BTS Opts Out of Grammy Submissions—Recording Academy Responds

New York (AP) — Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, has expressed his sentiment over BTS’s decision not to submit their music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards. In a post on the Grammys’ official Instagram, Mason shared, “I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision.”

All seven members of BTS—RM, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, Jung Kook, and Jin—posted a joint statement on Instagram. They announced their intention not to submit their comeback album, “ARIRANG,” or its songs for Grammy consideration. “We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” they shared. This decision came shortly after the Recording Academy introduced five new Grammy categories, including best Asian pop music performance.

BTS performed during halftime at the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, on July 19, 2026.

The category of best Asian pop music performance acknowledges releases across K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and other Asian music genres. However, some fans perceive it as a barrier for Asian artists. Mason clarified the intent behind the new category, stating, “The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity, and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia. More categories mean more artists’ work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.”

Mason also emphasized that submission in a genre category like the new Asian pop award does not prevent artists from entering general field categories such as album, song, and record of the year. “Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive,” he explained. “An artist can absolutely pursue both.”

While BTS has been nominated for Grammy Awards five times, including three nominations in the best pop duo/group performance category, album of the year for their contribution to Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres,” and best music video for “Yet to Come,” the group has yet to win a Grammy.

The recent triumph in this arena came when “Golden” from the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” secured the award for best song for visual media. This was the first time a K-pop act achieved a Grammy win, highlighting a genre that, despite its substantial global audience, has often been overlooked at the institution.