On Jelly Roll’s Grammy Win for Best Contemporary Country Album
Only appropriate that as the recently svelte Jelly Roll sauntered up to the stage to deliver his shake shack snake oil sermon after being named the winner of the 2026 Grammy for Best Contemporary Country Album, you heard Jelly Roll singing via the walk-up music, “You’re nothin’ but a liar.”
Jelly Roll beat out Snipe Hunter by Tyler Childers, Evangeline vs. The Machine by Eric Church, Postcards From Texas from Miranda Lambert, and Kelsea Ballerini’s Patterns for the win. Earlier in the day, Zach Top won the Grammy for Best Traditional Country Album for Ain’t In It For My Health. Jelly Roll also won Best Country Duo or Group Performance with Shaboozey for “Amen” earlier in the day.
The problem is that Beautifully Broken isn’t a country album—contemporary, traditional, or otherwise. This isn’t an opinion, or up for argument. It’s an empirically true statement based off of measurable signifyers and benchmarks indicative of country music that Beautifully Broken just doesn’t even come close to fulfilling, while it simultaneously fulfills the requisites for other genres much better.
The album isn’t a hip-hop, rock, or pop album either really, though it certainly includes sounds more indicative of those genres than it does country. In truth, Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken is a contemporary Christian album, with a cohesive and continuous religious theme throughout, brought to life with contemporary pop, rock, and hip-hop sounds and treatments.
Even with a performer like Morgan Wallen who purists would consider exclusively pop, his music can still qualify by loose standards as a contemporary form of “country” music. Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken can’t even own that claim. But unlike Morgan Wallen—who if he’d won a Grammy, you would have seen an aggressive wave of think pieces proclaiming country music has embraced racism and the Grammys have become accepting of it—Jelly Roll is likely to continue benefit from the media ignoring that Jelly Roll was himself caught on camera saying the N word.
It was Morgan Wallen using the N-word on January 31st, 2021, caught on a neighbor’s Ring doorbell camera that set off an incredible firestorm in country music and beyond that in certain circles is still raging to this day. The Onion even posted a satirical article saying that Wallen was protesting the Grammys due to desegregation. But in video taken on January 23rd, 2023 at the Ghost Ranch of fellow country rapper Ryan Upchurch (also referred to as simply “Upchurch”)—two years after the Morgan Wallen incident—Jelly Roll is heard using the N-word in conversation, and perhaps as many as three times.
To read more about the unreported Jelly Roll N-word incident, CLICK HERE.
“You’re nothin’ but a liar.”
The Jelly Roll persona is all about selling the public on the idea of sobriety while not working the 12 steps himself, and singing the praises of Christ’s straight and narrow path while deviating from it on a daily basis. His blustery sermons from the podiums of award shows, and his monologues on the morning talk show circuit using classic forms of persuasive rhetoric work to sell the public on what they’re looking to buy into, even if what is preached is not practiced.
On the day Jelly Roll released the now Grammy-winning Beautifully Broken all about getting sober and finding the righteous path, he also announced the opening a bar on Lower Broadway in Nashville. It’s the commercial exploitation of a false narrative that’s at the heart of the Jelly Roll experience. Now he’s trying to sell that bar for $100 million.
Unquestionably, Jelly Roll has pulled himself up from his bootstraps, turned his life around, and ascended to the mountaintop of popular society through discipline, self-understanding, admitting to his past sins, and by submitting to the belief in a higher power. His recent, dramatic weight loss speaks to his mission of self-betterment. This is the benevolent aspect to the Jelly Roll story, and the part that deserves praise. Another other important aspect is how he inspires others to do the same with their lives, which has happened for many.
Jelly has gone from the gutter and dregs of society to become one of the most popular and applauded artists in all of music, including now being named a Grammy winner. It’s a distinctly American story, told through the twisting narrative of a rare and unlikely Nashville native. But part of the story of the hustle is that of the hustler, the street smart pusher telling people what they want to hear, while the truth of Jelly Roll is much more complex, and resides somewhere in between the assessment of his vocal supporters and his most vehement naysayers.
It’s not that Jelly Roll doesn’t deserve praise. It’s that the media has been unwilling to also give Jelly Roll deserved scrutiny for trespasses, past and present. Like so many Grammy Awards, Jelly Roll’s win for Best Contemporary Country Album isn’t about the album. It’s about the man—or at least the man that’s been sold to the public through an infinite amount of human interest stories, while the full story of Jelly Roll goes untold because it doesn’t fit the established, accepted narrative.
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February 1, 2026 @ 8:17 pm
Here we are, in a world where Jelly Roll beats Childers, Lambert and Church. A travesty
February 2, 2026 @ 1:27 am
Him and Church are almost one in the same neither country in the slightest
February 1, 2026 @ 8:30 pm
The Jesus extravaganza was ridiculous. Cringe to the 10th degree.
