Recording Academy reviews Asian pop Grammy after BTS boycott
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
The Recording Academy is reconsidering its new Best Asian Pop award at the Grammys after BTS announced they would not submit their music for the 2027 ceremony, saying they hoped their work could be "heard and loved for itself, beyond regions or languages". Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr has acknowledged the category may not represent the artists it was meant to celebrate, marking a notable softening from his earlier robust defence of the award, and signalling the organisation may adjust how it honours Asian music in future.
The Best Asian Pop Music Performance category was announced in June and is due to debut at next year's ceremony, requiring nominated records to make meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. BTS confirmed they would withhold their new album 'Arirang' and all other music from consideration, with all seven members united behind the decision. Mason said the Academy had held "numerous conversations with many stakeholders over the past two weeks", including figures representing K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and Indian music scenes, plus BTS's label HYBE, and that the board would now meet to "determine how we best honour this music in the future", though no formal changes have yet been announced.
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In short
- BTS will boycott the Grammys' new Best Asian Pop category in 2027.
- Recording Academy CEO admits the category may not represent artists well.
- Grammys board to review the category after talks with industry figures.
How this story developed
- 2 months ago Recording Academy chief Harvey Mason Jr acknowledged that artists had told the organisation the category did not represent their music as intended, though no rule changes have been agreed.
- 2 months ago BTS said it would boycott the 2027 Grammys’ new Best Asian Pop Music Performance prize, prompting the Recording Academy to consider whether the category should be revised.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of revising or removing the category argue that awards should judge artistic achievement without treating language or region as a separate boundary. They contend that BTS’s objection highlights a genuine risk of siloing Asian artists, especially when their work competes globally across mainstream pop, and that inclusive general categories better recognise the full range of their contribution.
The case against
Supporters of retaining the category argue that it can correct longstanding under-recognition of Asian-language music within major Western awards and create a meaningful platform for artists who might otherwise be overlooked. They may see a language-based award as an additional route to visibility rather than a restriction, while accepting that its design should be developed carefully with artists so it reflects the diversity of Asian pop.
Explained simply
The Grammy Awards are annual prizes run by the Recording Academy, a US organisation made up of music professionals. They are widely seen as among the most prominent awards in the global music industry, with categories intended to recognise different types of recording and performance.
Asian pop is a broad label covering music linked to many countries, languages and styles across Asia and its diaspora. The proposed category uses language as part of its eligibility rules, which has raised questions about whether artists’ work is being grouped by region rather than assessed alongside other pop music.
BTS is a South Korean group with a large international audience and a major role in the global rise of Korean pop. Its decision not to enter the awards has drawn attention because it reflects a wider debate over how major music institutions should recognise artists whose work crosses national and linguistic boundaries.
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Originally published by NME as “Grammys may reconsider Asian Pop Award after BTS’ boycott: “Some artists feel this category isn’t representing the music they create””.