BTS boycotting 2027 Grammys over new Asian pop category
Consensus Summary
BTS announced they will not submit music for the 2027 Grammy awards, citing the introduction of a new Asian pop category as the reason. The Recording Academy added five new categories in June, including best Asian pop music performance, best Latin song, and others, aiming to celebrate diverse genres. BTS’s decision follows their return this year after an almost four-year hiatus due to mandatory military service. The new Asian pop category requires meaningful use of an Asian language, which may exclude some of BTS’s recent English-language work. This year’s Grammy ceremony saw Golden from KPop Demon Hunters win best song written for visual media, marking the first win for a K-pop act. Bad Bunny also won album of the year for his Spanish-language album. The controversy highlights debates about whether such categories increase visibility or create barriers for Asian artists.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- BTS announced they will not submit music for the 2027 Grammy awards
- The Recording Academy introduced a new category for best Asian pop music performance in June
- Five new categories were added for 2027, including best Asian pop music performance, best Latin song, best traditional folk album, best traditional pop vocal performance, and best R&B collaboration or duo/group performance
- BTS returned to music this year after an almost four-year hiatus due to mandatory military service
- Golden from KPop Demon Hunters won best song written for visual media at this year’s Grammy ceremony
- Bad Bunny won album of the year this year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos
- BTS was first nominated for a Grammy in 2020 for Dynamite
- BTS has been nominated five times total: three times in best pop duo/group performance, once for album of the year (Music of the Spheres), and once for best music video (Yet to Come)
- The 2027 Grammy ceremony is scheduled for 7 February
- The new Asian pop category requires 'meaningful use' of an Asian language
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The new Asian pop category was announced last month
- The 2026 Grammy final was referenced in the context of the new categories
- BTS’s album Arirang is overwhelmingly in Korean, making them a near-certainty for inclusion in the new Asian pop category
- 80% of BTS’s new album lyrics are in English (mentioned in ABC but not explicitly stated in Guardian)
- The ceremony will take place in Los Angeles
- The new categories were introduced in June
- BTS’s album Arirang is a 14-track album
- BTS performed at the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina
- Dr. Megan Moon noted that 80% of BTS’s new album lyrics are in English, with Swim entirely in English
- The Recording Academy’s statement was attributed to CEO Harvey Mason Jr, who said the Asian pop category was created to celebrate depth, diversity, and growth of Asian pop artistry
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states the new Asian pop category was announced last month, while ABC states it was introduced in June
- The Guardian mentions the 2026 final in the context of new categories, but ABC does not reference it
- The Guardian says the ceremony is on 7 February, but ABC does not mention the date
Source Articles
BTS boycott Grammys after introduction of new Asian pop prize
K-pop superstars will not submit Arirang album or its songs for 2027 ceremony BTS, the biggest pop act in east Asia, have withdrawn themselves from the 2027 Grammy awards, intimating that their decision is due to the addition of a new award for best Asian pop music performance. Writing on Instagram, each of the South Korean group’s seven members said: “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
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