Two Visions of Modern Country Collide as Tyler Childers and Eric Church Clash at the Grammys. ML

The Lowdown

For the first time in Grammy history, country albums will be separated into two categories: Contemporary and Traditional. The change comes just a year after Beyoncé’s country music foray with Cowboy Carter earned her a nod and win last year — and at a time when Nashville seems to be opening its doors to new crossovers.

“The table just keeps getting bigger, and it’s really exciting for the genre for there to be more space,” says Claire Heinichen, a senior editor for country at Spotify. “I feel stars of the magnitude of Beyoncé and Post Malone coming in really was that moment for a lot of people to realize how big this genre has gotten.”

The Grammys’ decision to split “contemporary” and “traditional” country into two categories may not have been a direct reaction to Beyoncé and Malone stepping into the genre’s insulated world, but Heinichen sees Bey’s win as a “wake-up call that the genre deserved more than just one spot.”

Kelsea Ballerini, who released a likely contender at next year’s Grammys with the song “I Sit in Parks,” carried on her legacy of blending pop and country while staying true to the storytelling roots of Nashville on Patterns. “It’s fun, shiny, and emotional,” says Heinichen. “She embodies what it means to blend genres while staying authentic as a country storyteller but still resonating with a pop fan.”

Jelly Roll has that pop crossover appeal too. The rapper turned singer connected with audiences far beyond country, thanks to his preacher-meets-artist persona, and Beautifully Broken feels like a pep-talk extension of that brand. “His superpower is how he connects with people,” says Heinichen. “He’s managed to make a mark across generations, which makes him an obvious winner to me. The Grammy voting body already knows his name and has been exposed to his music in a meaningful way.”