February 1, 2026 @ 8:57 pm
Even more cringe is the media pull quoting Jelly Roll saying, “Jesus is not owned by one political party” as a political statement as opposed to his stream of consciousness where he was saying everyone can be down with Jesus.
February 1, 2026 @ 11:12 pm
You are shocked the woke fake news tries to twist his words to fit into the deeply anti American message the Grammys platformed all through tour the ceremony? You surprise me, trigger.
They also tried to get him to condemn ice and trump during the red carpet and he wisely said he has little time to pay attention to politics and he isn’t interested in politics.
February 1, 2026 @ 11:20 pm
No, I’m not shocked.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:59 am
You’re brain dead enough to take your cues from a narcissistic, ignorant psychopath like Trump while lecturing other people not to fall for fake news? Classic! I wish you all the pain and misery you deserve.
February 2, 2026 @ 10:17 am
Talk about triggered. You really are
February 2, 2026 @ 6:18 pm
What a mean thing to say to him. Grow up, bruh, seriously! You’re ill wishing someone? It’s always fake news, and Taylor Swift didn’t make political commentary until Kamalakazie Harris ran for office. No one went wild house crazy about it.
Good on him for not falling prey to that bs, and I’m sick of all those celebrities at the Grammys, going up to the podium to tell their pity party stories about race, ethnicity, and what they identify as. Who flipping cares! Jelly Roll is awesome, whether he is country or not. Couldn’t care less.
February 1, 2026 @ 10:00 pm
His foray into the Christian genre feels very much like Kanye’s.
February 1, 2026 @ 9:01 pm
95% of the program was unwatchable (and unfortunately I wasted my time). Despicable people drooling over each other. And they can save their misguided, misinformed, political commentary.
February 1, 2026 @ 9:47 pm
The Grammys have never been about music. It’s always been a recording industry circle jerk, where artists get rewarded for making other folks rich. And the award show itself, like all awards shows, have become embarrassing platforms to either endorse or heap scorn upon the outrage issue of the day.
February 2, 2026 @ 6:32 am
Judging on the few pictures I’ve seen of the female ‘artists’, it looked like a get together of real ugly porn models. These people wanting to lecture everyday Americans on anything, is just showing how incredibly out-of-touch and retarded they are. Scum.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:57 am
“Retarded” is a disgusting word to use as an insult, and I hope you die a slow and painful death.
February 2, 2026 @ 10:29 am
“Judging on the few pictures I’ve seen of the female ‘artists’, it looked like a get together of real ugly porn models.”
100% agree with you.
February 1, 2026 @ 9:01 pm
JR is basically a male, hillbilly Taylor Swift. He has his backstory, and his music is centered around that backstory, and helps drive home how heartfelt, raw and honest it’s supposed to be, just like when TS uses her music to lash out at her exes. I mean, people obviously like his music, and that’s cool, and I’m not even tagging it as being “bad” or anything. But the music itself hasn’t made any really significant impact outside his JR sphere. There’s no JR tune that swept through pop-culture by storm. Most of the attention he generates has to do with his past, his personal life, his weight loss, and peripheral stuff like that. If Jelly Roll was Jerry Royce, and he was just a generic dude with a generic past, how well would the music sell?
February 2, 2026 @ 9:21 am
..not even “basically” saves your point “JR is basically a male, hillbilly Taylor Swift” from sheer impossibility, sir.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:33 pm
They are both insufferable prima donnas.
The point stands.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:55 am
There’s already a white boy Taylor Swift, and it’s Zach Bryan.
February 2, 2026 @ 6:28 pm
True, he hasn’t swept pop/R&B, at all. But he sure did get a lot of followers on the rock side. As for topics, most of these artists get stuck on stupid.
If Sabrina Carpenter could sing about any other topic except a man or screwing some guy’s brains out, that would be great. Time to switch it up, Ms. Espresso.
It’s not only him & T Swift. Hec. Olivia Rodrigo can’t stfu about her ex-boyfriend. She sings “Drivers License, You’re a Vampire,” and the list goes on & on. Next topic!
February 1, 2026 @ 9:42 pm
There’s a strong resemblance to Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye
February 1, 2026 @ 9:45 pm
Jelly Roll is the corporate-approved modern-day equivalent of Insane Clown Posse and Korn. His image is what his fanbase is: a bunch of f-ups who are full of shit. People who are charismatic, but you don’t ever fully believe anything they say. His recent, dramatic weight loss is most certainly from the overuse of Ozempic which is starting to reveal itself as having severe physical side effects including bone loss and loss of vision. I believe with 100% certainty that Jelly Roll didn’t fast his way to this level of weight loss on sheer willpower alone. He’s too lazy to fully play the game and keep up the appearances to be a fully committed Christian artist like his part-time cohort Brandon Lake. I don’t buy his schtick for a minute – and I don’t care about his redemption arc because at a certain point you have to stop making that your whole thing otherwise it just looks like you never left those previous issues.
