‘She Doesn’t Need a Trophy’

Before some of country’s biggest stars took the stage on Wednesday evening at the 2024 CMA Awards, Billy Ray Cyrus pointed out the absence of an artist who made history as the first Black woman to top Billboard’s Country Albums chart.

Taking to social media, Cyrus weighed in on Beyoncé’s CMA Awards shutout, and said that he was “surprised” the Cowboy Carter star received zero nominations this year.

“I’m so happy and proud to see country music opening their doors and format to be inclusive to all people, all styles,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “@lilnasx and I won this award in 2019 for Event Of The Year… but you wouldn’t have seen it because they didn’t air it in the show.”

The “Achy Breaky Heart” singer continued, “I was surprised to see @beyonce wasn’t nominated??? Her album was brilliant… her single ruled. But she knows that. She doesn’t need a trophy from the CMA… or permission …. or approval from any of their judges.”

Beyoncé’s history with the CMA Awards has been fraught. The 32-time Grammy winner appeared with the Chicks at the 2016 iteration of the ceremony. Following Beyoncé’s performance of the Lemonade country cut “Daddy Lessons” for the Nashville audience, the moment ignited outrage and controversial conversations about her place in the genre as a Black woman.

Following its release in March, Cowboy Carter reached Number One on the Billboard 200. The history-making album also included the chart-topping Billboard Hot 100 single “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and two other top-10 hits with “II Most Wanted” and “Jolene.”