BTS Pulls Out
OpenLife News reports that BTS, the South Korean supergroup RM, has pulled out of the 2027 Grammy Awards.
Made up of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, BTS has a history with the Grammy Awards featuring five nominations.
Information has it that BTS’s boycott of the upcoming 2027 ceremony is not unconnected with “regional categorization concerns.”
Announcing the boycott, BTS said in July 2026 that they will not submit any music (including their smash comeback album Arirang) for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards.
In the past, records have it that BTS earned five total Grammy nominations as the first K-pop act recognized by the Recording Academy.
Nominated tracks and collaborations include “Dynamite” (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance), “Butter” (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance), “My Universe” with Coldplay, and “Yet To Come” (Best Music Video).
Performed live at the Grammy Awards ceremony three separate times but never won a competitive Grammy Award.
Reacting, Harvey Mason Jr, Grammy Chief Executive Officer, expressed shock about the decision of BTS to nurture such action.
His reaction is reproduced below
I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision.
I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation.
The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia.
The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists. More categories mean more artists’ work is recognized.
It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.
I also want to be very clear: submitting music in a genre category such as Asian Pop, or Jazz or Country does not exclude an artist from also submitting and being considered in the General Field categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year.
Those categories remain open to any eligible recording, regardless of genre. Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive. An artist can absolutely pursue both.
The Grammy organization is here to serve music and all the people who make it.
As we continue to expand the reach, our membership and our awards, regardless of geography or language, I want to emphasize that we will continue to listen to the global music community and work to honor and celebrate all the artists whose music moves the world.
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