BTS Won't Submit to the 2027 Grammys — Divided Views on the New "Best Asian Pop" Category
BTS has announced it will not submit music for next year's Grammy Awards. Coming amid the debate over the Grammys' newly created "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category, the decision is being read as a de facto objection. Here's a rundown of what happened. What BTS Said On July 29, all seven BTS members posted an identical message to their Instagram Stories: that they had decided not to submit to the Grammys this year. The members added that they hope music can be heard and loved for its own sake rather than being distinguished by region or language, and thanked ARMY and everyone who is always by their side. In the message, BTS did not directly mention a "boycott" or any specific category. Still, the line pointing to distinction "by region and language" is read as aimed at the newly created Asian pop category. Their agency, HYBE, drew a line by clarifying that this is not a company-wide, blanket boycott. What New Category Was Created The trigger was a new category announced in June by the Recording Academy, which presents the Grammys. The Academy said it would add five categories, including "Best Asian Pop Music Performance," starting with the 2027 ceremony. The category covers popular music that originated in or is widely recognized across Asian markets, such as K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop. A song must make meaningful use of one or more Asian languages, and songs sung entirely in English are excluded. The Academy explained that it created the award in recognition of Asian pop's growing influence on the global music industry. "Recognition" or "Separation"? Split Views Reactions to the new category divided sharply. Those who view it positively call it official recognition of Asian pop's global impact. There was also hope that it could open new opportunities for K-pop artists who had yet to win at the Grammys. Indeed, right after the category was created, several outlets named BTS as a leading contender for it. Those who raise concerns , on the other hand, criticize grouping the distinct musics of Korea, Japan, and China within a single "Asian" fence of region and language as a Western pop-centric view. The point is that cordoning off Asian artists — who already lead the global pop market — into a separate category could actually distance them from the main, all-genre categories. Concerns were also raised that the criterion excluding English-language songs could work against certain works. Rather than declaring either side right, it's more accurate to see this as a matter where two readings — "inclusion" and "separation" — are locked in tension. BTS's decision has, in effect, amplified that debate. BTS and the Grammys: The History So Far BTS was the first K-pop act ever nominated at the Grammys. They were first nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with "Dynamite" at the 2021 ceremony, earned another nod with "Butter" the following year, and in 2023 landed three nominations — setting the record for the most by a Korean act. Across their career they've received five nominations, but have yet to win. The Grammys, for their part, have long faced criticism for being conservative toward non-white artists. At the 68th ceremony this past February, "Golden," from the soundtrack of "KPop Demon Hunters" — counted among last year's biggest hits — won only one category, Best Song Written for Visual Media, while BLACKPINK Rosé's "APT." was nominated but did not win. What Remains to Watch BTS did not entirely close the door on future participation with this decision; its stance is that it won't submit for this particular cycle. Its fifth studio album "ARIRANG," which posted strong results on Billboard's main album chart (Billboard 200) and singles chart (Hot 100) right after its March release, was eligible for nomination — but the group chose not to submit it at all. With a group as globally influential as BTS taking a stance, the debate over the "Best Asian Pop" category looks set to continue in the music world for some time.
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