Billy Ray Cyrus Is ‘Surprised’ by Beyonce’s CMA Awards Snub: ‘Her Album Was Brilliant’

Billy Ray Cyrus is baffled by the CMA Awards’ snub of Beyoncé’s “brilliant” country album.

Cyrus, 63, defended the “Texas Hold ‘Em” icon via Instagram on Wednesday, November 20, several hours before this year’s CMA Awards ceremony kicked off at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

“Congratulations to ALL @cma nominees!,” he began his post. “I’m so happy and proud to see country music opening their doors and format to be inclusive to all people, all styles.”

He then tagged Lil Nas X, with whom he won a CMA Award in 2019 for their megahit “Old Town Road,” and wrote that “you wouldn’t have seen [the musicians receive the award] because they didn’t air it in the show. I was surprised to see @beyonce wasn’t nominated??? Her album was brilliant… her single ruled. But she knows that. She doesn’t need a trophy from the CMA… or permission …. or approval from any of their judges.”

Cyrus concluded his caption with a quote citing Muhammad Ali. “When ya knock em out…. Ya don’t need no judge,” he wrote.

Beyoncé, 43, released her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, earlier this year. It pays tribute to her Texas roots as well as Black musicians’ unheralded contributions to country music. Beyoncé recruited Cyrus’ daughter, Miley Cyrus, for a duet on the track “II Most Wanted,” a poignant ode to friendship that channeled Thelma & Louise.

When the 2024 CMA Awards nominations were announced in September, Beyoncé was noticeably absent from every category. She stayed silent about her snubs, though her fandom did not. Members of the Beyhive shared their disappointment on social media. 

“Beyonce should host a live show on all platforms at the exact same time as the CMAs. Or release the videos for the album the minute the CMAs begin,” one X user wrote at the time. 

Ahead of Cowboy Carter’s March release, Beyoncé was vocal about her entrance into the country music scene.

“Today marks the 10-day countdown until the release of Act II. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ and ‘16 Carriages,’” she wrote via Instagram, referring to the first two singles from the album. “I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart.”

Meanwhile, Beyoncé broke a record earlier this month when she became the most-nominated artist in Grammy Awards history, scoring 11 nominations this year — including Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II Most Wanted.”