K-pop icons BTS have announced they will not submit any music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards. The group’s decision comes just over a month after the Recording Academy confirmed that the upcoming ceremony will feature a new category dedicated to Asian pop music performance for the first time.
In a statement shared by all seven members on Instagram, the band confirmed their withdrawal from the Grammy process for the year. The group expressed a desire for music to be appreciated for its inherent quality rather than being compartmentalized by geography or language. Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. addressed the decision in a statement, noting his disappointment while emphasizing his respect for the group’s choice as fellow music creators.
Mason Jr. defended the new category, stating it was developed to highlight the significant growth and diversity of pop artistry emerging from Asia. He clarified that while artists may submit work for this specific genre award, they remain eligible to enter the same music into general field categories, such as Record of the Year. However, official guidelines for the 69th Grammy Awards stipulate that a song can only be entered into one performance category annually. This effectively forces a choice: if BTS were to compete in the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, they would be ineligible for broader honors such as the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, an award for which they previously received nominations in 2021 and 2022.
The move has sparked debate among fans and industry experts. Matthew Pellegrino, a music teacher at NYU Steinhardt and K-pop specialist, described the creation of an Asian music category as an unnecessary, flawed gesture. He argued that the classification essentially creates a separate box for Asian artists, suggesting it renders them unequal to mainstream American pop performers. Pellegrino questioned the logic behind such arbitrary geographic boundaries, citing the complex heritage of artists like Bruno Mars to illustrate the difficulties of such categorization.
Many supporters of the group agree with this assessment. Eleri Williams, a dedicated fan who has followed the band across various international venues, expressed her view that the award structure feels like a form of segregation. Similarly, London-based fan Will Scragg voiced disappointment, suggesting the new category functions as a way to sideline BTS and keep them out of more prestigious honors. Scragg noted that while such categories might assist emerging artists, he feels the group has already surpassed that stage and supports their principled stance.
The decision coincides with a period of high anticipation for the group. After a four-year hiatus to fulfill South Korea’s mandatory military service, BTS returned to the charts this spring with their sixth Korean-language album, “Arirang.” The record made a significant international impact, debuting at number 1 on the Billboard 200 and reaching the top of the charts in 23 countries, including Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Throughout their career, BTS has achieved historic milestones, including five Billboard Music Award (BBMA) wins for Top Social Artist between 2017 and 2021, and being named Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards in both 2021 and 2026. By 2022, they had cemented their status as the most awarded group in the history of the Billboard Music Awards. The report also notes that bTS have enjoyed massive success since forming in 2010. The report also notes that bTS “incapsulate everything I love about music,” Will Scragg, 27, told. The report also notes that and a little confused” when he heard the Grammys planned to launch an Asian music category, scragg said he was “disappointed. The report also notes that the spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists.”. The report also notes that but some fans fear the introduction of an award defined by geography minimizes the value of artists’ work. The report also notes that the English superfan has seen the band twice this summer — once in his hometown of London and again traveling overseas to Munich. The report also notes that “I really appreciate the amount of effort they put into everything. The report also notes that and witnessing all of that live is such an amazing and worthwhile experience.”, they truly love performing.
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