John Rich of country duo Big & Rich has publicly criticized Beyoncé's 2025 Grammy win for Best Country Album, calling it a "total joke" and suggesting the award should have gone to Lainey Wilson's "Whirlwind" instead.

Rich claims the win was influenced by record label deals and block voting rather than musical merit, stating on social media that award shows like the Grammys, CMAs, ACMs, and Billboard "all work exactly the same" through vote-trading arrangements between labels and publishers.

The controversy has divided the country music community. While some artists like Kelsea Ballerini defend Beyoncé's nomination, arguing that "you don't have to be a country artist to make a country record," critics question the authenticity of the win.

Some skeptics have linked the win to Jay-Z's previous criticism of the Grammys for never awarding his wife Album of the Year, despite her holding the record for most Grammy wins in history.

In her acceptance speech, Beyoncé addressed the controversy by stating, "Sometimes I think genre is a code word to keep us in our places as artists," and encouraged artists to pursue their passions persistently.

The debate continues to highlight broader discussions about genre boundaries and recognition in the music industry, with supporters and critics remaining firmly divided on the legitimacy of cross-genre achievements in traditional award categories.

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