The chief executive of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason Jr, has responded after BTS said they would not submit their album 'Arirang' to the Grammys' new Best Asian Pop Music category in protest. BTS argued that music should be appreciated "beyond regions or languages", while Mason Jr said he respected the group's decision but stressed the category was designed to spotlight, not divide, artists from Asian markets.

The Grammys recently confirmed the new category, which requires entries to feature meaningful use of one or more Asian languages, aiming to recognise the growth of pop artistry from Asia. Mason Jr noted that artists remain eligible for General Field categories such as Record, Album and Song of the Year regardless of whether they enter a genre category, calling the two "not mutually exclusive". The 2027 Grammy Awards will take place on 7th February, with submissions open from 7th July to 28th August.