On Wednesday, the CMAs honored the biggest names in country music with fantastic performances from Carrie Underwood, Jelly Roll, Brooks & Dunn and Shaboozey. Unfortunately for fans of the Root 100 honoree, singing his new single “Highway” and his hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was the highlight of his ceremony. Despite the fact that “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has been literally everywhere in 2024, it lost the Single of the Year award to Chris Stapleton’s “White Horse.”
Shaboozey’s fans were not pleased with his snub and took to social media to let the CMA’s know what they thought of the outcome.
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One user got right to the point, letting the trolls know what they could do with their takes, writing on X, “tried to use shaboozey to downplay the barriers Bey faced only for him lose all his noms at the CMAs. Put on that clown outfit.”
Another person noted how “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has been so popular, posting, “Shaboozey not winning a CMA is legitimately crazy lol. Can’t go anywhere without hearing that song man.”
Someone else pointed to the narrative that Beyonce didn’t cater to country insiders enough, writing, “Beyonce not being nominated for CMA’s wasn’t a surprise or racism because they want you to be emerged in Nashville / country scene , HOWEVER, Shaboozey losing every CMA is pure racism sorry, he played their game while having one of the biggest country songs of all time.”
One person wants Black country artists to create their own space, posting, “I need all my fellow people in color in the country music field to link up and have a music festival. I am not the biggest shaboozey fan but the numbers don’t lie. It’s so blatant how this award ceremony hates to give BIPOC artists their flowers.”
Another user didn’t mince words, noting the country’s current climate, writing on X, “I’m shock they didn’t at least give Shaboozey one award. I guess the MAGAs in these high places don’t have to pretend anymore.”
Awards organizations use various metrics to determine winners, but when you totally snub Beyonce and Shaboozey in the same year that they dominated the genre, it sends a clear message about who’s considered acceptable in your world.
Straight From 
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