The CMA nominations just dropped, and the first thing worth celebrating is simple. Beyoncé’s name is nowhere to be found.
After months of speculation about Cowboy Carter storming into the CMAs, the industry shut that door. There is no Album of the Year slot, no Female Vocalist nod, and no pop-star headline bait. Nashville kept the spotlight on country, and that is exactly how it should be.
But that does not mean the list is perfect. Entertainer of the Year is loaded with Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, and Lainey Wilson. That is a heavyweight fight, and fans can argue over who deserves the crown, but at least those five have carried the genre this year. The problem shows up further down the ballot.
LoCash, who delivered one of the year’s biggest radio hits with “Hometown Home,” got left off a weak Duo of the Year category that somehow keeps recycling the same names. Parmalee once again got passed over in Group of the Year, even while their songs were tearing up country radio. And Jelly Roll? Last year, he was up for Entertainer of the Year, and this year, he gets nothing. “Liar” was the most-played song on the radio, but the CMAs acted like it did not exist. That is not just a snub, it is a head-scratcher.
On the flip side, Zach Top muscling his way into Male Vocalist is the kind of surprise country fans have been begging for. He is as traditional as it gets, and seeing him mentioned with Wallen, Combs, Stapleton, and Cody Johnson shows that the old-school sound still belongs in the conversation. Ella Langley scoring nods across New Artist, Female Vocalist, Single, and even Music Video feels earned. She has been everywhere, grinding her way onto stages and into playlists, not just flashing on social media.
Megan Moroney also walked away with a monster year. Am I Okay? landed Album and Song of the Year nods, which proves she is not just a breakout, she is here to stay. And of course, Lainey Wilson once again sits at the center of everything. Her Whirlwind album and “4x4xU” single cement her status as the woman to beat.
Then there is Post Malone. He got an Album of the Year nod for F-1 Trillion and Musical Event with Blake Shelton. He has been showing up in Nashville, writing, recording, and putting in the miles. Some fans will argue he does not belong, but at least he has been walking the walk in the genre. That is a far cry from Beyoncé, who made a splash but never stuck around. The CMA voters saw the difference, and that matters.
So yes, the CMA deserves credit for shutting out the pop spectacle and keeping the focus on country. But this list also reminds us how the game works. Some artists will always be invited back, others will keep knocking on the door, and a few will get left out no matter how many hits they deliver.
On November 19 at Bridgestone Arena, the stars will shine and the awards will be handed out. Yet the biggest story of 2025 is not who got in, it is who got left out. And for once, we are more than fine with that.