Beyoncé Wins Grammy For Best Country Album Even Though She Explicitly Said ‘Cowboy Carter’ Wasn’t A Country Album

An album that wasn’t even created to be a country record won Best Country Album at the Grammy Awards? Alrighty then…

This evening at the Grammys, Beyoncé took home the coveted Best Country Album award for Cowboy Carter, which was presented by Taylor Swift, a former winner of this award herself. The mega star beat out Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton for the award.

Beyoncé herself noted before she released the record that it was explicitly not a country album, though there were obvious country influences, and many country artists featured on it as well. From legends like Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton to younger artists like Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Shaboozey and more.

She looked pretty stunned to hear her name, walking up to the stage and giving a short and sweet speech about how limiting genres can be, in addition to thanking her family, fans and fellow artists who were featured on the record:

“Wow, I really was not expecting this. Wow. I wanna thank God, oh my God, that I’m able to still do what I love after so many years. Oh my god. I’d like to thank all of the incredible country artists that accepted this album, we worked so hard on it. I think sometimes  genre is a cold word to keep us in our place as artists, and I just wanna encourage people to do what they’re passionate about… to stay persistent, wow.

I’d like to thank my beautiful family, all of the artists  that were collaborators. Thank you, this wouldn’t have been this album without you. I’d like to thank God again, and my fans, and I still am in shock. So thank you so much for this honor.”

You can watch her speech here:

Beyoncé’s speech as she accepted the #GRAMMYs award for Best Country Album. pic.twitter.com/2k1zYRVdjb

— Beyoncé News (@BeyonceHiveNews) February 3, 2025

It will be interesting to hear the reaction from the country music community on this win, but I can’t say I’m shocked by this and kind of saw it coming, honestly. I liked some of the songs on the record, but it certainly wasn’t my first pick.

The 67th GRAMMY Awards are currently airing live on CBS and Paramount+, from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles with Trevor Noah as the host.

You can view all of the country nominees below.

COUNTRY

Best Country Solo Performance:

Beyoncé – 16 Carriages
Chris Stapleton – It Takes a Woman
Jelly Roll – I Am Not Okay
Kacey Musgraves – The Architect
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)

Best Country Duo/Group Performance:

Beyoncé & Miley Cyrus – II Most Wanted
Brothers Osborne – Break Mine
Dan + Shay – Bigger Houses
Kelsea Ballerini & Noah Kahan – Cowboys Cry Too
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen – I Had Some Help

Best Country Song:

Beyoncé – Texas Hold ’Em
Jelly Roll – I Am Not Okay
Kacey Musgraves – The Architect
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen – I Had Some Help
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)

Best Country Album:

Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
Chris Stapleton – Higher
Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well
Lainey Wilson – Whirlwind
Post Malone – F-1 Trillion

AMERICANA/ROOTS

Featuring nominations for Sierra Ferrell, Beyoncé, Charley Crockett and more.

Best American Roots Performance:

The Fabulous Thunderbirds Featuring Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal & Mick Fleetwood – Nothing in Rambling
Rhiannon Giddens – The Ballad of Sally Anne
Shemekia Copeland – Blame It on Eve
Sierra Ferrell – Lighthouse

Best Americana Performance:

Beyoncé – Ya Ya
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Empty Trainload of Sky
Madi Diaz & Kacey Musgraves – Don’t Do Me Good
Madison Cunningham – Subtitles
Sarah Jarosz – Runaway Train
Sierra Ferrell – American Dreaming

Best American Roots Song:

Aoife O’Donovan – All My Friends
Iron & Wine & Fiona Apple – All in Good Time
Mark Knopfler – Ahead of the Game
Shemekia Copeland – Blame It on Eve
Sierra Ferrell – American Dreaming

Best Americana Album:

Charley Crockett – $10 Cowboy
Maggie Rose – No One Gets Out Alive
Sarah Jarosz – Polaroid Lovers
Sierra Ferrell – Trail of Flowers
T Bone Burnett – The Other Side
Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood

Best Bluegrass Album:

Billy Strings – Live Vol. 1
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes – I Built a World
Dan Tyminski – Dan Tyminski: Live From the Ryman
The Del McCoury Band – Songs of Love and Life
Sister Sadie – No Fear
Tony Trischka – Earl Jam

ALL-GENRE

Record of the Year:

The Beatles – Now and Then
Beyoncé – Texas Hold ’Em
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!
Charli XCX – 360
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso
Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone – Fortnight

Album of the Year:

André 3000 – New Blue Sun
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft
Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Charli XCX – Brat
Jacob Collier – Djesse Vol. 4
Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department

Song of the Year:

Beyoncé – Texas Hold ’Em
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Sabrina Carpenter – Please Please Please
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone – Fortnight

Best New Artist:

Benson Boone
Doechii
Chappell Roan
Khruangbin
Raye
Sabrina Carpenter
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims

Additionally, country songwriters Jessi Alexander and Jessie Jo Dillon are both nominated in the Songwriter of the Year category, which is worth noting.

Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical:

Amy Allen
Edgar Barrera
Jessi Alexander
Jessie Jo Dillon
Raye