Billy Ray Cyrus just rode into the CMA Awards town with guns a-blazin’! And what’s got him all fired up? The 2024 CMA Awards didn’t tip their Stetsons to Beyoncé’s country-inspired album Cowboy Carter. Yee-haw, drama alert!
In case you missed it (how could you?), Beyoncé, aka the queen of pop, soul, and basically everything else, decided to dip her diamond-encrusted cowboy boots into the world of country music this year. The result? Cowboy Carter, an album that apparently had Billy Ray Cyrus two-stepping in his living room but left the CMA committee colder than an iced sweet tea in December. Not a single nomination, y’all. Not one.
Now, Billy Ray, the OG of country heartbreak anthems (don’t pretend you don’t know Achy Breaky Heart), wasn’t about to let this injustice slide. Hours before the awards show kicked off, the 63-year-old Instagrammed his disappointment like a dad who just discovered his favorite diner stopped serving biscuits and gravy.
“Congrats to all the nominees!” Billy Ray started sweetly, probably while passive-aggressively tipping his hat. But then, he turned up the heat: “I was surprised to see @beyonce wasn’t nominated??? Her album was brilliant… her single ruled. But she knows that.” Translation? Beyoncé doesn’t need your cowboy trophies, CMA, because she’s already won the rodeo of life.
And, oh, did Billy Ray go there. He reminded everyone that back in 2019, he and Lil Nas X snagged the Event of the Year award for Old Town Road, but the CMAs didn’t even air it during the show. Shady boots, CMAs. Shady boots.
If you’re wondering just how country Cowboy Carter was, let’s not forget that Beyoncé lassoed Miley Cyrus into the project. The two collaborated on a track hilariously titled II Most Wanted. (Double trouble? Double yee-haw?)
Billy Ray Cyrus, defender of genre-fluid queens and sheriff of country justice, calling out the CMA Awards for ignoring what he clearly believes was a barn burner of an album. Will Beyoncé ride off into the sunset with her cowboy crown? Or will Billy Ray start his own awards show? Stay tuned, y’all.