Some artists make it to the top based on how great their music is and the success was organic. There are other artists who get to the top with some kind of behind-the-doors “help.” Billy Strings success is organic. I believe that this formerly fat fluff did whatever the selling your soul to the devil is to be whatever this thing he is now.
February 1, 2026 @ 10:41 pm
I get where you’re coming from, however, I’d argue that both Korn and even ICP are more authentic than JR is. Like it or hate it, musically speaking, Korn did establish a novel sound that inspired a slew of copycats. And as terrible as ICP is, they stay in their lane, they cater to their base, and they don’t pretend they’re something they’re not.
But I agree fully re: JR. Strip away the persona, the look, and the redemption arc, and does his music truly stand out in any particular way? Is it really “heartfelt”, or is it just manipulative? It’s more like the Kiss model, where you’re selling characters who perform music, as opposed to selling the music itself. The industry is heaping praise upon him because he shifts units, at least for now.
February 1, 2026 @ 11:27 pm
Yeah I agree with you that Korn and ICP are authentic to what they are. When I said “corporate approved” I was trying to find a way to compare Jelly Roll to a Walmart/family friendly music for screw ups. I can understand why Korn is unique and musically valid with how they helped create a new sub genre of metal and used those weird dissonant chords. I grew up in the 90’s and early 00’s and remember how popular Korn and ICP was with the trailer park and outcast kids. Maybe the Korn comparison was a bit unfair. The ICP fandom is still one of my favorite things that I will occasionally research out of morbid curiosity. Maybe because in comparison to the 90’s the rock and metal scene is dead and they are using Jelly Roll to capture market share from the parents and kids of that demographic.
February 1, 2026 @ 11:29 pm
I feel like the Nasheville “industry” votes as a block vote. And since the Grammy’s have encouraged members to not vote outside of their genre, the chances of another Sturgill type win for the good guys (and girls) feels increasingly unlikey.
For Zach Top and Jelly Roll to take the country AOY awards was a big disappointment after the Grammy’s have traditionally shown more love to the more artistic country performers (probably more so Zach Top since that was Turnpikes award and they didn’t even get nominated).
We almost need a 3rd cateorgy at the grammys “Country album of the year, for an artist that doesn’t get played on garbage country radio”
If another Country Radio act takes the tradional country album award next year – we riot (and by riot I mean express our disappointment in strong terms on the internet)
February 2, 2026 @ 8:16 am
I just do not understand this line that Zach Top is part and parcel with Nashville Music Row mainstream country. He started in bluegrass. He’s on an independent label. He’s playing music that conventionally would never be embraced by the mainstream, but was because it became so popular, similar to Tyler Childers and The Red Clay Strays. The idea that Zach Top winning a Grammy is synonymous with Luke Bryan or Jason Aldean winning a Grammy to me is ludicrous. Zach Top BECAME mainstream from his overwhelming success as a strictly neotraditional artist.
As you rightly point out, Sturgill Simpson has won in the past. As did Willie Nelson and Tanya Tucker. But so did Beyonce. So you can’t really say the Grammys are one thing or another.
Jelly Roll won because of his massive, public relations campaign. The music is irrelevant to this guy. It’s all about the human interest story. That is what this article is about, and the way the media has been carrying Jelly Roll’s water. THAT is why he won.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:34 pm
Top is much more traditional than Turnpike.
February 2, 2026 @ 4:16 pm
Sound wise? Eh, maybe. I’ll give him that.
Top still needs to write or record a song with even half the songwriting depth that Turnpike usually churns out for me to take him seriously long-term.
Dressing like you are a 90’s Country star and signing 90’s Country tunes is all find and dandy, but if you want to maintain your audience once the “Tik Tok crowd” that boosted Top in the first place moves on you need some substance.
I’m certainly not upset that Top won a Grammy, but I remain tepid towards his output so far since so much of it has been mostly generic B-sides off 90’s Country albums.
February 1, 2026 @ 11:36 pm
Part of the reason why Jelly Roll hasn’t gotten the Morgan Wallen treatment is because the modern entertainment media no longer does independent, investigative reporting. Instead, they wait for a celebrity or two to be “outraged” by someone’s actions and then react to that outrage. If someone got those clips in the hands of a social-media addicted “activist” celebrity such as Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, or Nicki Minaj, you can be assured their legions of fans along with the media would quickly condemn Jelly Roll for it. Also, as you’ve mentioned before, it doesn’t help that Penske owns Variety, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, and Billboard, so all the major trades take their cues from the same sources. Remember, kids: The media is the sole arbiter of right and wrong!
