Beyonce Country Project

[CTListener]

The Guardian with a critical look at how Big Music games the system -- radio, sales, streaming, etc. -- to manufacture popularity for pop acts, songs and albums that aren't all that popular with actual, flesh-and-blood people. Beyonce figures prominently in this.

The music industry is engineering artist popularity – listeners are right to be angry

Numerous tactics, including payola-like deals on Spotify, are promoting artists people haven’t chosen to hear – but the industry refuses to discuss it

www.theguardian.com

 

[TheBigA]

CMA nominations were announced this morning, and Beyonce received none. However, her protege Shabouzey got a bunch for his #1 song A Bar Song (Tipsy).

 

[CTListener]

CMA nominations were announced this morning, and Beyonce received none. However, her protege Shabouzey got a bunch for his #1 song A Bar Song (Tipsy).

Didn't know there was a Shaboozey/Beyonce connection beyond both being black. Care to explain?

 

[TheBigA]

Didn't know there was a Shaboozey/Beyonce connection beyond both being black. Care to explain?

He's on her album Cowboy Carter on a song called "Sweet Honey Buckin,'" which he co-wrote with her.

 

[TheBigA]

Some are calling the lack of CMA nominations a "sbub"

Beyoncé Snubbed By Country Music Association Awards

Beyoncé ventured into country music earlier this year with her chart-topping song “Texas Hold ‘Em” and album “Cowboy Carter.”

www.forbes.com

Beyoncé shut out of Country Music Award nominations

The singer has said her album "Cowboy Carter" was “born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed" in the genre.

www.nbcnews.com

Shaboozey thanks Beyonce for "opening a door for us:"

Shaboozey Thanks Beyoncé For ’Opening Door’ After CMA Award Nomination

It looks like the country establishement can’t keep her out completely, thanks to Shaboozey.

uproxx.com

Grammy nominations will be out on November 8th, and she'll likely be the top nominee there.

 

[secondchoice]

I find all this "door opening" talk hilarious. Darius Rucker is black and has had country hit songs for about a decade. He even had success with "Hoodie and the Blowfish" in pop music before he went county. And finally female county artists are "normal" not the exception. Good thing. I personally remember the days you never played two female county songs back to back because it might be an hour or two before another female artist was played if you were following the chart.

 

[James Otto Sweet Heart]

^^^ Darius was also given the CMA Best New Artist award in 2009.

God bless you and him always!!!

Holly

 

[TheBigA]

I find all this "door opening" talk hilarious. Darius Rucker is black and has had country hit songs for about a decade.

Correct. The difference between him and Beyonce was Darius was willing to promote his music to country radio. Beyonce was not.

I get it. She felt she wasn't accepted. She told the non-country media that story. She didn't tell anyone in country music about it. Because she didn't do interviews with country media or appear on country TV shows. This record was not just a country hit, but a multi-genre hit. When it receives Grammy nominations, they will be in multiple categories and genres. Not just country.

 

[TheBigA]

One thing I'll add: I am a voting member of the CMA. I voted in the preliminary process last month. Beyonce was in the preliminary ballot for artist, album, single, song, and event. Also in that preliminary ballot: Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, and many other huge country stars. Beyonce didn't get enough votes from the members. Neither did a lot of other artists on that ballot. But she was on the ballot, and members had the opportunity to vote for her.

 

[radiofan2023]

One thing I'll add: I am a voting member of the CMA. I voted in the preliminary process last month. Beyonce was in the preliminary ballot for artist, album, single, song, and event. Also in that preliminary ballot: Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, and many other huge country stars. Beyonce didn't get enough votes from the members. Neither did a lot of other artists on that ballot. But she was on the ballot, and members had the opportunity to vote for her.

How many votes did someone have to get on the preliminary ballot to be nominated for an award?

 

[TheBigA]

How many votes did someone have to get on the preliminary ballot to be nominated for an award?

I think the preliminary ballot just includes all active performers and records released during the qualified time. Voters get to pick five in each category, and the top vote getters are the five nominees. Their website says there are 6,000 members.

