Luke Bryan is speaking out to clarify earlier comments he made regarding Beyoncé receiving zero CMA Awards nominations when the final slate of CMA Awards nominees were revealed in September.
When Bryan, a two-time CMA entertainer of the year winner and a co-host of the upcoming CMA Awards show, appeared on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live Oct. 2, he commented on Beyoncé’s lack of CMA nominations for music on her Cowboy Carter album (despite the album’s music topping multiple Billboard country charts), telling Cohen he felt Beyoncé should “be country with us a little bit.” Bryan also noted during that interview that she should “come to an award show and high-five us.”
The comments garnered backlash from many music fans, and on Oct. 6, he took to X and his Instagram Stories to clarify his his earlier statement.
“I am posting tonight based on the ridiculous nature of the headlines I have read the last couple days from an interview on the Andy Cohen show I did this week when I was promoting my album,” Bryan wrote. “I feel in my heart I could not let media create a false narrative. As I read thru [sic] the comments of some of you I just want to say that I encourage all of you to listen to the interview instead of reading click bait headlines. You will hear my tone and intentions which were not negative. I respect Beyoncé and I love how loyal her fans are. I spend a lot of time supporting other artists. I want everyone to win. Love yall.”
During his interview with Cohen, Bryan said of Queen Bey not receiving any nods, “It’s a tricky question because, obviously, Beyoncé made a country album and Beyoncé has a lot of fans out there that have her back. And if she doesn’t get something they want, man, they come at you, as fans should do.” He also explained that during awards nominations, “a lot of great music is overlooked.”
He added to Cohen, “Just because she made one … just ’cause I make one, I don’t get any nominations. Everybody loved that Beyoncé made a country album. Nobody’s mad about it. But where things get a little tricky — if you’re gonna make country albums, come into our world and be country with us a little bit. Like, Beyoncé can do exactly what she wants to. She’s probably the biggest star in music. But come to an award show and high-five us and have fun and get in the family, too. And I’m not saying she didn’t do that … but country music is a lot about family.”
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter spent two weeks atop the Billboard 200 and four weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Country Albums charts upon its release in April, while her song “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and spent 10 weeks at the chart’s pinnacle. Other songs from the set also reached the upper echelons of the Hot Country Songs chart, including the Miley Cyrus collaboration “II Most Wanted” (at No. 2) and Beyoncé’s reimagining of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” (No. 3).
Bryan recently released his new album Mind of a Country Boy, and will co-host the CMA Awards on Nov. 20 alongside Peyton Manning and reigning CMA entertainer of the year Lainey Wilson.
