The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards nominations were announced on Thursday, March 27, revealing a complete absence of recognition for Beyoncé’s critically acclaimed and commercially successful country album “Cowboy Carter” — despite the project’s recent Grammy wins and chart-topping performance.
The surprising omission comes as newcomer Ella Langley leads the nominations count for the 2025 ceremony, with established artists Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, and Cody Johnson following closely behind with seven nominations each.
Second major country music awards snub
This marks the second significant oversight of Beyoncé’s country music contributions, following her exclusion from the CMA Awards nominations list in September of last year. The pattern of omission has raised eyebrows throughout the music industry, particularly given the album’s critical acclaim and commercial success.
The Cowboy Carter album earned Beyoncé three Grammy Awards earlier this year, including the prestigious album of the year, country album of the year, and best country duo/group performance for “II Most Wanted,” her collaboration with Miley Cyrus. These accolades from the recording industry’s highest honor make the ACM snub all the more conspicuous.
Industry reaction to country music gatekeeping
The exclusion has prompted responses from several high-profile entertainment figures. Kelly Clarkson expressed surprise at the snub during an interview with NBC10 Boston, noting the ubiquity of songs from the album.
“I kind of find it fascinating because I feel like those songs were everywhere,” Clarkson remarked. She went on to share her own experiences with the country music industry’s rigid boundaries, revealing that industry executives once told her she would not receive airplay unless she abandoned pop music entirely for country.
Commercial success contradicts industry response
The commercial performance of Cowboy Carter stands in stark contrast to its reception by country music award shows. The album reached the number one position on the Billboard 200 albums chart, while its lead single “Texas Hold ‘Em” achieved the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
This mainstream success further highlights the disconnect between audience reception and industry recognition. During her Grammy acceptance speech for best country album, Beyoncé addressed this dynamic directly.
2025 ACM awards showcase different priorities
While Beyoncé’s groundbreaking country album remains unrecognized by the ACMs, the nominations list highlights other industry priorities. Chris Stapleton received six nominations, while Riley Green and Post Malone each earned five.
The ceremony, scheduled for May 8 in Frisco, Texas, will feature Reba McEntire as host. Performances are expected from several nominated artists including Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton, and Eric Church.
The show will stream live on Prime Video, with limited tickets available for purchase through SeatGeek.
Beyoncé’s broader impact on country music
The conversation surrounding Beyoncé’s exclusion from country music awards highlights ongoing tensions within the industry regarding inclusion and the definition of genre boundaries. As one of music’s most decorated artists, her entry into country music brought unprecedented attention to the genre while challenging conventional expectations.
Her nominations as the most recognized artist at the recent Grammy Awards, with 11 nods total for Cowboy Carter, further underscores the disconnect between the broader music industry’s recognition of her country music contributions and the genre-specific awards shows.
This latest snub has reignited discussions about the gatekeeping mechanisms within country music, particularly as the genre continues to evolve and attract diverse audiences and artists. For Beyoncé, who recently announced city stops for her 2025 Cowboy Carter Tour with the tagline “She Coming,” the industry response appears unlikely to impede her continued exploration of country music traditions.
As both the ACM and CMA Awards have now overlooked her contributions, the conversation about what constitutes authentic country music — and who gets to make those determinations — remains at the forefront of discussions about inclusion in the genre.
