BTS to Boycott 69th Grammy Awards Over New Asian Pop Category

K-pop group BTS announced on Wednesday, July 29, that they will not submit any music for consideration at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2027. The group cited dissatisfaction with the Recording Academy's newly created category for best Asian pop music performance, stating their hope that music can be "heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language."

The new category, announced on June 16, recognizes artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances from markets including South Korea, Japan, and China, provided there is meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. This marks the first time the group has opted out of the awards ceremony.

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, stated he was saddened by the decision but respects it. He clarified that the Asian Pop category was designed to celebrate the diversity and growth of pop artistry in Asia rather than to divide artists. Mason further emphasized that submitting music to a genre-specific category does not prevent an artist from being considered for General Field categories, such as Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year.

BTS recently released the album "ARIRANG" on March 20 following a hiatus for military service. The album topped the Billboard 200 chart for two consecutive weeks. Additionally, at the 52nd American Music Awards in May, BTS won artist of the year, beating other major artists including Taylor Swift.

While most reports focus on the immediate exchange between the group and the academy, center-leaning coverage from Yonhap provides additional context, noting that the Grammys have long faced criticism for being conservative and exclusive toward non-white artists.