Luke Bryan’s Infuriating Response to Why Beyoncé Received No CMA Nominations

I was going to let this one go because, honestly, I looked up Luke Bryan and — despite his massive success (and thoroughly mediocre music) — the man has not only experienced tragedy (he lost both of his older siblings in freak incidents), but he is genuinely philanthropic.

He’s a big supporter of AIDS and HIV, cancer, children’s disaster relief, health, and human rights charities, and he even has a family farm with rescue animals where he invites sick children to spend time with them. He does some good in the world.

But it doesn’t excuse what he said about Beyoncé, which I’ve been fuming about for the last day. Bryan, who is also a judge on American Idol, appeared on Andy Cohen’s radio show and spoke about the lack of nominations Beyoncé received from the Country Music Awards. He seemed to suggest that Beyoncé was snubbed because she wouldn’t crash their BBQ, where she wasn’t invited, and glad-hand the very people who have looked down their noses at her.

“A lot of great music’s overlooked. Sometimes you don’t get nominated,” he told Cohen. “I mean, I think the CMA, they have their voting body. And they vote for what they think should make it.”

He called it a “tricky” situation.

“Everybody loved that Beyoncé made a country album,” Bryan said. “Nobody’s mad about it. But where things get a little tricky… you know, if you’re gonna make country albums, come into our world and be country with us a little bit.”

Right there: “Come into our world.” That “world” doesn’t belong to Luke Bryan. Or any of the rest of them. That language — the alienating it’s our world language — is exactly why Beyoncé made a country album. The genre is not exclusive to the white Southerners who have, for too long, dominated the radio airwaves.

“Beyoncé can do exactly what she wants to. She’s probably the biggest star in music. But come to an awards show and high-five us and have fun and get in the family, too. And I’m not saying she didn’t do that,” he added. “But country music’s a lot about family, and then there’s still… but it ain’t always family, too.”

The woman performed songs from her country album with some of the biggest stars in country music — Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, and Willie Nelson. How much more of a “high-five” does she need to offer? Post Malone also appeared on the album and recently released a country album himself.

He received four CMA nominations, but no one insisted that he “high-five” the “family.” I wonder what the difference is between Post Malone and Beyoncé, beyond the fact that her album is light years better (and I say that as a weirdly huge fan of Post Malone’s country album).

Instead of locking arms in a circle and then complaining that Beyoncé didn’t force her way in, maybe try being a little more welcoming, Luke Bryan. The CMAs could start by giving Beyoncé her f**king due.