When it comes to Beyoncé’s exclusion from the 2024 CMA Awards nominees list, Dolly Parton can’t help but wonder whether the awards show is simply offering preference to the artists who do country music full-time.
“I guess probably, the country music field, they probably thought, ‘Well, we can’t really leave out some of the ones who spend their whole life doing that,'” Parton theorized when asked about the shut-out during an interview with Variety.
The country legend was in that interview to promote Good Lookin’ Cookin’, the cookbook she co-authored with her sister Rachel Parton George, along with the book’s accompanying line of Home Chef meals.
But she also spoke to two musical collaborations she’s been a part of this year: Her reimagined “Jolene” on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, and her duet with Post Malone, “Have the Heart,” which is featured on his first-ever full country project, F-1 Trillion.
“[Beyoncé]’s a country girl in Texas and Louisiana, so she grew up with that base. It wasn’t like she just appeared out of nowhere,” she pointed out. “Post Malone has loved country music his whole life…I thought both those albums were great.”
Though Cowboy Carter didn’t receive any nominations at this year’s CMA Awards — despite being eligible for categories like Album of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Single of the Year — Parton says that doesn’t take away from the project’s impact.
“It was a wonderful album. She can be very, very proud of, and I think everybody in country music welcomed her and thought that, that was good,” she goes on to say. “So I don’t think it was a matter of shutting out, like, doing that on purpose. I think it was just more of what the country charts and the country artists were doing, that do that all the time, not just a specialty album.”
Post is a four-time nominee at the 2024 CMAs, and there’s a strong possibility that F-1 Trillion will bring him nominations next year, too, since the album was released after the cut-off for inclusion in the Album of the Year category for this year’s show. All four of his current nominations are for his smash hit with Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help.”
Even though Beyoncé might not be a nominated artist at this year’s CMA Awards, you never know: There could still be an opportunity for her to have an onstage moment at the show, maybe even with Parton herself. When asked if she’d ever perform “Jolene” as a duet with Beyoncé, the country legend was enthusiastic.
“Oh yeah,” she said. “I’m open to anything.”
The 2024 CMA Awards will air on ABC on Nov. 20.
024 CMA Awards Nominations: Biggest Snubs + Surprises, Ranked
Country music fans should be a little angry today. Nominees for the 2024 CMA Awards were announced, and missing are several of the genre’s top stars, including two who’ve anchored the format for nearly 20 years.
10. Snub: Carrie Underwood
Dia Dipasupil, Getty Images
10. Snub: Carrie Underwood
Last year Carrie Underwood was an Entertainer of the Year nominee. This year, she didn’t get mentioned at all! She’s not currently in an album cycle, so any case for her in EOTY or Female Vocalist of the Year categories would rest with her Las Vegas residency. It’s surprising not to see her nominated for the first time ever, but not shocking.
9. Snub: Miranda Lambert
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
9. Snub: Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert’s streak of 17 straight years with a Female Vocalist of the Year nomination comes to an end in 2024. Like Underwood, the 2024 CMAs caught her out of an album cycle and somewhat between record labels. Yes, she’s with Big Loud, but if they were to push for her nomination, they’d be doing it on the strength of her Sony career, plus “Wranglers.” It’s going to be weird not to see either her or Underwood at the show this year.
8. Snub: Nate Smith, World on Fire
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
8. Snub: Nate Smith, “World on Fire”
Nate Smith’s “World on Fire” spent 10 weeks at No. 1, tying Morgan Wallen’s record. That wasn’t enough for a Single of the Year nomination.
Part of why this ballad was able to span two-and-a-half-months was the holidays, when record labels aren’t really working the phones to get to No. 1. His light catalog also made it easy for this slow-burner to maintain maximum airplay. Maybe it’s not a Song of the Year contender, but any song with that much airplay should be in the Single category.
No. 7: Surprise: Kacey Mugraves
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
No. 7: Surprise: Kacey Mugraves
Artistically, Kacey Musgraves deserves each and everyone of her CMA nominations in 2024, but typically the artists who aim their arrow at mainstream country radio get the artist-based nominations. It’s refreshing to see her hold a spot in the Female category.
No. 6: Snub: Parmalee
Carly Mackler, Getty Images
No. 6: Snub: Parmalee
Hey, it’s us — just over here waving the flag for Parmalee, the most snubbed country act of the last five years. This group continue to churn out radio hits, but can’t crack a very weak Vocal Group category. It’s mystifying.
No. 5: Surprise: Jelly Roll, Whitsitt Chapel
Broken Bow Records
No. 5: Surprise: Jelly Roll, ‘Whitsitt Chapel’
Jelly Roll was praised for a lot in 2023 and 2024, but his album was rarely talked about in Album of the Year conversations. It’s a strong effort, but he seemed much more likely to nab Song or Single of the Year nominations.
His Entertainer of the Year nom is no surprise. He very well could win it.
No. 4: Snub: Post Malone
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
No. 4: Snub: Post Malone
Post Malone earned four nominations, but didn’t get one in the Male Vocalist or New Artist category. He should have. He’s the Jelly Roll of 2024.
No. 3: Snub: Beyonce
Amy Sussman, Getty Images
No. 3: Snub: Beyonce
There is going to be a lot written this week about why Beyonce deserved some CMA love. She truly did. Cowboy Carter got us through a very sleepy first half of 2024, and her music pushed the genre forward in meaningful ways. If nothing else, she should have been mentioned in Single of the Year or the uninspiring Album of the Year category.
No. 2: Snub: Zach Bryan
Keith Griner, Getty Images
No. 2: Snub: Zach Bryan
Zach Bryan is at or near the top of streaming and sales charts most weeks, and his tour is one of the biggest in country music. He represents a much bigger snub, however …
No. 1: Snub: Country Music Fans
Frazer Harrison, Getty Images
No. 1: Snub: Country Music Fans
Nominations for the 2024 CMA Awards are nearly a replica of the 2024 ACM Awards. The only difference in the Entertainment, Male, Female, Group and Duo categories is Flatland Calvary is out, and the Red Clay Strays are in. The ACMs also added a few extra EOTY nominees, but the same five are at the core. It’s like voters forgot to submit until the last minute and just copy-pasted what they wrote last time. That’s an insult to fans who (whether they admit it or not) look to ACM/CMA/CMT voters as tastemakers. This set of nominees lacks the most popular streaming artists (Beyonce, Post Malone, Zach Bryan) and the most popular live artists (similar list, plus Kenny Chesney).
