BTS Opt Out of 2027 Grammy Awards Consideration
BTS have announced they will not submit their comeback album Arirang for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, weeks after the Recording Academy introduced a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category. In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the group said they wanted their music to "be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided into region or language," a decision that comes as the band continues to navigate its complicated relationship with the awards show.
The new category, unveiled by the Recording Academy for the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, is designed to recognise K-pop, J-pop and C-pop recordings, part of a wider push by chief executive Harvey Mason Jr to broaden representation. Despite becoming one of the world's biggest pop acts, BTS have never won a Grammy despite several nominations, including for "Dynamite", "Butter" and their Coldplay collaboration "My Universe", and members have previously played down the importance of the accolade. The 69th Grammy Awards are due to take place in February 2027; earlier this month BTS performed at the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show alongside Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber.
In short
- BTS will not submit Arirang for 2027 Grammy consideration
- Move follows the Grammys' new Best Asian Pop category
- Band has never won a Grammy despite multiple nominations
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
BTS’s decision can be understood as a principled stand for evaluating music without sorting it by region or language. A dedicated Asian pop category may widen recognition, but the group could reasonably feel that separate categories risk reinforcing boundaries they want their music to cross, especially after years of nominations without a win.
The case against
The new category could give Asian pop artists a clearer route to recognition in an awards system where they have often received limited attention. Submitting Arirang would not necessarily mean accepting a regional label as the full definition of BTS’s music; it could also help bring more visibility to Asian pop and the artists who make it.
Explained simply
BTS are a seven-member South Korean boy band who have become one of the world's biggest pop acts, generating billions of pounds in revenue and commanding a devoted global fanbase. The band has been nominated multiple times for Grammy Awards, including for songs like 'Dynamite' and 'Butter', but has never won.
The Grammy Awards are the music industry's most prestigious honours, traditionally dominated by Western artists and music in English. The Recording Academy recently introduced a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category to recognise K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and other Asian pop recordings at a global level.
In declining to submit their new album for Grammy consideration, BTS have emphasised their preference for their music to be heard and appreciated on equal terms with all music, rather than segregated by region or language. This reflects a broader tension in how international music is represented at major Western award shows.