February 2, 2026 @ 9:01 am
The reason the media doesn’t care about the Jelly Roll saying the Soft A N-word (this always needs to be a distinction made because it’s not a racial slur) is because we are no longer in the time of Covid authoritarianism and in the peak of Cancel Culture. Both have been memory-holed because they didn’t work. A second reason is because Jelly Roll was a white rapper for a decade and a half before getting mainstream rock attention with ‘Save Me’. Morgan Wallen was defying the Covid authoritarianism by not following the madeup guidlines and somehow he became the main target for cancel culture to try and take down. His sucess grew after all that incident which was a major blow to cancel culture because it didn’t work- even though millions of people pretended that they have never said any variation of the N-word in their past and pretended to be outrage because doing so was the latest thing.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:05 am
You keep parroting this point Strait, and it remains invalid. There have most definitely been word policing scandals since COVID. Think of Tony Hingecliff from Madison Square garden. The Morgan Wallen situation is STILL brought up almost daily. And it’s not just that the Jelly Roll situation hasn’t risen to pierce the zeitgeist like Morgan Wallen did where he had to go on numerous nationally broadcast television shows to apologize, it’s that NOBODY has reported on it. NOBODY. Except Saving Country Music. It’s is downright media scandal at this point.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:47 am
I said the height of cancel culture. Yes there have been efforts to cancel people since but they haven’t gained nearly the same traction nor have they been successful. Tony Hinchcliffe didn’t take much of a hit and he still has his Kill Tony show and is still popular. Ms Rachel is the latest one because she liked some antisemetic post. I haven’t followed that story much but from what I see on social media she is getting equal support to the backlash because many people aren’t down for the Jews policing our speech either.
The Morgan Wallen situation being brought up daily is in large part because you bring it up daily.
February 2, 2026 @ 10:03 am
“The Morgan Wallen situation being brought up daily is in large part because you bring it up daily.”
No, it’s constantly being brought up to highlight country music’s inherent racism. I bring it up in the context of the media scandal of them refusing to report on Jelly Roll. No hyperbole, there’s probably 10,000 stories in print about the Morgan Wallen incident. There’s not even a single one about Jelly Roll? Not even one? The fix is in. I’m not saying Jelly Roll should be “canceled.” I’m saying someone, anyone should report on it. There been hundreds of stories mentioning Morgan Wallen’s N-word situation since we’ve known about Jelly Roll’s.
February 2, 2026 @ 11:19 am
I’m not disputing the question you are asking about why there are no stories about Jelly Roll saying the N-word (Soft A). You are framing the answer to that question with the wording of yourinitial question, which I think is inaccurate. The Morgan Wallen N-word incident was not some uniquely awful career-ending incident but instead more of an exercise of force by the cancel culture at the time. Cancel culture still exists however internet culture has shifted radically in the past 5 years and it’s more acceptable to use rude speech and be an asshole again. Also just because it happened to Morgan Wallen doesn’t mean it was right. The attempted cancelling of MW had the unintended effect of pushing him more into the mainstream and making him a cultural figure. Jelly Roll is famous but he’s basically…just there – like Rascal Flatts in the 2000’s. Nothing around Jelly Roll is pushing or changing Country music culture other than him loitering in the space and winning awards.
In current news we have 3 million more Epstein files and a renewed effort to cancel people for far worse things than using a word black people use on themselves. No one but you truly cares that Jelly Roll used the N word.
February 2, 2026 @ 2:28 pm
“No one but you truly cares that Jelly Roll used the N word.”
Yet they continue to care that Morgan Wallen did. Again, Strait, the issue here is not necessarily the N-word use. It’s the hypocrisy by the media. Do you really think that Jelly Roll just won Grammy Awards because he’s a brilliant country artist? No. He won them because there has been a dedicated campaign operated through the media to sell him as a redemption story with little or no scrutiny brought to bear upon his past or present behavior. That’s what this story is about, that is why the N-word is relevant. And again, if there was even ONE story about this—even one—maybe we could have a discussion here. But there is zero. Zero stories about Jelly Roll using the N word on camera.
February 2, 2026 @ 6:49 pm
I agree with you on the hypocrisy of the media. Maybe I am misread your intentions here but it seems like you only expect the hypocrisy to be corrected in the direction of calling out Jelly Roll vs a call to admit that Morgan Wallen did nothing wrong by using the N word in the context that he used it. I still maintain that the backlash against Wallen over the N word usage was a bandwagon thing that many jumped on and the outrage was not sincere, and just social media mob outrage. The people who joined that outrage won’t admit they were wrong. That’s why they still double down on Morgan Wallen because there is zero imperative for them to walk it back and it made and still makes them feel fake moral superiority, People still argue tooth and nail that masks and social distancing did anything. I don’t believe that them faking outrage over Jelly Roll just to “make it even” is doing anything positive here.
February 2, 2026 @ 6:56 pm
I don’t think Morgan Wallen should have used the N word either. But I wrote extensively at that time that he was not using it in anger towards Black people. He was specifically reciting a extremely common hip-hop crutchphrase. But I’m not really interested in going back and re-litigating that over and over. Jelly Roll just won a Grammy off his persona being peddled by the media. That is why we’re talking about this.
February 2, 2026 @ 10:06 am
Who wouldn’t love to be a fly on the wall of the PR agencies tasked with keeping Jelly Roll’s squeaky clean image intact… maybe we’ll get a peek behind the curtain one day like in the Justin Baldoni/Blake Lively lawsuits.
