Grammys Adds New Country Category For 2026 Show After Beyoncé’s Win

Citizens’ categories in the future Gram The prizes in 2026 will look different than before.

Months after Beyoncé Took home awards “Best Country Album” and “The Album of the Year” his genre -bending eighth studio album “Cowboy Carter”, which contains No. 1 Country single “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the CEO of the Record Academy revealed that the banter was approached by a significant change.

Grammy awards now respect two separate country albums: one that contains more traditional country music style, and others celebrate artists, who often contain R&B, Pop and Blues.

During the 2025 Grammy Award, there were 10 land categories on the ground and root field, one of which was especially with the best country album.

The upcoming ceremony, which occurs sometime during the first quarter of 2026, this class is divided into two: the Best Traditional Earth album and the best modern land album.

Other classes focusing on Americana, Bluegrass, folk and others will remain.

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the album Academy, developed a change in the interview BillboardBy adding the painters approached the Academy in their concerns.

“They said we thought we would need more space to celebrate and respect our music,” he said to the publication and added that the proposal had been submitted several times before before it approved this year.

“It makes the country parallel with what happens in other genres,” Mason said, “but it also creates space where this genre goes.”

According to Billboard, the new best traditional album class in Grammy recognizes “Excellence in traditional country music albums, both vocals and instrumental”.

“The traditional country includes paint offers that follow the more traditional sound structures of the country’s genre, including rhythm and vocal style, lyrical content, and traditional earth instruments such as acoustic guitar, steel guitar, violin, banjo, mandolin, piano, electric guitar and live drums.

As Mason continued to talk about the Academy’s decision to update the Grammy Maatha groups, he also suggested that the change would provide more opportunities for artists to celebrate among his peers.

“Topics have traditionally been a lot of people who weren’t sure [an album] Was Americana or the roots or the people or the country to disturb everything in one class, “he said.” There are clearly nuances between different genres. Those experts in these genres understand these nuances, and I’m pretty sure that you see the right people going to the Americana area compared to the traditional country compared to folk. [The change] Gives us the opportunity to put things in more detailed classes. “

Mason explained that making changes in the way country music is respected in grams

“I hope the community understands that the Academy does what it always does, what is in harmony with their genres,” he ended.

At the beginning of 2025, after winning several grams on his country album “Cowboy Carter” Beyoncé encountered criticism Online users who believed that he did not earn glory.

During his former Destiny’s Child Membership Speech, a member of the former Destiny child used to distribute encouragement to the survey.