Why BTS Is Skipping the 2027 Grammy Awards
News Desk
Seoul: Global K-pop supergroup BTS has announced it will not submit any of its music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, objecting to the Recording Academy’s decision to introduce a new award category dedicated to Asian pop music.
The seven-member South Korean band said the decision reflects its belief that artists should be recognized for the quality of their music rather than being grouped by language or geographic origin.
In a joint statement shared on social media, BTS said it hopes music will be appreciated “in its true spirit, rather than being divided by region or language.”
The announcement follows the Recording Academy’s introduction of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which will make its debut at the 2027 Grammy Awards. According to the Academy, the new category is intended to recognize the growing global impact of Asian pop music.
However, the move has drawn criticism from some fans and industry observers, who argue that creating a separate category for Asian artists could limit their opportunities to compete in the Grammys’ major mainstream categories.
Under current Grammy rules, a song can only be entered in one performance category during a single awards cycle. This means that a track submitted for Best Asian Pop Music Performance would not be eligible for categories such as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, where BTS received nominations in both 2021 and 2022.
BTS’s decision has sparked widespread discussion across social media, with many fans praising the group for taking a stand against what they view as the regional classification of music. Others say dedicated categories can help emerging Asian artists gain international recognition, even as they acknowledge that BTS has already established itself as a global act.
The announcement comes during BTS’s first full year back together after all seven members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service, ending a four-year hiatus.
The group’s latest Korean-language album, Erirang, released earlier this year, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and topped music charts in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan, highlighting the band’s continued global popularity.
Since its debut in 2010, BTS has become one of the world’s most successful music groups. The band won the Billboard Music Awards’ Top Social Artist title for five consecutive years from 2017 to 2021, received the Artist of the Year award at the American Music Awards in 2021 and 2026, and became the most-awarded group in Billboard Music Awards history in 2022.
By opting out of the 2027 Grammy Awards, BTS has shifted attention beyond the awards themselves, fueling a broader debate over whether music should be evaluated without distinctions based on language, region or cultural background.
