The Grammy nominations will be announced this morning, and all eyes are on the country categories.

Why it matters: The nominations come at the end of another watershed year for country music, which has a vice grip on popular culture.

The big picture: A bevy of Nashville stars have ruled over the Top 40 charts for months. Established country hitmaker Morgan Wallen and newcomer Shaboozey, both vying for their first noms, notched two of the biggest Hot 100 hits of the decade.

• Meanwhile, Beyoncé and Post Malone released high-profile crossover projects that stirred fascinating and sometimes painful debates over the history — and future — of country music.

What we're watching: There are 79 albums listed on the best country album ballot, according to Billboard. Much of the speculation ahead of the nominations has focused on if the crossovers on that list will rise to the top of the heap.

Flashback: Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" is unquestionably one of the most talked-about and well-reviewed albums of the year.

• The megastar said the project, which includes cameos from Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, was inspired by her experience of feeling shunned by the country music establishment. She framed the project as an effort to break down barriers for all artists.
• The album and its single "Texas Hold 'Em" ultimately made her the first Black woman ever to top the country genre's album and song charts.

Fun fact: Shaboozey was virtually unknown when he scored a feature on the album, which was released in March. The exposure might have helped him vault to the top of the charts with his own song later in 2024.

Yes, but: "Cowboy Carter" is lightyears away from conventional. Beyoncé explicitly rejected labeling it a country album, as it blends elements of R&B, hip-hop and at one point Italian opera alongside banjo and steel guitar.

• Although "Texas Hold 'Em" sounds tailor-made for Lower Broadway, Beyoncé was shut out from the upcoming CMA Awards.

Zoom out: Post Malone, on the other hand, embraced the Nashville machine for "F-1 Trillion." He worked with country session musicians and duetted with many of the genre's biggest stars on songs that fit in perfectly on country radio.

• The best country album ballot also includes genre powerhouses like Luke Combs and Lainey Wilson.

The bottom line: The Grammys will be a good temperature check to determine how industry insiders view the state of country music, and how much they are willing to push its boundaries.

How to watch: Nominations will be announced online at 9:45am. The awards ceremony takes place Feb. 2.

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Beyoncé and Post Malone aren't the only mainstream artists angling for Grammy nominations in the country music categories.

The intrigue: Pop princess Sabrina Carpenter and a crowd of other pop artists have gone country with some of their submissions this year, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Zoom in: Carpenter, whose ubiquitous bop "Espresso" has become a modern classic, submitted her song "Slim Pickins" for best country song and best country solo performance.

• Other unconventional acts on the country ballot include Kesha, T-Pain and Avril Lavigne. THR notes some of those artists are in the mix because of collaborations with country artists.

Zoom out: Some big-name country stars are venturing into unfamiliar territory too: Dolly Parton, Chris Stapleton and Jelly Roll submitted in rock categories, per THR. 

💭 Adam's thought bubble: I'll be rooting for Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus to make the cut in the country duo/group performance category for "II Most Wanted," one of my favorite tracks on "Cowboy Carter."

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Veterans Day is Monday, which brings our attention to the 5.9% of Nashville-area residents who have served in the military.

By the numbers: That amounts to more than 95,000 people, per Census data from 2023.

• Nearly 31% of them served from September 2001 on, the most of any conflict period.
• Vietnam War-era veterans are right behind that group at 30.8%. The Gulf War period follows at 27.4%. 

Zoom out: There were 15.8 million military veterans in the United States in 2023, 6.1% of the total adult population.

• More than 1 in 4 veterans are 75 or older.

Three youth cross country runners from Middle Tennessee schools have died in recent months. (Tennessean, subscription)

🍕 Five Points Pizza is adding a new location in the Gulch. (NewsChannel 5)

📉 Tennessee voter turnout for the presidential election dipped below 2020 levels. (WPLN) 

We're all tired after a busy election week. So we thought we'd make the news quiz a little bit easier on everyone by reviving our "Wheel of Fortune" format.

Zoom in: We are providing fill-in-the-blank puzzles with most of the letters blank. (R, S, T, L, N and E are filled in.)

1. S _ _ _ _ L _ _ _ _ _ ERS (The subject of the first bill filed ahead of Tennessee's 2025 legislative session.)
2. _ N _ _ _ _ LES (The candidate who won Tennessee's District 5 U.S. House race.)
3. S _ _ _ _ E _ (The musical playing at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center through Nov. 10.)

✍️ Reply to this email with your answers to earn a shoutout next week!