The Academy of Country Music Awards announced its 2025 nominees, but despite her recent Grammy wins for her debut country album Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé was noticeably absent from the list.
The ACM revealed its 2025 nominees on March 27, which seemingly mirrored the 2024 Country Music Awards in overlooking Beyoncé’s contributions to country music. The leader of the award show acknowledged the snub but extended an invitation for Beyoncé to attend the event whenever she wishes.
“Were we hoping she’d be nominated? Absolutely,” ACM CEO Damon Whiteside told Billboard. “We love that Beyoncé is in the country genre.”
Whiteside added that Beyoncé has “an open invitation to be on the ACM stage anytime she ever wants to.”
Cowboy Carter, the second installment in Beyoncé’s Renaissance trilogy, became a massive success, debuting at No. 1in multiple countries and breaking numerous chart and streaming records. In the U.S., it marked her eighth consecutive No.1 album on the Billboard 200 and made history as the first album by a Black woman to top the Top Country Albums chart.
Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” soared to the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 and went viral on TikTok with global dance challenges. Already the most-awarded artist in Grammy history, she had long been overlooked in major categories—until the 2025 ceremony, where she secured Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter and made history as the first Black woman to win Best Country Album.
Multiple tracks from Cowboy Carter received Grammy nominations, including “Texas Hold ‘Em,” “Levii’s Jeans” (featuring Post Malone), “16 Carriages,” and “II MOST WANTED” (featuring Miley Cyrus), which won Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
Some critics have credited Beyoncé’s lack of country music nominations due to her being less frequent in the genre, with most of her music being pop and R&B. However, a similar case can be made for Post Malone, who received multiple nominations at both the CMA Awards and ACM Awards for his country debut F-1 Trillion, despite starting his career as a rap artist before transitioning into pop.
Cowboy Carter has ignited a conversation about the history of country music and the racial dynamics within the genre. With most country stars being white, the contributions of Black country artists have often been overlooked.
Beyoncé’s album has helped raise awareness and shift the narrative. While the Grammys recognized this bold step, the ACM did not share the same sentiment.
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