What is ‘Asian Pop’?
The article argues that the Recording Academy’s new Best Asian Pop Music Performance Grammy category is poorly defined, following BTS’s decision not to submit its comeback album ARIRANG for consideration. Writer Eshy Gazit says the category risks dividing music by geography and language rather than judging it by coherent musical qualities, making BTS’s objection significant in the wider debate over representation.
The Academy says eligible work must originate from or be widely recognised in Asian markets and make meaningful use of an Asian language, citing K-pop, J-pop and C-pop. Gazit contends that this effectively makes the award language-based, while “Asian” covers about 2,300 linguistically diverse languages and several ambiguous geographical boundaries. He also argues that the cited pop labels describe national music industries and business systems, rather than a shared sound or genre.
In short
- BTS declined Grammy consideration for ARIRANG.
- The writer says “Asian pop” lacks a clear definition.
- The category may classify music by language and geography.
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The case for
Defenders of the category argue that establishing dedicated Grammy recognition for Asian pop addresses a significant historical oversight and gives visibility to a vibrant, globally influential sector of the music industry. While no award category achieves perfect precision, the Academy's practical criteria—originating from or widely recognised in Asian markets with meaningful Asian language use—represents a reasonable attempt to acknowledge the specific cultural and commercial significance of these thriving music sectors, creating inclusive space that benefits Asian artists in a traditionally Western-dominated awards structure.
The case against
Critics contend that defining a musical category by geography and language rather than sonic qualities creates a conceptually incoherent award that divides music along non-artistic lines rather than genuine shared musical characteristics. This approach risks marginalising Asian music by ghettoising it in a separate category instead of integrating it equally, and may exclude Asian artists whose work doesn't fit narrow linguistic or geographical criteria, thereby undermining the stated goal of representation and treating Asian music as intrinsically different rather than simply music.
Explained simply
The Recording Academy, which presents the Grammy Awards, has added a category for Asian pop music performances. Its stated criteria refer to work recognised in Asian markets and using an Asian language, with K-pop, J-pop and C-pop given as examples.
These labels are commonly used for music industries associated with South Korea, Japan and China; they do not describe one shared musical style. Asia also includes many countries and languages, so defining which music belongs in the category can be difficult.
The debate involves the Academy, musicians such as BTS, and critics including writer Eshy Gazit. It raises questions about how awards can recognise artists from across Asia without treating a diverse range of music as a single group.