February 1, 2026 @ 11:58 pm
Jelly Roll is an outstanding singer and musician! I’m so proud of him. And Y’all from Tennessee or wherever, s*itposting online about him are just jealous your fav didn’t win, or of his success. Don’t minimize his hardships & accomplishments. Also sir. He sings “YOU’RE Nothing but a Liar,” so get your story straight.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:49 am
His audio engineer running the pitch correction and backing tracks for Jelly Roll should have gotten the Grammy.
February 2, 2026 @ 12:39 am
Let a few years pass and people will just say “Contemporary” to “Contemporary Country” and just “Country” to “Traditional Country.”
February 2, 2026 @ 1:37 am
I’m trying to understand what this article accomplishes? The first two-thirds is directly contradicted by the last third, so it doesn’t make much sense from a literary perspective? It just becomes moot. Also, as you say, if the JR isn’t being told — and you know it, why not tell it yourself then?
February 2, 2026 @ 8:23 am
There is no doubt that Jelly Roll has turned his life around from the time that he was a convicted felon and a drug addict. However, he specifically sings about the 12 step program in multiple songs, while also openly saying that he is not sober. The media portrays him as a sober hero, but he’s not sober, so that only tells half the story. You can also find plenty of people in Nashville who will tell you he still “parties,” and he’s admitted to this in interviews. There’s a lot of nuance when trying to understand this.
February 2, 2026 @ 3:00 pm
I don’t consider myself either a lover or hater of JR, but for me what I’ve always seen and understood about him is that he speaks to a certain segment of people that weren’t being talked to… similar to what Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift originally did. His story may have holes and turns and whatever… but what remains is there’s a ton of people just like him and they’ve found profound meaning in his music. Recovering or recovered addicts found an ally in JR, and I personally appreciate that, because that’s pretty cool.
February 2, 2026 @ 4:39 pm
This is exactly why I included what I did in the second half of the article. I don’t want to diminish the inspiration that Jelly Roll has been to people. That is a very real thing. But I also think we all need to be honest about the complexity of the messenger and the message.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:40 am
Beyonce and now Jelly Roll……the Grammys really do not have a clue, do they?
February 2, 2026 @ 2:19 am
…right, it is actually pretty much a contemporary christian album indeed. however, ain’t that a rising current in the country and country music again? making jelly roll and his – not at all bad – album a winner appears much less of an outlier/oddity/perversion than a categorical, somewhat misplaced, reminder – or even timely warning. in a time when a ruthless snake oil salesman rules the country – the nation that is – it almost couldn’t be more contemporary.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:35 pm
Turn off the TV hysteria and go outside.
February 2, 2026 @ 3:22 am
Let’s face the truth; country – real country – has never been popular among the general public.
Nashville tried to make rock’n’roll, calling it rockabilly, and they got a few hits, so naturally they went for pure pop with the Nashville Sound when rock’n’roll died off with the reinvented pop crooner Elvis and the hugely overrated boyband the Beatles emerged in the late 50’s/early 60’s. By the time Jim Reeves’ plane took a dive in 1964, real country was gone and forgotten completely by the big companies.
It survived on the outskirts of the business, peaked onto the charts now and then, but the top of the pop charts belonged to “modern country”, whatever the popular genre was in the moment (Nashville labelled it country-pop, country rock, country rap or worse, where the prefix was and is the only country about the song). The names most folks at 40 year plus consider country legends (Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson) got their status because they hit big with pop songs, not country songs.
So, yeah, Jelly Roll made the best country album, I suppose.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:29 am
“Let’s face the truth; country – real country – has never been popular among the general public.”
This is incorrect. Traditional country music might be more popular than any other time in the last 20 years. The #1 song in country right now is a traditional country song about two-stepping. Zach Top just won Traditional Country Album of the Year—an award that was created to deal with the fact that traditional country is in a resurgence.
I just don’t understand this defeatist attitude. Jelly Roll’s win has nothing to do with music. It has to do with the continued human interest pieces paraded out in the media via The New York Times and Rolling Stone as they ignore the N-word situation because it undercuts their reporting.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:09 am
…”—an award that was created to deal with the fact that traditional country is in a resurgence” – or an endangered species. let’s hope you’re right, trigger, and we are not witnessing what plants do just before the endgame – spreading semen like crazy.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:37 pm
It is telling that the most universally beloved country artists (Cash, Nelson, Dolly, Kenny, Cline, etc) are generally the least country sounding among their contemporaries.
February 2, 2026 @ 5:28 am
How can an artist who re-releases the same song over and over and over again be so popular?
Good on him for losing all that weight–he was very clearly morbidly obese and at risk for shortening his lifespan significantly. The next thing he should do is remove the face tattoos.
February 2, 2026 @ 4:30 pm
Jelly Roll (and his label’s marketing team) have done an amazing job keeping him in the headlines the point his music is secondary to his personality at this point. He’s essentially a social media influencer who can go on a TV show and belt out some generic tune.
