By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
Global K-pop group BTS has announced that it will not submit any music for consideration at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards scheduled for February 2027, citing concerns over the Recording Academy’s newly introduced Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.
The group announced the decision through its label, HYBE, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. It marks the first time since 2020 that BTS will not submit new releases for Grammy consideration.
In a statement, HYBE said BTS made the decision “after careful discussion” and expressed concerns about how the new category could affect the recognition of Asian artists within the wider Grammy framework.
“We appreciate recognition of Asian music, but we are dissatisfied with the Academy’s new category for Best Asian Pop Music Performance,” the statement said.
“Creating a separate category risks segregating Asian artists instead of allowing them to compete in the main pop and record categories, where music should be judged equally.”
The group added that it remains grateful to the Recording Academy, its fanbase ARMY, and the global music community for their past nominations and support.
The Recording Academy introduced the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category in late 2025 as part of its annual rules update. The Academy said the category was created to recognise the growing global influence of Asian pop music, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop.
BTS became the first K-pop group to receive a Grammy nomination in 2021 for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with their hit song Dynamite. They received another nomination in the same category in 2022 for Butter.
Despite achieving global success through record-breaking sales, sold-out stadium tours and significant cultural influence, BTS has yet to win a Grammy award. Members of the group have previously expressed their desire to be recognised for their music rather than being viewed only as representatives of a particular region or genre.
The decision comes as BTS members continue to pursue solo projects and group activities following the completion of their mandatory military service.
The Recording Academy has not directly responded to BTS’s statement but said it “respects every artist’s right to choose whether to submit for consideration”. It added that the new category was created to “celebrate and honour excellence in Asian pop music”.
With BTS opting out of the 2027 submissions, the Grammy Awards will proceed without entries from one of the world’s biggest music groups. Other K-pop artists have not announced whether they will submit music for consideration.
The 69th Annual Grammy Awards will take place in Los Angeles in February 2027, with the first round of voting scheduled to begin in October 2026.
