Recording Academy reviews Asian pop Grammy after BTS boycott
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
The Recording Academy has signalled it may revise its new Best Asian Pop Music Performance Grammy after BTS’s decision to boycott the category prompted fresh discussions with artists and industry representatives. CEO Harvey Mason Jr said some artists felt the award did not represent their work as intended, marking a softer stance than his earlier defence of the category.
BTS will not submit its new album ‘Arirang’ or other music for the 2027 Grammys, saying it wants work judged beyond regions and languages. Announced in June and scheduled to debut next year, the category currently requires meaningful use of at least one Asian language; no changes have been confirmed, but the Grammys board will consider how to honour the music in future.
- Grammys may revise its new Asian Pop award after BTS’s boycott.
- Artists say the category may misrepresent their music.
- No rule changes have yet been announced.
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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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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.
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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””.