BTS Skip Grammy Consideration, Say Music Should Transcend Language

BTS will not submit their music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, despite the Recording Academy introducing a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.

The group announced the decision through Instagram Stories, with all seven members sharing the same message. They said they want music to be judged by its quality rather than by its region or language, and thanked fans for their support.

The Recording Academy recently added five new Grammy categories, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance, which recognises pop music from Asian markets such as K-pop, J-pop and C-pop.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said he respected BTS's decision but expressed disappointment. He said the new category was created to celebrate Asian pop music, not to separate artists. He also clarified that artists in the category can still compete for major awards such as Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

BTS has been nominated for five Grammys but has never won. The group's latest album, Arirang, released in March after all seven members completed their military service, had been seen as a strong contender for next year's awards.