South Korean superstars BTS have withdrawn from consideration for the 2027 Grammy awards. This was after the Recording Academy decided to introduce a dedicated Asian pop music category. The world-renowned seven-member band will not submit their album Arirang or any of its individual tracks for the upcoming ceremony. The Korean group issued a subtle yet decisive rebuke of the American institution's latest structural changes.
The decision comes in response to the Recording Academy's announcement last month of a new award category titled best Asian pop music performance. Writing on Instagram, each of the group's seven members addressed the situation: 'We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year. I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.'
A New Award Has Drawn Criticism
The collective statement highlights growing concern over how global music is classified. When announcing the Asian pop category alongside another regionally specific award, best Latin song, Academy president Harvey Mason Jr explained that the addition was due to 'our music community sharing with us that they felt they needed to have more opportunities to celebrate different and new genres of music.'
However, the Academy's wording has drawn criticism, given that Asian and Latin pop markets are far from new. Both sectors command vast financial revenues and massive international audiences, including significant commercial success within the United States.
Industry observers have expressed fears that introducing such a category could end up ringfencing Asian pop artists. They fear that this would isolate them from serious contention in the prestigious general 'big four' prizes.
Is it A Regional Segregation?
Because the new Asian pop category mandates a 'meaningful use' of an Asian language, BTS's recent material on their hugely successful album Arirang—which is overwhelmingly performed in Korean—made them a near-certainty for inclusion. The group has chosen to reject what is perceived as regional segregation in their refusal to submit their album or songs.
Asian pop artists have been largely ignored by the US-centric awards show. No K-pop act received a nomination until BTS was recognised in 2021. Asian performers achieved a strong showing at the most recent ceremony.
A Historic Milestone
The hit song Golden, taken from the film KPop Demon Hunters, won best song written for visual media, securing the first Grammy win for a K-pop act. Golden was also nominated for song of the year, while Rosé earned nominations for record of the year, song of the year, and best pop duo/group performance for her Bruno Mars duet APT.
However, both APT. and Golden lost in those general categories to American or British artists. Furthermore, because the majority of lyrics in Golden and APT. are in English, neither track would likely have qualified under the strict language requirements of the new Asian pop performance category.
The previous ceremony also marked a historic milestone when Bad Bunny's Debí Tirar Más Fotos became the first Spanish-language release to win album of the year.
The Recording Academy has not yet commented on BTS's decision to withdraw. The organisation is adding three other new categories for 2027: best R&B collaboration or duo/group performance, best traditional pop vocal performance, and best traditional folk album. The 2027 Grammy awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 7 February.
