Beyoncé receives nominations at 25th BET Awards for album of the year, more

USA Today

08-05-2025

Beyoncé receives nominations at 25th BET Awards for album of the year, more
Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" album is still being recognized as she translates the 27-track project to the stage on tour; It has received nominations at the 2025 BET Awards.
The 25th BET Awards announced the nominees Thursday for the upcoming show. The forthcoming show will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 9, and Beyoncé's genre-bending album was nominated for album of the year. Kendrick Lamar is the leading nominee with a total of 10 nods.
The Grammy-winning singer's song "Blackbiird," featuring Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts, also received a nod for the BETHer Award. The song is a cover of the Beatles' 1968 tune, which was inspired by the Civil Rights Movement. The category honors motivational and empowering songs that center women.
As fans know, Beyoncé first released the eighth studio album in March 2024. It has since made history and broken multiple records. As Beyoncé's first country album, she deliberately featured country legends and emerging Black country artists alike. She became the first Black woman to win best country album at the 2025 Grammys and also took home album of the year.
Prior to releasing the album, Beyoncé got candid about creating the five-year project and alluded to her 2016 performance at the CMA Awards, which was met with an icy reception and harsh criticism.
"It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn't," she wrote on Instagram. "The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. Act ii is a result of challenging myself and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work."
Some fans felt this notion was reiterated when Beyoncé was snubbed at the 2024 Country Music Association awards (CMAs) and, most recently, the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMs).
Of course, Beyoncé is in the midst of her groundbreaking Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour, which she kicked off April 28 in Los Angeles with 39 songs on the set list. The concert has proved to be a spectacle of many things including fashion, different music genres and most notably country music and politics.
The nine-city tour will span the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale taking place in Las Vegas on July 26. She's set to make history again with her scheduled tour dates, including by playing the most dates at SoFi Stadium of any artist.Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.