The CEO of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason Jr., has addressed BTS’s decision not to submit their music for the 2027 Grammy Awards. Mason expressed his regret but also showed understanding and respect for their choice.
All seven members of BTS shared a message on Instagram stating their decision. They decided not to submit their latest album, ARIRANG, or its tracks for Grammy consideration. BTS wishes for their music to be appreciated for its essence, avoiding division by region or language.
This announcement comes after the Recording Academy introduced five new Grammy categories, including one for best Asian pop music performance. This category encompasses K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and more. Some fans criticized it as a racial boundary for Asian performers.
Mason clarified, “The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity, and extraordinary growth of pop artistry from Asia. More categories mean more artists’ work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.”
Mason emphasized that submission in a genre category does not prevent an artist from being considered for general field awards, such as album or song of the year.
BTS has been nominated five times at the Grammys. Their nominations include three for best pop duo/group performance, album of the year for their work with Coldplay, and best music video. Despite these nominations, they have yet to secure a Grammy win. Notably, a K-pop act won a Grammy for the first time this year when “Golden” from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters won best song for visual media.
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