Luke Bryan Opens Up About Beyoncé’s CMA Awards Snub: ‘Cowboy Carter’

Luke Bryan hazards a guess as to why Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” was rejected by the Country Music Assn. Awards.

Although the album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart – making Beyoncé the first Black woman ever to top the chart – it was excluded from the nominations for the 2024 CMA Awards, which were announced last month .

“That’s a tricky question,” the “Play It Again” singer said on Tuesday’s show.Andy Cohen Live“Radio show. “Obviously Beyoncé made a country album and Beyoncé has a lot of fans out there that are behind her.”

But as is the case with himself, Bryan continued, “Just because she did one [album]“She wasn’t guaranteed an award.

The “American Idol” host continued to defend the CMA voting panel, saying, “They vote on what they think should be put into play” and inevitably “a lot of great music gets overlooked.”

Dolly Parton, who appears in “Cowboy Carter” on a track titled “Dolly P,” suggested similarly diversity last month that the snub was nothing personal but a byproduct of an awards race in a heavily saturated genre.

“I don’t think it was about excluding yourself, so it was intentional. I think it was just more of what the country charts were doing and the country artists that do it all the time, rather than just a special album,” Parton said.

But while the “Jolene” singer insisted that “everyone in country music welcomed Beyoncé,” Bryan hinted that the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer continues to distance herself from the genre – and the “family.” that has formed around it – has distanced itself.

“Everyone loved that Beyoncé did a country album. Nobody is mad about it. But when it gets a little trickier,” he said, “if you want to make country albums, come to our world and be a little country with us.”

He continued: “Beyoncé can do exactly what she wants. She is probably the biggest star in music. But come to an awards show and give us a high-five. And have fun and become part of the family too.”

Bryan qualified his statements – “I’m not saying she didn’t do that” – but offered no evidence to the contrary.

Bryan’s comments were scrutinized by netizens who said his invitation to Beyoncé was itself full of exclusion.

“Luke B talking about Beyoncé makes me so angry that I don’t know where to start. The price of admission is a high-five for you?” One user wrote further X. “To be a ‘country’ on your terms, on the terms that the popular white men can decide on, to be part of the ‘family’?”

“Guys like Luke seem to think white men created and own country music,” another wrote. “They are sucking the soul out of the country. This is why so much of current mainstream country is so mediocre. Cowboy Carter is brilliant. Luke could learn a lot about country from Beyoncé.”

The last time Beyoncé attended the CMAs was in 2016, Rolling Stone As reported, the announcement of her performance sparked a #BoycottCMA trend and her “Daddy Lessons” performance with the Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks) polarized country music fans. Black Opry’s Tanner Davenport attended the show and claimed that during the performance he heard a woman say, “Get that black guy off the stage!” (A Nashville manager also recounted it billboard In 2016, Alan Jackson left his front row seat.)

The 2016 ceremony is speculated to be the birthplace of “Cowboy Carter,” which Beyoncé previously said on Instagram was “born from an experience I had years ago where I didn’t feel welcome.” “.

“It was very clear that it wasn’t me. But because of this experience, I delved deeper into the history of country music and studied our rich music archive,” she said. “The second act is the result of me challenging myself and taking the time to mix and mingle genres to create this work.”

In the same post, Queen Bey included a line that may have stopped the CMAs from embracing “Cowboy Carter.”

“This is not a country album. “This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album,” she said.

Such brazen dismantling of genres does not bode well for singers, Kelly Clarkson told NBC10 Boston in an interview that has since been removed from the news network’s website. The Grammy winner recalled turning to the country genre herself, only to be told her music wouldn’t be played on the radio unless she “quit pop altogether.”

“It just felt like the door was closed unless I was all in and had to leave every other genre behind, which I don’t think people like me or even Beyoncé are capable of doing. It’s not even a wish or desire, it’s just that we love trying out,” she said. “Why limit yourself?”

Clarkson said she found it strange that Beyoncé didn’t receive any nominations for the CMA Awards, “because I feel like those songs were everywhere.”

Bryan will return to host this year’s CMAs, alongside Peyton Manning and rising country artist Lainey Wilson. The ceremony will air live on ABC at 8 p.m. on November 20 and stream on Hulu the next day.

As for “Cowboy Carter’s” other awards prospects, the recording will reportedly compete in country categories, including best country album at the 2025 Grammys.