job in country music, and I thought it was great. And I was just happy she did 'Jolene.'”
However, several collaborators on Beyoncé’s album did earn nominations, including first-time nominee Post Malone with four, including Single of the Year and Song of the Year Music Video of the Year for his song “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen. Meanwhile, Shaboozey also earned his first two with Single of the Year for “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and New Artist of the Year.
But it was Morgan who led the pack with seven nominations for his collab with Post, including Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year. And Cody Johnson was right behind with five nods, including Single of the Year, Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.
Keep reading to see who else earned a nomination at the 2024 CMA Awards.
Entertainer of the Year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
Single of the Year
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen)
“Watermelon Moonshine” – Lainey Wilson
“White Horse” – Chris Stapleton
Album of the Year
Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves
Fathers & Sons – Luke Combs
Higher – Chris Stapleton
Leather – Cody Johnson
Whitsitt Chapel – Jelly Roll
Song of the Year
“Burn It Down” Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Parker McCollum, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose
“Dirt Cheap” Songwriter: Josh Phillips
“I Had Some Help” Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters
“The Painter” Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins
“White Horse” Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Ashley McBryde
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
Male Vocalist of the Year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
The Red Clay Strays
Zac Brown Band
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty
Musical Event of the Year
“Cowboys Cry Too” – Kelsea Ballerini (with Noah Kahan)
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen)
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan (ft. Kacey Musgraves)
Producer: Zach Bryan
“Man Made A Bar” – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church)
Producer: Joey Moi
“you look like you love me” – Ella Langley (feat. Riley Green)
Producer: Will Bundy
Musician of the Year
Tom Bukovac – Guitar
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Rob McNelley – Guitar
Charlie Worsham – Guitar
Music Video of the Year
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson, Director: Dustin Haney
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen), Director: Chris Villa
“I’m Not Pretty” – Megan Moroney, Directors: Jeff Johnson, Megan Moroney
“The Painter” – Cody Johnson, Director: Dustin Haney
“Wildflowers and Wild Horses” – Lainey Wilson, Director: Patrick Tracy
New Artist of the Year
Megan Moroney
Shaboozey
Nate Smith
Mitchell Tenpenny
Zach Top
Bailey Zimmerman
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