NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Country music has become a dominant force, bleeding into pop music's mainstream. And artists who might not have been previously associated with the genre 鈥 like 叠别测辞苍肠茅 and Post Malone 鈥 have recently released country albums.
They鈥檝e been popular, but their prospects at the Grammys remain uncertain.
landmark 鈥淐owboy Carter" recentered Black performers in this music's history and made her to hit No. 1 on Billboard country albums chart.
鈥淎 Bar Song (Tipsy)鈥 is the biggest song of the year, having spent more weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 than any other 鈥 it combines his twang with the familiar sample of J Kwon's 2004 rap hit 鈥淭ipsy.鈥
This summer, he followed 叠别测辞苍肠茅 to became only the second Black artist ever to top Billboard鈥檚 pop and country singles charts at the same time.
And made an effortless transition into the world of country, spending time in Nashville, playing at the Grand Ole Opry, and dominating the charts with 鈥淚 Had Some Help,鈥 his collaboration with Morgan Wallen.
For all the success, will these country newcomers be rewarded when the nominations are announced next week? Here鈥檚 some key things to know.
What are the Grammys' country categories?
There are four main Grammy country music categories: best country album, best country solo performance, best country duo/group performance and best country song. The latter is awarded to the songwriters.
Each category recognizes five nominated works.
Who submitted in the country categories?
叠别测辞苍肠茅, Shaboozey and Post Malone have been submitted in all four of the major country music categories, including country album of the year for 鈥淲here I鈥檝e Been, Isn鈥檛 Where I鈥檓 Going,鈥 and respectively. They are not guaranteed nominations, though each has submitted in several other categories that honor pop, R&B and Americana and are also vying for best album, record and song of the year recognition.
叠别测辞苍肠茅'蝉 has been submitted in the country song category. 鈥16 Carriages鈥 is up for country solo performance and in the country duo/group performance category, 鈥渓l Most Wanted,鈥 her duet with has been submitted.
In the case of Shaboozey: 鈥淎 Bar Song (Tipsy)鈥 is up for the country song and country solo performance categories. 鈥淢y Fault鈥 with Noah Cyrus is up for country duo/group performance.
And lastly, for Post Malone: 鈥淚 Had Some Help鈥 with Wallen is up for country song and country duo/group performance. 鈥淵ours鈥 is his submission in the country solo performance category.
They will likely be up against some of the 2024 Country Music Association Awards鈥 best country album nominees, which include Luke Combs鈥 鈥淔athers & Sons,鈥 Cody Johnson鈥檚 鈥淟eather,鈥 and Chris Stapleton鈥檚 鈥淗igher,鈥 as well as the other all-stars who鈥檝e released albums that are eligible for Grammy nomination, among them.
Is 叠别测辞苍肠茅 likely to score a Grammy nomination in country categories?
叠别测辞苍肠茅 for 鈥淐owboy Carter鈥 for the 2024 CMAs, a decision called dispiriting 鈥 and one that might reflect the ways in which the Nashville country music industry operates. Could the same happen at the Grammys?
鈥淎 lot of times in country music, if you鈥檙e releasing a country record, you need to 鈥 you don鈥檛 need to, but it鈥檚 beneficial to you to 鈥 invest in the community and really show yourself in that audience so the community feels an attachment to you," Guyton said. "Nashville is very, very, very 鈥 it鈥檚 a club almost, and it鈥檚 a community. And people ... feel like they need to know you. And so that was definitely a factor. It still doesn鈥檛 make it not disappointing.鈥
If 叠别测辞苍肠茅 receives a best country album Grammy nomination, she will become the second Black artist to do so 鈥 Guyton was the first, for her 2022 debut,
Country musician who is both a CMA and Grammy voter, points to the differences between both award shows.
鈥淣ashville in general is a community that, when you come to town, you kind of pay your dues. And I feel like that鈥檚 the way that the system runs. That鈥檚 how country radio runs," . 鈥淵ou saw Post Malone really ingratiate himself in the ... community here in Nashville, which I think contributed to him getting some of those looks. You know, Shaboozey was nominated (at the CMAs,) but you also saw him playing CMA fest and playing a bunch of these country festivals.鈥
In 叠别测辞苍肠茅鈥檚 case, 鈥淗er not being here (in Nashville) probably didn鈥檛 help her case for getting nominated,鈥 he continued. 鈥淪he鈥檚 done a really great job in helping to change the narrative in country music, and I would be surprised if she wasn鈥檛 acknowledged in some respect at the Grammys. ... Grammy voting members are probably going to be a little bit more receptive to that, than people would be on the CMA side.鈥
a freelance music writer and Boston College adjunct instructor, said 叠别测辞苍肠茅 鈥渙ften is a victim of tall poppy syndrome where she鈥檚 so good, she鈥檚 so great and so, like, on another level from everybody," the gut reaction is to 鈥渉onor something else." Race is a consideration, too, where Black performers are rarely recognized in country categories.
鈥淪he should get nominated because it is such an artistic achievement. You know, it is such a way for people to get a very crash course in the history of Americana," she continues. "But I also know how country feels about outsiders.鈥
On the flip side, Johnston argued that Grammy voters may attempt to course-correct the decision made by the CMAs, and ensure she receives nominations. 鈥淚t would be a nice tip of the cap and a nice realization that, yeah, the music business is pretty big, and we have to get rid of the parochialism that can dominate,鈥 she said.
What are Post Malone's Grammy prospects in country categories?
鈥淛ust judging by country radio鈥檚 reaction to him, I think he might have the best shot of the three,鈥 said Johnston.
鈥淩adio, it鈥檚 such a crucial gatekeeper in the country music industry," and Malone is playing the game, she says. 鈥淭he album ... has so many cameos from, like, everybody in country music,鈥 she added. 鈥淭he possibility of him getting nominated just by the people he collaborated with is very high.鈥
Those include Tim McGraw, Combs and Wilson. 鈥淚 think he has a better shot at receiving a nomination for country album of the year."
Johnston said she believes that were the inclusion of 鈥淚 Had Some Help,鈥 which features Morgan Wallen could be a hindrance at the Grammys, where past behaviors 鈥 such as near two police officers and in a 2021 video 鈥 mean 鈥渉e is still a bit radioactive.鈥
Despite having some of the biggest songs and albums of the last few years, Wallen has never been nominated for a Grammy. (At February's show, his single 鈥淟ast Night鈥 in the best country song category, but did not win. Wallen wouldn't have received a trophy anyway 鈥 it is given to the songwriters only.)
Overall, she sees Malone as a lock from some nomination 鈥 particularly those that don't include Wallen.
What are Shaboozey's Grammy chances?
As great as Shaboozey's album is, it's much more likely that the country star will be recognized for his massive hit, 鈥淎 Bar Song (Tipsy.)鈥
鈥淚t kind of builds on the premise of says Johnston, pointing to game changing single.
鈥淎 Bar Song (Tipsy)鈥 hit No. 1 on both the country and all-genre charts, she points out. 鈥淚t's a cross-genre moment, and just a good song. It's also classically country.鈥
Shaboozey 鈥渨as the first male Black artist to chart at No. 1 on country songs and country airplay,鈥 she Johnston said, 鈥淪o I think that鈥檚 a good sign that, you know, radio embraced him.鈥
Perhaps the Grammys will do the same.
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Gary Gerard Hamilton contributed to this report.
