Grammys makes changes to Country Music Category following Beyoncé’s win for ‘Cowboy Carter’ a few months ago

The country music categories at the upcoming Grammy Awards in 2026 will look different than before.

Following Beyoncé’s victories in the “Best Country Album” and “Album of the Year” categories for her innovative eighth studio album, “Cowboy Carter,” and its chart-topping single “Texas Hold ‘Em,” representatives from the country music scene proposed a significant alteration to the Grammy Awards landscape.

Effective immediately, the Grammy Awards will introduce separate categories to recognize two distinct styles of country music: the traditional country genre and the contemporary fusion of country with elements of R&B, pop, and blues.

During the 2025 Grammy Awards, there were 10 country categories in the country and roots field, with one specifically for Best Country Album.

As the preparations for the upcoming 2026 ceremony unfold, the country music category will undergo a division into two distinct awards: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Contemporary Country Album.

Other categories, which focus on Americana, bluegrass, folk, and more, will remain.

The Recording Academy’s CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., elaborated on the change in an interview with Billboard, adding that country performers approached the academy with their concerns.

“They said, we think we need more space for our music to be celebrated and honored,” he told the publication, adding that the proposal had been submitted several times in the past before being passed this year.

“It makes country parallel with what’s happening in other genres,” Mason said, “But it is also creating space for where this genre is going.”

According to Billboard, the Grammys’ new Best Traditional Album category will recognize “excellence in albums of traditional country music, both vocal and instrumental.”

“Traditional country includes country recordings that adhere to the more traditional sound structures of the country genre, including rhythm and singing style, lyrical content, as well as traditional country instrumentation such as acoustic guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, piano, electric guitar, and live drums. It also includes sub-genres such as Western, Western Swing, and Outlaw country.”

As Mason continued speaking about the Academy’s decision to update the country categories at the Grammys, he also suggested that the change will provide more opportunities for artists to be celebrated among their peers.

“The issues have been, traditionally, a lot of people that weren’t sure whether [an album] was Americana or roots or folk or country were just jamming everything into one category,” he said. “There are obviously nuances between the different genres. Those experts in those genres understand those nuances, and I’m quite certain now you’re going to see the right people going into Americana versus folk versus traditional country. [The change] gives us an opportunity to put things in more specific categories.”

Mason explained that making changes to the way country music is honored at the Grammys enables the Recording Academy to stay current with the genre’s evolution.

“I’m hopeful that that community understands that the academy is doing what it always does, which is stay in tune with what’s happening in their genre,” he finished.

In early 2025, after winning several Grammys for her country album, “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé faced criticism from online users who believed she wasn’t deserving of the honor.

However, during her acceptance speech, the former Destiny’s Child member used her platform to share words of encouragement for those watching.