Brandi Carlile Considered For Pop Not Americana at 2022 Grammys

Brandi Carlile has revealed she is "surprised" and “disappointed” about her current single, Right On Time, being ineligible in the 2022 Grammy Awards’ Americana/Roots and Country categories, with the Recording Academy deciding to consider the song in its Pop sector instead.

Carlile wrote on Instagram, “While I’m incredibly flattered to be considered 'pop' as a 40-year-old crooning lesbian mother, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit surprised and disappointed to learn the Recording Academy decided to move Right On Time out of the American Roots genre and into the pop category.”

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A post shared by Brandi Carlile (@brandicarlile)

The Recording Academy's decision on Carlile's 2022 Grammy Awards eligibility echoes its recent decision on Kacey Musgraves’ latest album, star-crossed, which was submitted in the awards show’s Country categories but was deemed ineligible there by more than 60 academy members.

Cindy Mabe, CEO of Universal Music Ground Nashville wrote, “As a prime stakeholder in country music, I would really like to frame what's happening in our genre right now and help you and the Grammy's fully understand the importance of Kacey Musgraves to country music and why this decision is so much more than an entry point for an awards show. Taking her out of the country category actually does harm to a format struggling with change and inclusivity overall ... This decision from the country committee to not accept Star-Crossed into the country albums category is very inconsistent and calls into question the other agendas that were part of this decision ... This short-sided, biased decision will send ripples throughout our format to continue to ensure that the message is sent that country music can only be for the limited few that enjoy the same perspective.”

Following the controversial announcement, Musgraves took to Twitter, where she captioned, “You can take the girl out of the country (genre), but you can’t take the country out of the girl.”

You can take the girl out of the country (genre) but you can’t take the country out of the girl. pic.twitter.com/dZaqoFsI7I

— K A C E Y (@KaceyMusgraves) October 13, 2021

She continued to throw shade with multiple posts to her Instagram story, showing her with country legends Loretta Lynn, George Strait, Kris Kristofferson, Lee Ann Womack, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn and more.

Like Carlie, who used the same team on her latest album In These Silent Days (which features Right On Time) as she used for 2018’s Grammy Award winning ‘Best Americana Album’ By The Way, I Forgive You; Musgraves made star-crossed with the same producers and mix engineer she worked with for her Grammy Award winning ‘Best Country Album’ Golden Hour.

Similarly too, Carlile’s In These Silent Days debuted at number one on the Billboard Americana chart, and Musgraves’ star-crossed debuted at number one on the US Top Country Albums chart.

However, this is not the first time a decision like this has been made. In 2014, Taylor Swift’s 1989 became her first album to be placed in pop categories when her previous efforts competed in country. The album subsequently went on to win ‘Album Of The Year’ and ‘Best Pop Vocal Album’ at the 58th Grammy Awards in 2016.

The 2022 Grammy Awards will take place on January 31. Nominations will be revealed in late November.

Keep up to date with Brandi Carlile on her Facebook page here.
Keep up to date with Kacey Musgraves on her Facebook page here.

For more breaking news from CountryTown, check out here.

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