 

[Don CT]

One thing I'll add: I am a voting member of the CMA. I voted in the preliminary process last month. Beyonce was in the preliminary ballot for artist, album, single, song, and event. Also in that preliminary ballot: Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, and many other huge country stars. Beyonce didn't get enough votes from the members. Neither did a lot of other artists on that ballot. But she was on the ballot, and members had the opportunity to vote for her.

How do you get to be a voting member? What is the qualification.

 

[TheBigA]

How do you get to be a voting member? What is the qualification.

You have to be in some part of the country music industry: Artist, label, touring, songwriting, media, etc and pay $100 a year.

 

[CTListener]

Also in that preliminary ballot: Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, and many other huge country stars.

Dolly's Rockstar album received a good deal of pre-release hype, though nothing compared to Cowboy Carter. I assume sales were underwhelming, and AFAIK, it didn't produce a radio single, so I can see why Parton didn't get enough votes to make the final ballot. Yearwood and McEntire? What did they release this past year? I know Reba has something in the works, and there are rumblings that the long-rumored Garth/Trisha duet album will finally be released, but on what basis would anyone vote for either this year?

Also, during the seven or eight years that I was reviewing country albums and concerts for my newspaper as a secondary part of my actual job (copy editor), could I have joined the CMA as a voting member?

 

[CTListener]

Meanwhile, an obscure social justice group is blasting the CMA:

Civil Rights Group Color of Change Calls Out CMA Awards for Beyoncé Snub (Exclusive)

Shutting out Queen Bey sends "a clear message that aligns them with the forces desperately trying to hold onto a mythical American past that never was," the nonprofit's president tells The Hollywood Reporter.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[TheBigA]

I can see why Parton didn't get enough votes to make the final ballot. Yearwood and McEntire? What did they release this past year?

There are different categories. Yearwood and McEntire were in the female category, not song or album categories.

Also, during the seven or eight years that I was reviewing country albums and concerts for my newspaper as a secondary part of my actual job (copy editor), could I have joined the CMA as a voting member?

I don't think so. This is what the CMA says:

Available to professionals who work full-time and earn their income primarily from the Country Music industry in one of the 15 membership categories: Advertising, Marketing, and Communications, Affiliated, Artist, Composer, Consumption (Satellite, Digital Streaming, Radio), Entertainment Services, Musician, Personal Manager, Producer/Engineer/Studio, Publisher/PRO, Record Company, Talent Agent, Talent Buyer/Promoter, Touring Personnel, Venue. $100 annually.

 

[vchimpanzee]

During the past hour I've heard "'Til the Rivers All Run Dry" by Don Williams and "Diane" by Ed Bruce. What people are calling country these days can't be put in the same category.

 

[TheBigA]

Grammy nominations were announced today, and Beyonce is the top nominee.

Grammy Nominations: Beyoncé Leads with 11; Kendrick Lamar, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish Earn 7 Each

Post Malone also earned seven nominations, while Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan picked up six apiece.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

She leads the 2025 awards with 11 nominations, even sweeping all four country categories with her historic Cowboy Carter album. Beyoncé is up for album of the year and best country album, while her No. 1 country hit “Texas Hold ‘Em” is nominated for song of the year, record of the year and best country song. Her other nominations include best country solo performance for “16 Carriages,” best country/duo performance “II Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus and best Americana performance for “Ya Ya.”

 

[CTListener]

It will be absolute travesty if that were to win. It wasn't a country album, she said so herself.

 

[TheBigA]

It will be absolute travesty if that were to win. It wasn't a country album, she said so herself.

However, the decision was made by the voters, based on this criterion:

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new country recordings.

The record label entered the album and set the category. Music from the music was played in many other formats. But this was the only format where the album was nominated.

Here are the other albums in the category:

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

Beyoncé - “Cowboy Carter”

Post Malone -“F-1 Trillion”

Kacey Musgraves -“Deeper Well”

Chris Stapleton - “Higher”

Lainey Wilson - “Whirlwind”