Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter shut out by Academy of Country Music Awards despite Grammys win

28 March 2025, 17:03

By Sam Prance

Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter received zero nominations at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

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The Academy of Country Music Awards are facing backlash after failing to nominate Beyoncé for any awards this year.

You know you that b--- when you cause all this conversation. As soon as Beyoncé launched her Cowboy Carter album campaign last year, her take on country music was met with widespread critical acclaim. Country radio stations came under fire for "refusing" to play 'Texas Hold 'Em' but both the song and Cowboy Carter still topped the US charts.

This year, Beyoncé made history as the first Black Woman to ever win Best Country Album at the Grammys. In spite of this, the ACM Awards have completely snubbed Beyoncé's country music from their nominations.

Read more: Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles defends her country roots following Cowboy Carter
Read more: How many Grammys has Beyoncé won? Every award including Album of the Year

Beyonce lands best country album Grammy award for Cowboy Carter

On March 27th, the Academy of Country Music Awards unveiled their 2025 nominations including huge country stars like Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs and Kelsea Ballerini. However, fans were shocked to learn that Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter has received zero nominations and Beyoncé wasn't nominated for Female Artist of the Year.

For Album of the Year specifically, the ACM Awards have nominated projects by country stars like Megan Moroney, Zach Top and Lainey Wilson. Artists who've more recently started making country music, like Jelly Roll and Post Malone, have also landed nominations.

Album of the Year

Jelly Roll - Beautifully Broken
Lainey Wilson - Whirlwind
Megan Moroney - Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine)
Post Malone - F-1 Trillion
Zach Top - Cold Beer & Country Music

Female Artist of the Year

Kelsea Ballerini
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson

Beyoncé was also snubbed at the Country Music Awards in 2024 but earned Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the Grammys.

Beyoncé performing with The Chicks at the CMAs in 2016. Picture: Getty

Speaking to Billboard about Beyoncé's snub, ACM CEO Damon Whiteside said: “Were we hoping she’d be nominated? Absolutely. We love that Beyoncé is in the country genre. That’s fantastic for all country artists. The more successful she is, the more we’re bringing more mainstream people into the genre which we want.”

As for why she was snubbed, he suggested: "I think, more likely, they’re going to be voting for artists that they’ve got relationships with and work with on a regular basis and that are in the country music business."

However, he added: "We’d love to have Beyoncé on the show. She has an open invitation to be on the ACM stage anytime she ever wants to.”