Frankly, that might be the most depressing aspect of him winning. The music didn’t matter. At all. He won the Grammy because his label can trot him out on everything from the Grammy’s to the CMA’s to the People’s Choice Awards (do those still exist?) to Pat MacAfee to the cover of People Magazine and talk up his story.
February 2, 2026 @ 6:05 am
I’ve said this before – I’m not sure Jellyroll is actually popular. This was true in 2025 and as far as I can see true in 2026 – He is not playing any headlining dates on his own. He is headlining festivals (which means nothing as promoters think he’s popular) and doing shows with Post Malone. Until he can go out and sell 18K+ arena’s I’m convinced he is a fraud that is being propped up by the industry and media.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:33 am
I think this is a very valid theory. All of this is being propped up via media puff pieces. I do think he has a strong fan base and is popular among a segment of people. But I do not think he’s a Top 5 name in country. I also think that popularity has been diminishing over the last year due to over saturation.
February 2, 2026 @ 10:06 am
Jello Roll hangs out with Prince Harry.
He is a court jester of the Buckingham Palace media machine in the USA.
The filthy British royals chose that fat, face-tattooed rap loser to mock country music, Americans and Christianity.
Sir Mick Jagger is too old to mock country music.
February 2, 2026 @ 2:51 pm
You got it all backwards bro. Jelly Roll sold out stadium after stadium on his Beautifully Broken tour. Including the one in my pop rock city. It’s the other artists, like Malone, Alex Warren, and Shaboozey, who loop him in to their songs and shows, to generate sales and popularity.
February 2, 2026 @ 4:19 pm
You have to be using the drugs Jelly Roll used to sell if you think Post f’n Malone is turning to Jelly Roll to “generate sales and popularity”.
The other guys you mentioned? Sure.
But “actually, Post Malone NEEDS Jelly Roll” is such an insane take I can only assume a healthy dose of Redneck Meth was ingested prior to typing that.
February 2, 2026 @ 5:41 pm
Post doesn’t need Jelly Roll per se, but he is a country artist now. He’s not going to sell out stadiums in cities across the US that listen to pop / R&B, I can guarantee you that. Neither is a rap artist going to sell out in Tennessee.
Jelly Roll did sell those states out, Einstein, and that’s when it’s beneficial for someone like PM to bring him along for a few states. Depends on the genre/music they like. I can guarantee you I ain’t showing up at no PM show, even if JR were there. Great guy, loved him on the R&B side, but his country music is of no interest to me whatsoever.
As for me and the drugs. No. Presumably, you’re not any, just an example of the idiocy in feedback and writing that’s in society today.
February 2, 2026 @ 6:07 am
Trigger you sound like Joan from Parks and Rec “In no way, shape or form, in my opinion is that Jelly Roll album a country album and thats a fact!”
When we have the recording arts industry, which, like it or not, sets a standard for what is considered what genre saying otherwise we have a situation where something is, in fact, up for argument.
Fear not though, gatekeeping country music is one of your favorite pasttimes (that and hating politics while looking for any angle possible to discuss politics) so in sure well see an opinion piece from you soon on the non-opinion opinion about tje next album that is, in fact, not country music.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:42 am
The Jelly Roll album just isn’t country man. It just isn’t. There really isn’t any country elements in it whatsoever. And sure, it seems arrogant to say that’s empiracal. But it doesn’t mean it’s not true. And “gatekeeping” is just the most intellectually vacant, discussion ending cliche anyone can issue. If genre doesn’t matter, then why are we even giving these awards away based on them?
Jelly Roll was slated in country because he’s based in Nashville.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:47 am
I’m not gonna give a lot of credence to the Grammy, but im just saying someone in the world with some power thinks it qualifies as country. Maybe the better question is why do these artists keep on getting lumped in as country when they arent?
February 2, 2026 @ 9:01 am
It’s due to a LACK of gatekeepers, and because country is synonymous with Nashville-based artists.
February 2, 2026 @ 11:29 am
There was absolutely no way they could place Jelly Roll firmly in the Christian music industry (CCM also based in Nashville). Country music it is. They did however let him duet with Christian artist Brandon Lake to dip into that sweet sweet crossover money and without having to deal with his 15 years of explicit rap albums and wife who admits in interviews to cucking him – which would be too much for him to be accepted into CCM.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:39 pm
For now.
Mainstream Christianity will consider that behavior acceptable in a decade at the rate it sells out to third wave feminism. Pastors will cite Hosea.
February 2, 2026 @ 6:26 am
If you’re arguing his story is marketable I completely agree.
February 2, 2026 @ 6:27 am
Not sure I’ve ever seen an artist as propped up as this fool. His eagerness to sell out by any means necessary is impossible to hide, and frankly the kind of people that like his shitty music are too dumb to notice that, or even care. Praise Jesus all forgiving him the strength to get on a GLP-1
February 2, 2026 @ 6:48 am
I don’t understand why everyone makes such a big deal about awards shows, Grammy’s, R&R Hall of Fame (Why isn’t Gram Parson’s in that?), its all just a popularity contest, and name recognition contest.
