I’m really excited because the Grammys are changing things up this year! People are already talking about it, and it seems like a lot of fans have strong opinions about the new format.
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards, taking place on February 1, 2026, will add a new award for Best Traditional Country Album. The current Best Country Album category will be updated to recognize Best Contemporary Country Album.
Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, says the change acknowledges how country music is growing and changing. He explained that musicians across all types of country music asked for more diverse ways to be recognized for their work.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by billboard (@billboard)
The Recording Academy is introducing a new award for Best Traditional Country Album. This award will recognize albums that stay true to the roots of country music, featuring classic instruments such as acoustic and steel guitars, fiddles, banjos, mandolins, pianos, and real drums.
The genre also encompasses Western, Outlaw Country, and Western Swing. Potential nominees for the inaugural award include artists like Charley Crockett, Trisha Yearwood, George Strait, and Willie Nelson. The Best Contemporary Country Album category will highlight current stars such as Riley Green, Tyler Childers, Jelly Roll, and Lainey Wilson.
Even though the Academy meant well, some fans are upset about the change, feeling it’s a move in the wrong direction.
Many Black fans believe the recent changes are linked to Beyoncé’s groundbreaking Grammy win in 2025, where her album Cowboy Carter earned Best Country Album. Some critics say creating a new “traditional” category feels like a way to give white artists a separate award and effectively separated the music.
People online have reacted strongly to this news. One fan expressed their disappointment, stating that the creation of a separate category felt like a slight and, combined with past decisions like awarding Macklemore for Hip Hop, led them to believe it’s time to abolish the Grammys and Billboard charts, which they see as harmful to the music industry.
One Twitter user criticized the Grammys for creating a separate category instead of fully embracing the changing face of country music, calling it a “separate but equal” approach and a “cowardly response” to Beyoncé’s historic win. Others expressed similar concerns, with some comparing the decision to segregation and questioning if the Grammys were now segregating music genres.
The Grammys are adding new award categories, and early reactions from fans indicate a potential controversy surrounding issues of race, musical tradition, and who gets represented.
Read More
- The Unexpected Triumph of Novo Nordisk: A Dividend Hunter’s Delight
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Группа Астра акции прогноз. Цена ASTR
- Top 20 Hilarious Conservative Comedians Ever, Ranked
- Сегежа акции прогноз. Цена SGZH
- Sadie Sink Spotted on the Set of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ for the First Time
- Most Famous Jackies in the World
- Robert Kirkman Launching Transformers, G.I. Joe Animated Universe With Adult ‘Energon’ Series
- TIA PREDICTION. TIA cryptocurrency
- Banner Guide – Neon Savior Angelica
2025-11-03 12:14