3 weeks ago
BTS Bows Out of 2027 Grammys, Rejecting Asian Pop Category
BTS is a very famous K-pop music group from South Korea with seven members.
They made a new album called Arirang.
Every year, there are big music award shows called the Grammys.
The people who run the Grammys made a new award just for Asian pop music.
BTS said they do not want a separate award for Asian music because they want all music to be judged the same way.
They said putting them in a special category makes them feel different from other artists.
The people at the Grammys said the new category is meant to honor more music, not to separate artists.
BTS decided not to enter their album for the Grammys this time.
Other famous singers like The Weeknd have also refused to be part of the Grammys in the past.
Some people think BTS's decision is brave, while others think the new category was a good idea.
BTS announced they will not submit their latest album 'Arirang' for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards.
The decision came weeks after the Recording Academy unveiled a new 'Best Asian Pop Music Performance' category.
BTS said they hope music will be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being categorized by region or language.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr defended the category as expanding recognition, noting artists remain eligible for general-field awards.
The move follows a history of Grammy boycotts by artists including The Weeknd, Drake, Frank Ocean, Sinéad O'Connor, and hip-hop acts in 1989.
- Who
- BTS, a seven-member South Korean K-pop group, and the Recording Academy, led by CEO Harvey Mason Jr.
- What
- BTS declined to submit their album 'Arirang' for the 2027 Grammy Awards, protesting the new 'Best Asian Pop Music Performance' category.
- Where
- The global music industry, centered on the United States-based Grammy Awards and the Recording Academy.
- When
- The announcement was made ahead of the 2027 Grammy Awards, shortly after the Recording Academy unveiled the new category.
- Why
- BTS said the regional category 'others' Asian artists and contradicts their goal of having music recognized for its merits rather than by region or language.
BTS
Recording Academy
Best Asian Pop Music Performance category
BTS
BTS sees the category as 'othering' Asian artists and reinforcing the barriers they have worked to dismantle, saying music should not be categorized by region or language.
Recording Academy
The Recording Academy, via CEO Harvey Mason Jr, says the category is designed to expand recognition, not limit it, and artists in it remain eligible for general-field awards like Album of the Year.
Role of regional awards in music
BTS
Separate regional categories risk segregating artists rather than celebrating diversity, and institutional validation carries less weight for artists with massive global audiences.
Recording Academy
The Grammys remain one of the highest honors in the music industry, and dedicated categories help broaden recognition for diverse music.
Key facts
- Band
- BTS
- Album
- Arirang
- Awards show
- 2027 Grammy Awards
- New category
- Best Asian Pop Music Performance
- Recording Academy CEO
- Harvey Mason Jr
- Group members
- Seven
- Milestone
- First K-pop group to receive multiple Grammy nominations
- BTS stance
- Music should be judged by its merits, not by region or language
Quotes
BTS
Members of the South Korean K‑pop group BTS
“music will be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being categorised by region or language.”
financialexpress.com
