Beyoncé‘s complete lack of acknowledgment from the 2024 Country Music Awards was justified, according to CMA host and country star Luke Bryan.
Appearing on SiriusXM’s “Andy Cohen Live” this week, Bryan basically chocked it up to the fact she doesn’t make appearances at country events. He also said that just because she made one country album, it doesn’t automatically guarantee she will garner nominations.
He continued: “Just because she made one … just ’cause I make one, I don’t get any nominations,” he said. “I think the CMA, they have their voting body. And they vote what they think should make it. Everybody loved that Beyoncé made a country album. Nobody’s mad about it. But where things get a little tricky… if you’re gonna make country albums, come into our world and be country with us a little bit…
“She’s probably the biggest star in music. But come to an award show and high five us. And have fun and get in the family too. And I’m not saying she didn’t do that… But country music’s a lot about family. We get pissed at each other too.”
Cowboy Carter has been a major commercial success since its release in March. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 tally with 407,000 equivalent album units in its first week, making for the biggest sales week of 2024 at the time – though it has since been one-upped by Taylor Swift’s latest effort.
Twenty three of the album’s 27 songs also made it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart, bringing the Houston native’s career total Billboard Hot 100 songs to 106. She is now just the 17th artist and only the third woman to score over 100 entries since the Hot 100 was launched in 1958.
But despite this, Beyoncé was snubbed completely at the 2024 Country Music Awards – receiving zero nominations.
Ahead of the event, Bey was up for a staggering 17 nominations for the album , but she walked away 0 for 17. She was, however, mentioned by Cowboy Carter-featured artist Shaboozey during his acceptance speech, who thanked the superstar singer for “being amazing.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cowboy Carter will compete in the country category at the 2025 Grammys, however. While other nominees have yet to be revealed, she’s likely to go up against the likes of Post Malone, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgraves and Moroney.