Beyonce Wins Best Country Album at 2025 Grammy Awards

The 2025 Grammy Awards had the opportunity to embrace a new generation of crossover artists in country music or stick with tradition in the Best Country Album category.

Beyoncé ultimately won the award for Cowboy Carter during the Sunday, February 2, ceremony at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. She faced off against Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion, Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well, Chris Stapleton’s Higher and Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind.

“Wow I really was not expecting this,” Beyoncé, 43, said after accepting her trophy from fellow Grammys icon Taylor Swift. “I want to thank God. Oh, my God, that I’m able to still do what I love after so many years. I want to thank all the amazing country artists that accepted this album.”

The former Destiny’s Child singer explained, “I think genre is sometimes a cold word to keep us in our place as artists.” She noted, “I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about. And to stay persistent.”

Beyoncé — who is the first Black woman to win Best Country Album — concluded by thanking her “beautiful family,” her fans and collaborators on the country album. “I still am in shock. Thank you so much for this honor,” she added.

Ahead of the 2025 Grammys, Beyoncé earned more nods than any other artist with a total of 11, breaking the record for most nominations in a single year by a female artist. Although Beyoncé’s country album, Cowboy Carter, was snubbed by the CMA Awards in 2024, the Grammys showered the project with recognition.

In addition to Best Country Album, Cowboy Carter was also up for Album of the Year, while its tracks received various nods: “Texas Hold ‘Em” for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Country Song, “Bodyguard” for Best Pop Solo Performance, “Levii’s Jeans” with Malone for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, “Spaghettii” with Linda Martell and Shaboozey for Best Melodic Rap Performance, “16 Carriages” for Best Country Solo Performance, “II Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and “Ya Ya” for Best Americana Performance. (Beyoncé and Cyrus, 32, won their category prior to the night’s festivities.)

Malone, 29, was also recognized for his foray into country music with nominations for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Country Song for his hit single with Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help.” Malone’s other popular collaborations earned him additional nods: “Levii’s Jeans” with Beyoncé for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and “Fortnight” with Swift, 35, for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Music Video.

Meanwhile, Musgraves, 36, Stapleton, 46, and Wilson, 32, are country music mainstays who have been Grammys favorites for years.

Musgraves previously won Best Country Album for Same Trailer Different Park and Best Country Song for “Merry Go ‘Round” in 2014, Album of the Year and Best Country Album for Golden Hour, Best Country Song for “Space Cowboy” and Best Country Solo Performance for “Butterflies” in 2019 and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “I Remember Everything” with Zach Bryan in 2024. This year, she was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for “The Architect” and Best Americana Performance for “Don’t Do Me Good” with Madi Diaz.

Stapleton, for his part, was already a 10-time Grammy winner prior to Sunday’s ceremony, previously taking home Best Country Album for Traveller and Best Country Solo Performance for “Traveller” in 2016, Best Country Album for From a Room: Volume 1, Best Country Song for “Broken Halos” and Best Country Solo Performance for “Either Way” in 2018, Best Country Album for Starting Over, Best Country Song for “Cold” and Best Country Solo Performance for “You Should Probably Leave” in 2022 and Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for “White Horse” in 2024. This year, he also received a nod for Best Country Solo Performance for “It Takes a Woman.”

Wilson, meanwhile, earned her first Grammy in 2024 for Bell Bottom Country, which was named Best Country Album.