A Statement on Inclusivity
Ahead of the release of her eighth solo studio album, Beyoncé explained on social media that Cowboy Carter was born out of a sense of exclusion from the country music community. “This album has been over five years in the making,” she wrote. “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed… and it was very clear that I wasn’t.”
Beyoncé’s deep dive into the history of country music and her exploration of its roots through Cowboy Carter aimed to amplify voices that have long been overlooked. She concluded her post with a powerful statement: “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”
The CMA Awards’ Eligibility Criteria
According to the CMA Awards website, singles, albums, music videos, and other qualified music products for the 2024 awards were eligible if they were “first released or reached peak national prominence during the eligibility period, which for the 2024 show is July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.” This makes Beyoncé and her album Cowboy Carter fully eligible for consideration.