My buddy used to vote for his boss who was on the ballet list and couldn’t be bothered to vote. So my friend did so. Most voters haven’t listened to any of the music and just vote for a name they recognize.
Glad that Zach Top won something, again he is one of the rare ones that is putting out great music and has also been recognized in a category that most voters know nothing or very little at all.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:50 am
The reason people make a big deal about award shows is because they can be a huge boost to an artist’s career. There is economic activity that coincides with all of this. And so if these awards are going to be a thing, we might as well try to influence them in a positive direction. Generally speaking, The Grammys focus much more on more independent/roots-oriented artists. The CMA is never going to hand out awards to Billy Strings or I’m With Her. The Grammys also get it wrong at times, just like the CMAs.
February 2, 2026 @ 11:06 am
Yes, I agree Trig, it’s just so annoying that they are just so self-congratulatory, same with the Movie/TV crowd, the only ones that compare is the realty business, where I live to be in the million-dollar club, you only have to sell one or two homes.
I know it’s all about business, but if you go back and see who won the awards, most aren’t but a blip on the radar these days.
February 2, 2026 @ 11:31 am
Most legacy media shows are only there to provide clips for social media – where the real traction happens or not.
February 2, 2026 @ 7:19 am
The album is not good!
February 2, 2026 @ 7:22 am
More egregious….Kelsea ballerina was a finalist for that award??!! She has the absolute best label and PR team with how much her award nominations out size her actual career achievements – hits, streaming, overall popularity etc
February 2, 2026 @ 7:59 am
Trigger being one of the only ones to tell it like it really is 👏👏👏👏
And the CEO of the Grammys had the nerve to say their snubbing of Morgan Wallen is “not political”. The whole Grammy awards is political.. it was never so clear as last night. That’s why I never watched anymore. If you don’t fit into their agenda you will never be accepted. What a joke!
February 2, 2026 @ 8:37 am
I just dont think the Grammys are particularly good. Turnpike Isnt political at all and they got zero noms as well
February 2, 2026 @ 10:31 am
Turnpike toured with Steve Earle and the Old 97s. Felker and the band are liberals. You can hate that all you want. I love it.
February 2, 2026 @ 11:22 am
I don’t know that it’s fair to characterize the Turnpike Troubadours as “liberals,” and I generally don’t like when others assign political affiliation to artists because that can immediately make them polarizing to 50% of the population. I think Turnpike has done a great job staying apolitical, but also addressing issues in their songs like 1968. They also collaborated with the Dropkick Murphys and just covered a Todd Snider song, so clearly they don’t have a problem working with left-leaning artists. But as others point out, they don’t really benefit from being considered political artists like Tyler Childers or Margo Price, for example. In fact to most of the media, they assume their right wingers because they talk about guns and hunting in their songs.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:42 pm
They are.
They also write amazing songs, so it is easy to ignore their naive and childish views. They also don’t preach from the stage (Cody Johnson could take notes). They just play great music.
The worst songs written are usually political songs.
February 2, 2026 @ 3:09 pm
Thanks for the input, tough guy.
February 2, 2026 @ 4:21 pm
Ironically, the only semi-decent John Rich song ever recorded was semi-“political”. Shutting Detroit Down.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:45 am
Jelly Roll’s obsequious displays that have the appearance of personal gain over character change remind me of Christ’s words: “Many will say to me in that day Lord, Lord…and then will I profess unto them I never knew you…”. How sincere he is no one can truly say but all this God-bothering reeks of performance, like a megachurch hustler.
I think he does a disservice to the many country artists who include gospel on their albums and sing it in their shows because they could get painted with the same disingenuous brush.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:49 am
Is it possible he really is Christian but just doesn’t have the communication skills necessary to present it any other way?
Also, is it possible that he’s just a Christian who has a gigantic platform? What reveals flaws better than a spotlight?
I’m less concerned about whether or not his actions align with words (because most people fail multiple times in life to live up to their goals and aspirations) than I am with the fact that his evangelism has no potential to foster true conversion in people’s hearts. When the message is basically “Live and let sin,” there’s nothing beyond surface-level growth.
No roots, no change.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:43 pm
Most modern people and Christians alike view Jesus as a genie.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:51 am
I did not watch the Grammy’s and even forgot they were on, plus think they are a joke. I was reading a different music site this morning which mentioned the in memoriam segment which included an Ozzy tribute. I watched on youtube and thought it was great. I was skeptical with Post Malone on vocals but he was good. Having the various artists who passed on video screen worked also.
