When the Queen Rode In: Beyonce, the Grammys, and the Country Category Split

Brycsyn Hampton
Jun 13, 2025
3 min read

Is the new "Traditional Country" Grammy an overdue correction or white fragility in a rhinestone hat?

When Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter dropped Cowboy Carter, she didn't just release an album—she opened the saloon doors of country music with both barrels blazing. And when she became the first Black artist to win Best Country Album at the Grammys, the earth shook. Right on cue, the Recording Academy turned around and announced it would split that very category in two: "Best Contemporary Country Album" and a shiny new "Best Traditional Country Album."

Now let’s be clear: traditional country is Black music. The banjo? African. The bluesy storytelling, the fiddles, the twang? All infused with Black brilliance long before Nashville decided who counts and who doesn’t. So the question isn’t why the Grammys made this change—the question is: who is it really for?

🔹 The "Both/And" Truth

The new category is being pitched as a long-considered adjustment to reflect the diversity within country music—and yes, other genres like R&B, Pop, and Blues already have "traditional" and "contemporary" splits. Some artists working in classic country styles have long been lumped into Americana or overlooked altogether.

BUT.

Let’s not act like this wasn’t timed suspiciously close to Cowboy Carter blazing a trail through the genre and winning its top Grammy. Let’s not act like the Academy hasn’t historically created new rules when Black artists start sweeping in spaces that weren’t "meant" for them. (Remember when they moved Drake to "rap" for a song with zero bars?)

🔥 Beyonce Didn't Just Win. She Redefined the Genre.

Cowboy Carter wasn’t a gimmick. It was a masterclass. From her reinterpretation of country standards to her use of Black country legends like Linda Martell and new-school queens like Tanner Adell and Reyna Roberts, Beyonce crafted an album that honored tradition and evolved it. Her sound paid tribute to everything that country is—and everything it's afraid to be.

She gave us fiddle runs and freedom hymns. She reimagined Dolly. She dared to say: "You don't own this."

So when she won? It wasn’t just a trophy. It was a reckoning.

🤠 Is the New Category a Reclamation or a Retreat?

The Academy says this split is about giving traditional country its due. And yes, artists like Rhiannon Giddens and Allison Russell have long deserved that spotlight. But will this new category center Black roots and history—or just create a side door for white traditionalists to avoid being measured next to the likes of Cowboy Carter?

Because if we’re keeping it a buck: this looks like gatekeeping dressed up as inclusivity.

🧢 Let's Talk About White Fragility in a Rhinestone Hat

The reaction to Beyonce's win was swift, loud, and predictable. Conservative radio hosts lost their spurs. Some fans called it "reverse racism." Artists who love the genre but never acknowledged its Black roots suddenly found themselves very concerned with "authenticity."

And now here comes the new category: like a polite Southern hostess, smiling while quietly showing you the side door.

But baby, we built that house. And we’re not leaving.

🕊️ Final Thoughts: If You Want Tradition, Tell the Truth

If the Academy really wants to honor traditional country, it needs to:

Put Black traditional artists on those ballots. Every year.
Teach the origins of the genre in its promotional material.
Invite artists like Rhiannon Giddens to the table—not just to play, but to lead.

This new split could be a powerful thing. But only if it comes with reckoning, not retreat.

As for Beyonce? She doesn’t need your category. She is the genre.

And she already left the door swinging open for the rest of us.

Receipts & References:

Pitchfork: Recording Academy Announces New Grammy Categories
AP News: Grammy Category Updates
Rolling Stone: Beyonce Makes History with Cowboy Carter
NPR: The Black Roots of Country Music
Smithsonian: Rhiannon Giddens on Country and Race