BTS will not submit music for next year’s Grammy Awards

BTS announced on Wednesday that it will not submit any music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, marking a significant stance against the Recording Academy's newly created categories for Asian artists.

The septet made the declaration via social media, stating it hoped music could be "heard and loved for what it is, rather than being categorised by region or language," according to Yonhap News Agency.

The move comes fewer than two months after the Recording Academy introduced five new award categories for the 69th Grammy Awards, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance. The academy framed the additions as a way to honour contemporary pop recordings from or widely recognised in Asian markets. However, the decision has drawn criticism from fans and industry observers who argue the category amounts to "musical segregation" and risks sidelining major non-English-language acts from the ceremony's top general-field prizes.

BTS has a complicated history with the Grammys. The group received three consecutive nominations for best pop duo/group performance between 2021 and 2023 but failed to win any of the awards, a pattern that sparked wider debate about whether the institution has fully embraced K-pop despite the genre's enormous global commercial reach. The group's fifth studio album, "Arirang," topped both the US Billboard main singles and albums charts following its March release.

The band's statement thanked ARMY, its fanbase, and "everyone who has supported us," without clarifying whether it might reconsider this position for future years. The 69th Grammy Awards ceremony is scheduled for February 2027.

The BTS announcement has reignited discussions about diversity and representation in major awards bodies, particularly regarding how international music is categorised and celebrated on global stages.