Country music fans were shocked when pop singer Beyoncé took home the Best Country Album GRAMMY award for her album Cowboy Carter in February.
Fans were disappointed that Beyoncé, 43, won the Best Country Album trophy over traditional country music artists.
Bey’s huge Grammy win was a shocker because Cowboy Carter was snubbed at the 2024 Country Music Awards.
Country music singer Oliver Anthony called Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album “complete trash.”
Now the Recording Academy has changed the rules for 2026 to ensure that an artist from another genre will never win the traditional Best Country Album Award again.
According to reports, the category for Best Country Album will be split into Best Contemporary Country Album and Best Traditional Country Album.
The rule change means Beyoncé will never win another Grammy in the traditional country music category.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. explained why he and the other members split the country music category.
“It’s so important that our rules and guidelines are fair and equitable for musicians of all crafts and varying expertise, and that the Grammy Awards truly reflect and honor the full spectrum of music creators,” Mason Jr. told Billboard magazine.
Mason Jr. said the Traditional Country Album category will include “country recordings that adhere to the more traditional sound structures of the country genre.”
He added, “There are obviously nuances between the different genres. Those experts in those genres understand those nuances, and I’m quite certain now you’re going to see the right people going into Americana versus folk versus traditional country.”
He continued, “[The change] gives us an opportunity to put things in more specific categories.”
Beyoncé is currently on tour in Europe to support her Cowboy Carter album.
