Beyoncé has made history by winning her first Grammy Award in the country music category, becoming the first Black female artist to do so in over 50 years.
She took home the Best Country Duo/Group Performance award for “II Most Wanted,” her collaboration with Miley Cyrus.
It’s been 51 years since a Black female artist won a Grammy in a country music category.
In 1974, The Pointer Sisters won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for their song “Fairytale.”
This year, Beyoncé was nominated for four country music awards, including Best Country Solo Performance for “16 Carriages” and Best Country Song for “Texas Hold Em,” though she lost to Chris Stapleton and Kacey Musgraves, respectively.
Beyoncé’s 2024 record Cowboy Carter has also been nominated for Best Country Album, with the winner to be announced later in the ceremony. The singer, however, has emphasized that Cowboy Carter is not solely a country album, but a “Beyoncé album,” which blends multiple genres. She entered the album into several categories, including Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Americana Performance, and Best Pop Solo Performance.
This year, Beyoncé received 11 Grammy nominations, including for Album of the Year. She has been nominated for this prestigious award five times but has yet to win. Despite this, she holds the record for the most Grammy Awards ever, with 33 wins.
Last year, her husband, Jay-Z, criticized the Recording Academy for not awarding Beyoncé with the Album of the Year title. As she celebrates her success at the Grammys, Beyoncé is also preparing for the Cowboy Carter Tour, which she announced on the first day of US Black History Month (February 1).
What to know
Beyoncé’s Grammy win marks just the latest achievement. In December 2024, she set another career benchmark by achieving the record for the most RIAA-certified titles by a female artist. This remarkable feat comes as several of her songs recently earned new certifications, bringing her total to an impressive 103 titles.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) took to social media to announce the singer’s record-breaking accomplishment. Among her recent accolades are Diamond certifications for two of her biggest hits, “Halo” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” adding to her growing collection of industry honors.
Other notable certifications include 2x Platinum for Renaissance, 4x Platinum for Lemonade, and 7x Platinum for both I Am… Sasha Fierce and Dangerously In Love.
