Sending a message for Beyoncé…
Gavin Adcock is not afraid to speak his mind at his concerts, even if it might get him into some hot water. We’ve seen him time and time again call out venue staff and fans when things get too rowdy and they need to calm down, or when help is not being administered to those in the pit who need it. We also saw him get involved in some internet drama when Braxton Keith compared his fans throwing beer bottles to a Gavin Adcock concert, sparking the Georgia native to chime in. While that beef was quickly squashed with both men knowing they draw different crowds, it proved again that Adcock will chime in on items surrounding his character and opinions he cares deeply about.
Over the weekend, at Clearwater’s Big Rodeo in Clearwater, Nebraska. Adcock had a few choice words to say on stage about a polarizing figure who has been inserted into the country music world…. Beyoncé.
Since winning the Best Country Album category and Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards for her so-called “country” record, Cowboy Carter, she has been a hot topic of conversation. After receiving her Grammy nominations, some fans felt like she was “snubbed” for not getting any nominations at the CMA or ACM Awards. However, when Beyoncé released Cowboy Carter, she said explicitly that it was not a country record:
“This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album. This is COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”
CMA and ACM voters took that comment seriously, and ultimately left her out of the conversation. However, after winning the Grammy for Best Country Record, Queen Bey shared that she felt honored to have been seen by the country music community:
“Well, the banjo has a deep history, and I just feel honored to reintroduce some of that history that I think has been lost, and very, very honored that I got the response and the open heart, and people welcomed the album. The love I got from the country community tonight really made me feel so seen and I’m very grateful.”
She clearly did not see what Twitter was saying that night…
Months after that win, whether Beyoncé’s album is considered country is still a hot topic, as she’s currently on tour celebrating the music from Cowboy Carter. With her tour, some of her music is back on the country music charts.
This led the “Run Your Mouth” singer to share his thoughts on that at a recent show.
“There are only three people in front of me on the Apple Music country charts. And one of ’em is Beyoncé. You can tell her we’re coming for her f***ing a**. That s**t ain’t country music and it’s never ever been country music and it will never be country music.”
@creightonmarsh1 Does this don’t need a caption@GavinAdcockMusic @Beyoncé ♬ original sound – Creighton🇺🇸
Adcock’s Own Worst Enemy currently sits at #4 on the Apple Music Top Country Albums chart, behind Morgan Wallen, Parker McCollum, and as he mentioned, Beyonce. Morgan Wallen ultimately has 3 albums in the top 10, with Post Malone, Chris Stapleton, Megan Moroney and Zach Bryan rounding out the top 10.
But I think most of our readers, myself included, are on the same page as Adcock. However, many fans of hers claim that she set out to make a country album (despite what she said), and it belongs in the genre. They argue that her album was designed to bring back the deep roots of the country tradition, with inspiration from early African American country artists like Lesley Riddle, Linda Martell and DeFord Bailey. However, it’s clear that Beyoncé’s album draws only a small element of influence from them, while still making a record that will appeal to her pop and R&B fan base.
But at the end of the day, the album really hasn’t been the commercial success that you’d expect given the amount of internet chatter, and it actually fell down the Billboard charts rather quickly. It currently sits at 167 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, behind 3 Morgan Wallen records (all in the top 10), Post Malone, Zach Bryan (few of his albums), Zach Top, Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, Ella Langley, Chris Stapleton Riley Green, Megan Moroney and even Shaboozey. So while the fans may be fighting for the record in the comments section, are they buying and streaming the hell out of it? Not really… But nevertheless, she’s doing well on the Apple charts.
After Adcock’s rant in Nebraska, Adcock received some pushback, but he is standing strong in his opinion, responding to the backlash:
“I’m gonna go ahead and clear this up. When I was little, my mama was blasting a ton of Beyoncé in the car. I heard a ton of Beyoncé songs, and I actually remember her Super Bowl halftime show being pretty kick a** back in the day.
But I really don’t believe her album should be labeled as country music. It doesn’t sound country, it doesn’t feel country, and I just don’t think that people who have dedicated their whole lives to this genre and lifestyle should have to compete or watch that album just stay at the top just because she’s Beyoncé.”
Of course, the Grammy Awards announced the addition of a new category to the country genre called “Best Traditional Country Album,” which is the only new music category being added for the 68th annual Grammy Awards in 2026.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. says that the country community wanted a way to honor all different types of subgenres that exist within country, so this seemed like a fair way to do it, considering how much country has exploded within the mainstream over the last several years. It’s not the first time this category was submitted, but it finally passed this year:
“Country music has evolved in a major way over the past decade, with traditional country experiencing a massive resurgence, growing in popularity and volume. Traditional country has a timeless, distinct sound that’s inspired generations of musicians throughout the years. It’s an important part of the country music story and deserves to be celebrated and recognized with intention. This action by our members now opens the door for us to celebrate more artists and a wider range of music. By adding this new category and renaming the Country Album Category, we’re creating more space for all the diverse artists who are shaping the future of country music.”
The criteria for the new category is described as:
“This category recognizes 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.”
