Fans Criticize Grammys’ Latest Change, Call Them ‘Incredibly Racist’ and Segregationist
The Recording Academy is adding a new twist to the Grammy Awards this year, and fans are already reacting strongly.
On February 1, 2026, the 68th Annual Grammys will introduce a new category: Best Traditional Country Album. Meanwhile, the existing Best Country Album award will now be renamed Best Contemporary Country Album.
According to Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., the change reflects the evolving landscape of country music. “The community of people that are making country music in all different subgenres came to us with a proposal and said we would like to have more variety in how our music is honored,” he explained.
The new Best Traditional Country Album category will honor albums that stick to the classic country sound. This includes traditional instruments like acoustic and steel guitars, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, piano, and live drums.
Western, Outlaw Country, and Western Swing are also included. Artists who could compete for the first award include Charley Crockett, Trisha Yearwood, George Strait, and Willie Nelson. The Best Contemporary Country Album category will feature modern stars like Riley Green, Tyler Childers, Jelly Roll, and Lainey Wilson.
Despite the Academy’s intentions, some fans are criticizing the change, saying it feels like a step backward.
Many African American fans are connecting the split to Beyoncé’s historic win at the 2025 Grammys, when her album Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter took home the Best Country Album award. Critics argue that the new “traditional” category acts as a consolation prize for white artists and segregated the music.
Online reactions have been strong. One fan wrote, “They made a separate and equal Country category. I haven’t taken them seriously since they gave Macklemore the best Hip Hop award. Time to end the Grammys and Billboard charts. They have been destructive to the music industry.”
Another tweeted, “Instead of truly integrating country music and allowing its evolving, diverse future to compete on the main stage, the Grammys have chosen to create a ‘separate but equal’ structure. It’s a cowardly response to Beyoncé’s well-earned and historic win.” Other comments included, “Segregation comes full circle” and “So we just segregating music now?”
The new categories will debut at the upcoming ceremony, and the response from fans suggests the Grammys may face a heated debate about race, tradition, and representation in music.
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