Kacey Musgraves's Star-Crossed won't be eligible for Best Country Album at the 2022 Grammy Awards.
The Space Cowboy hitmaker, who won Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the prizegiving in 2019 for her hit record Golden Hour, released her fifth studio album in September.
However, according to editors at Billboard, Star-Crossed won't be included in any of the country music categories at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, set to be held on 31 January.
In a letter obtained by the music publication, Cindy Mabe, president of Universal Music Group Nashville, reportedly questions Recording Academy chief executive officer Harvey Mason Jr. for clarification on why exactly members of the committee decided the record didn't contain at least "51 per cent playing time of new country recordings".
"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," Mabe wrote in the letter. "I haven't slept all weekend because I'm really sad for our format. I'm sad for fans of our music and the ramifications of how we'll continue to define success in country music. This short-sided, biased decision will send ripples throughout our format to continue to insure (sic) that the message is sent that country music can only be for the limited few that enjoy the same perspective."
Nominations for the upcoming Grammy Awards are to be announced on 23 November.
Representatives for Musgraves and The Recording Academy have not yet commented on the decision.
