NEW YORK — 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 — like Beyoncé and Post Malone — have recently released country albums. They’ve been popular, but their prospects at the Grammys remain uncertain.
Beyoncé’s landmark “Cowboy Carter” recentered Black performers in this music’s history and made her the first Black woman to hit No. 1 on Billboard country albums chart. Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is the biggest song of the year, having spent more weeks at No.
1 on the Billboard Hot 100 than any other — it combines his twang with the familiar sample of J Kwon’s 2004 rap hit “Tipsy.” This summer, he followed Beyoncé to became only the second Black artist ever to top Billboard’s pop and country singles charts at the same time. And Post Malone made an effortless transition into the world of country, spending time in Nashville, playing at the Grand Ole Opry, and dominating the charts with “I Had Some Help,” his collaboration with Morgan Wallen.
For all the success, will these country newcomers be rewarded when the Grammy Award nominations are announced next week? Here’s 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 t.