The pop group BTS announced Wednesday that they will not submit music for the 2027 [1] Grammy Awards.
The decision marks a significant rift between the Recording Academy and one of the world's most influential musical acts. By opting out, the group challenges the industry's approach to diversifying award categories and how it recognizes non-Western artists.
The group's withdrawal follows the introduction of a new category titled Best Asian Pop Music Performance [2]. According to the group, the Recording Academy's requirement for the "meaningful use" of an Asian language within the music was unacceptable. The seven members [3] of the group viewed the creation of the specific category as a measure of tokenism.
"We have decided not to submit our music for the 2027 Grammy Awards," BTS said in a collective statement.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. responded to the news by expressing regret over the group's decision. He said, "I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year."
Mason Jr. defended the academy's decision to create the new category, suggesting that the intent behind the change was not to create divisions within the music industry. "It's never to divide," Mason Jr. said.
The 2027 [1] ceremony is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles. The group's refusal to participate creates a high-profile vacancy in a year where the Recording Academy sought to expand its global reach through the Best Asian Pop Music Performance [2] category.
“"We have decided not to submit our music for the 2027 Grammy Awards."”
The conflict highlights a growing tension between global superstars and traditional Western award institutions. While the Recording Academy views the creation of regional categories as a step toward inclusivity, artists like BTS may perceive such moves as 'ghettoizing' their work—limiting them to a regional category rather than allowing them to compete in general fields based on global popularity and artistic merit.