February 2, 2026 @ 8:59 am
Compared to the CMAs and ACMs who used to have good In Memoriam segments, the Grammys have a GREAT one that included Todd Snider and other folks from the country/roots world. They can’t include everyone obviously, but they put a lot of heart into it, and it’s one of the best parts of the otherwise flashy pop-oriented performance show.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:31 am
They did swing and miss on this alot during the covid years tho, not even mentioning John Prine IIRC
February 2, 2026 @ 9:34 am
That was the CMAs, and they didn’t mention John Prine because they didn’t mention anybody because they didn’t do an In Memoriam segment. The Grammys also miss people, but they devote a TON of time to it and mention a lot.
February 2, 2026 @ 10:46 am
But they did something for Charlie Daniels anyways, right? Seem to remember that really bothered Sturgill Simpson and others.
Also didnt watch last night. Who was the final name of the in memorium? I assume it was Ozzy or Brian Wilson?
February 2, 2026 @ 11:23 am
I think they might have done some tribute performances that year. Maybe for Joe Diffie as well. I’d have to go back and check. But I’m a big proponent of the In Memorium segments, and it’s a shame the CMAs seem to have permanently 86’d them.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:44 pm
Charlie Daniels was country.
John Prine was folk.
February 2, 2026 @ 2:22 pm
John Prine’s songs were covered as multiple country hits. I’m not saying that John Prine deserved a full blown tribute on the CMA Awards. I’m saying that the CMA Awards should have an In Memoriam segment each year just like the Grammy Awards to at least name off important figures that have passed.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:12 am
I have not watched a Grammy’s telecast in the past 40 years. Always has been irrelevant. One of the primary reasons is that you don’t have to know anything about the music to cast a vote. The same people voting for best R&B record are determining who wins the country awards.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:16 am
Jelly Roll makes music for people who pray for God’s forgiveness after they steal a catalytic converter, knowing darn well they’re gonna go do it again tomorrow night
February 2, 2026 @ 9:29 am
…”catalytic converter” was also right on the tip of my tongue in this context here.
February 2, 2026 @ 9:53 am
I liked his first hit, Son of a Sinner but have hated every single he has put out ever since. Haven’t heard him for awhile since I haven’t listened to radio in quite a awhile. I get repulsed every time a song of his comes on. Talk about overexposure, he was everwhere.
I used to watch CMT Top 20 every once in awhile. Alot of crap but every once in awhile a good new artist would appear. TV show was scrapped after the merger with Paramount
February 2, 2026 @ 10:26 am
I watched the entire Grammys and was looking forward to seeing Johnny Rodriguez’s name during the tribute portion. He was not included!!! What a shameful oversight. He was one of the biggest country stars of the 1970s, probably in the Top 10. Does anyone have any insight into why he was excluded? It made me very angry.
February 2, 2026 @ 10:58 am
I didn’t catch his name on there, but the Grammy’s did list him on their website. They showed the link before a commercial break.
February 2, 2026 @ 11:21 am
Couldn’t squeeze his name onto the show, eh? Sad. Inexcusable.
February 2, 2026 @ 12:52 pm
I never marked the day, minute, or nano second like many feel the need to. But right around this time of year – pretty sure it was in February, 25 years ago, I quit drinking. No AA. No steps. No need to scream about jesus to everyone who would, or wouldn’t listen. I just knew I would likely be dead within 6 months if I didn’t – so I did. It really is possible without falling for the whole scam.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:11 pm
The facts that they had to create other categories in order to give actual country music recognition is all kinds of stupid.
Americana as a genre is stupid but the majors pushed actually country so far out the way here we are.
If you make a true country record the need for the traditional category is moot because by default country music follows tradition at a base level even while innovating.
This just give the cosplayer more lame ammo to say “See I like country music”.
It is the same with Laufey and jazz- “No you do not like jazz you like Laufey. And it ends there.”
Bleech…
As to Christian and Gospel categories I like that music so my only issue there is uh… Where is the Jewish album category? Muslim, Buddhist…. The Grammys are effing lazy in their tokenism.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:35 pm
this guy will never be normal in my house. I don’t care how much the media tries to gaslight me into believe he’s a good roll model. And yes, it has everything to do with his ugly felon face.
February 2, 2026 @ 1:45 pm
We live in a postmodern society where normal is weird and weird is normal.
Yet people wonder why everything is a mess.
February 2, 2026 @ 5:39 pm
American roots music performers don’t seem to be a part of “Music’s Biggest Night”. No country, bluegrass, folk, blues, jazz, gospel or classical musi this year. Last year there was a jazz segment. All we got was rap/hip-hop, pop, lat-rock and K-pop. As a long time Recording Academy member I am disgusted.
And again, after a rousing, uptempo production start the host sucked all the energy out of the room with his fawning yakking about the people in the front rows. Do we know if CBS booted the Grammies or the Grammies sold to a higher bidder?
February 2, 2026 @ 5:55 pm
It’s also important to note that this is the second year in a row without a significant country or roots performance during the televised portion. Someone might point out Reba, Brandy Clark, and Lukas Nelson performing during the In Memoriam segment. But that felt very much like a token, especially after Post Malone and a rock supergroup came out to tribute Ozzy.