Beyoncé’s new album, “Cowboy Carter,” has rocked the music industry, launching at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with a record-breaking 407,000 equivalent album units sold in its first week of 2024. Even though “Cowboy Carter” is dominating and setting records, and Beyoncé has become the first Black woman to lead the Top Country Albums chart, she was left out of the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards nominations. This oversight brings up difficult questions about racism and the ongoing exclusion in country music—a genre deeply influenced by Black history.
Remember, country music originated from Black culture. Its early sounds were greatly influenced by African American spirituals, blues, and folk music. However, for many years, the genre has largely ignored its Black origins, often excluding Black musicians from recognition in the field they helped shape.
Despite the huge success of “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé’s omission from the CMAs highlights that the leaders in country music still cling to outdated ideas about who should represent the genre. Her singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” climbed to No. 1 and No. 9 on the Hot Country Songs chart but still failed to secure a nod from the CMA, clearly showing the barriers still in place.
This neglect reflects the broader challenges that Black country artists like Charley Pride and Mickey Guyton have encountered, facing racism throughout their careers. Despite claims of inclusivity by the industry, actions like these tell a different story.
Interestingly, Beyoncé stated that this is not just a “country” album—it’s a “Beyoncé” album.
