South Korean group BTS announced they will not submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, citing concerns that the Recording Academy's new best Asian pop music performance category pigeonholes artists by language and region.
BTS have decided to skip the 2027 Grammy Awards, the seven-member group announced through coordinated Instagram posts. In their statement, the members expressed a preference for music to be appreciated based on artistic merit rather than geographical or linguistic boundaries.
The decision comes after the Recording Academy introduced a new best Asian pop music performance category last month, which requires songs to contain "meaningful use" of an Asian language. BTS's latest comeback album, Arirang, was expected to compete for major awards including album of the year. However, the lead single "Swim"—a US number one hit—could not qualify for the new Asian category since more than 80 percent of its lyrics are in English.
The new Grammy category has generated mixed reactions within K-Pop communities online, with many fans arguing that such categorization marginalizes rather than celebrates Asian artists. BTS's statement, which specifically referenced concerns about regional and linguistic divisions, appeared to echo these criticisms. The group, which debuted in 2013 and became the first K-Pop band to receive a Grammy nomination in 2021, has never won despite receiving multiple nominations since then.
BTS join a growing list of major artists who have boycotted the Grammy Awards in recent years, including The Weeknd, Drake, and Morgan Wallen. The Recording Academy has not yet publicly responded to BTS's announcement. Meanwhile, other K-Pop artists including Rosé and Stray Kids have received recent Grammy recognition, with the song "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters becoming the first K-Pop track to win a Grammy in the best song written for visual media category.
