This process takes on special importance this year in the traditional country realm since the Grammys have added a Best Traditional Country Album<\/a><\/strong> category to compliment the Best Contemporary Album category. The hope would be that the new category will make a space in the Grammy process for true country artists who often get crowded out by more contemporary performers, or moved to \u201cAmericana\u201d where they often feel forgotten. <\/p> When the new Best Traditional Country Album category was announced, there was some trepidation. Would it simply be just another category to get co-opted by the commercial country music industry and pop performers? Looking over the list of entries for Best Traditional Country Album sent to Saving Country Music by numerous voters, that doesn\u2019t seem to be the case at all. In fact, the Best Traditional Country Album ballot reads like a killer playlist of some of the best country albums released in the last year. <\/p> Here\u2019s a look a a cross section of some of the entries vying for Best Traditional Country Album nominations. (Eligibility period August 31, 2024, through August 30, 2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\n In previous years, top names in independent and traditional country music felt under-represented in the Grammy process. Now they feel like front-runners in this category. <\/p> Charley Crockett \u2013 Dollar A Day<\/em> Country Legends in the Running<\/strong><\/p> Granted, the Grammys have always been better at making sure country legends don\u2019t go overlooked than the CMAs and ACMs, giving big awards away to Willie Nelson and Tanya Tucker recently. But now they have a category where they can compete among themselves and other traditional country performers. <\/p> Asleep At The Wheel \u2013 Riding High In Texas<\/em> The Women of Traditional Country Coming In Strong<\/strong><\/p> This has been a landmark year for the women of traditional country. Really, it feels like all five of these women deserve a nomination themselves, and there\u2019s more where this came from. But at least this year they have a much greater chance since they\u2019re competing in their own field. <\/p> Sunny Sweeney \u2013 Rhinestone Requiem<\/em> It\u2019s important we don\u2019t think of the new Grammy category as just exclusively for \u201cindependent\u201d or \u201cless commercial\u201d artists. If a big name artist on a major label releases a traditional country album, they should be allowed to compete too, similarly to an independent artist in Best Contemporary Country Album if they release a worthy one. <\/p> Zach Top \u2013 Ain\u2019t In It For My Health<\/em> Underground Country in the Mix<\/strong><\/p> You\u2019re also heartened to see country artists who are not on big independent labels or don\u2019t always get big spreads in major media outlets receiving an opportunity to be considered in this category. It\u2019s not rare at all for critically-acclaimed artists to receive nominations and even win Grammy Awards. So as long as you\u2019re in the mix, you have a chance. <\/p> Benjamin Tod \u2013 Shooting Star<\/em> Western Artists Not Forgotten<\/strong><\/p> The new Grammy category also makes sure to state that traditional country subgenres like Western, Western Swing, and Outlaw country are also considered, and we see these represented in the entries as well. <\/p> Marcedes Carroll \u2013 We Lost Track Of The Stars<\/em> What can we expect from the Best Contemporary Country Album category? Some were concerned that with the new Traditional category, we\u2019d been ceding the term \u201ccountry\u201d to a contemporary pop performers. But looking through those entries, you\u2019ll still have folks like Tyler Childers, Riley Green, and others competing. In fact, Best Contemporary Country Album might be more \u201ccountry\u201d this year as well. <\/p> For artists to be considered for a Grammy, they have to submit their work. They\u2019re not just automatically entered. Though there were actually more entries to Best Traditional Country Album (68) than Best Contemporary Country Album (62) according to Billboard<\/a>, there could be way more. If you\u2019re a traditional country artist, make sure when next year comes around, your album is in the mix. <\/p> \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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