K-pop juggernaut BTS announced Wednesday that it will not submit its music for consideration at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, which are scheduled for February, according to Variety. All seven members — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook — posted a coordinated statement on their individual Instagram stories.
BTS Announces Decision to Skip 69th Grammy Awards
We have decided not to submit for Grammy consideration this year,
the group stated, as reported by Variety. We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. We thank Army and everyone who has always stood by us.
The surprise announcement arrives despite a banner comeback year for the band following the completion of the members’ mandatory military service, as reported by Variety. Their fifth studio album, gulfnews.com, arrived in March and topped the Billboard 200 with 641,000 units, marking the biggest opening week for a group album in more than a decade, according to koreatimes.co.kr. Additionally, lead single “Swim” debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
Controversy Surrounding the Recording Academy’s New Asian Pop Category
The group’s decision comes just over a month after the Recording Academy unveiled five new categories for the 2027 Grammy Awards in June, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance. According to Variety, the new award recognizes artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, featuring meaningful use of one or more Asian languages across genres like K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop.
The timing of BTS’s announcement has drawn widespread attention because the new category sparked debate within Korea’s music industry, as noted by The Korea Herald. While the Recording Academy stated the category was created to acknowledge Asian pop music’s growing global impact, critics have questioned whether separating Asian artists into a dedicated field limits their chances in broader mainstream categories or functions as a form of segregation, according to gulfnews.com and The Korea Herald.
Industry analysts and reports from koreatimes.co.kr widely interpreted the group’s statement about music not being divided by region or language as a direct critique of the Recording Academy’s new classification.
Grammy History and HYBE’s Stance on Other Submissions
Heading into the upcoming ceremony, expectations for a first BTS win had been running high, as Variety noted. The group previously earned five Grammy nominations—including three consecutive nods for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance from 2021 to 2023—but has never won a trophy, according to Forbes and koreatimes.co.kr. All seven members have been voting members of the Recording Academy since 2019, according to Variety.
Following the announcement regarding BTS, their agency HYBE clarified its position. This is not a boycott at the company level,
HYBE stated, according to Geo News. An agency official added, If other artists under our agency wish to submit entries, we plan to proceed with the submissions as scheduled.
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