Billy Ray Cyrus recently expressed his disappointment with the CMAs for overlooking Beyoncé’s country album Cowboy Carter. On November 20, the Achy Breaky Heart singer took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message, accompanied by a video montage of him and Lil Nas X celebrating their 2019 Event of the Year award for “Old Town Road.”
“Congrats to all the nominees at @cma!” Cyrus wrote in his post. He went on to say, “It makes me so proud to see country music becoming more inclusive, welcoming all styles and people. Lil Nas X and I won this award in 2019, but you wouldn’t have seen it because they didn’t air it during the show.”
Cyrus proudly reflects on his past win with Lil Nas X while pushing for inclusivity in country music
Cyrus also shared his surprise at Beyoncé’s lack of a nomination, writing, “I was shocked that @beyonce wasn’t nominated. Her album was brilliant, and her single was a hit. But she doesn’t need a trophy from the CMA or anyone’s approval. As Muhammad Ali said, ‘When ya knock ‘em out, ya don’t need no judge.'”
Beyoncé addressed the impact of her race on her entry into country music when she announced Cowboy Carter in early 2024. In a statement about her first single, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” she wrote, “I feel privileged to be the first Black woman with a number-one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. This wouldn’t have happened without all your support.
My hope is that one day, an artist’s race won’t matter when it comes to crossing genres.” She continued, “The challenges I faced when entering this genre pushed me to go beyond the limitations placed on me. Act II is a result of embracing that challenge and blending genres to create this work.”
Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” also sparked debates around racism in country music, particularly when Billboard removed the song from the country charts. The publication stated that the song “did not embrace enough elements of today’s country music” to qualify, according to BBC News.
The move led to accusations of racism, and Cyrus joined Lil Nas X on a remix of the song to help secure a spot for it back on the country charts.
