# Recording Academy reviews Asian pop Grammy after BTS boycott

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/grammys-may-reconsider-asian-pop-award-after-bts-boycott-some-artists-feel-this-category-isnt-representing-the-music-they-create/
- Published: 2026-08-15T17:00:57+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-18T16:21:57+00:00
- Original publisher: NME
- Original article: https://www.nme.com/news/music/grammys-may-reconsider-asian-pop-award-after-bts-boycott-some-artists-feel-this-category-isnt-representing-the-music-they-create-3962908?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grammys-may-reconsider-asian-pop-award-after-bts-boycott-some-artists-feel-this-category-isnt-representing-the-music-they-create
- Topics: Art, Asia, Culture, Entertainment, Music, World

## Key points

- 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.

## Summary

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.

## Coverage

- [NME: Recording Academy reviews Asian pop Grammy after BTS boycott](https://www.nme.com/news/music/grammys-may-reconsider-asian-pop-award-after-bts-boycott-some-artists-feel-this-category-isnt-representing-the-music-they-create-3962908?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grammys-may-reconsider-asian-pop-award-after-bts-boycott-some-artists-feel-this-category-isnt-representing-the-music-they-create)
- [Far Out: Grammys to reconsider ‘Best Asian Pop’ award after BTS boycott](https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/grammys-to-reconsider-asian-pop-award-after-bts-boycott/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.