NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. has responded to the news that for consideration at the forthcoming 2027 Grammy Awards.
鈥淚 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,鈥� Mason jr. wrote on the Grammys’ official Instagram page.
On Wednesday, all seven BTS members 鈥� RM, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, Jung Kook and Jin 鈥� shared the same note on Instagram, stating that they would not be submitting or its songs for Grammys.
鈥淲e hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,鈥� they wrote, just over a month after the Recording Academy which include best Asian pop music performance.
According to the rulebook, the category recognizes J-pop, C-pop and beyond. But some fans viewed it as a racialized barrier for Asian performers.
In his statement, Mason jr. stated that the new category was created in order to celebrate more voices across the Asian music industry 鈥� not to separate those artists from other awards.
鈥淚 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,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淢ore categories mean more artists’ work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.鈥�
He added a reminder that submitting in a genre category 鈥� such as the new Asian pop award 鈥� does not exclude an artist from submitting to the general field categories like album, song and record of the year.
鈥淩ecognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive,鈥� Mason jr. said. 鈥淎n artist can absolutely pursue both.鈥�
BTS has never won a Grammy, though they鈥檝e been nominated for five: three times in the best pop duo/group performance category as well as album of the year (for their contributions to Coldplay鈥檚 鈥淢usic of the Spheres鈥�) and best music video for 鈥淵et to Come.鈥�
In fact, no K-pop act had ever won a Grammy before this year, when 鈥淕olden鈥� from the Netflix animated film 鈥淜Pop Demon Hunters鈥� for best song for visual media. It capped a highly visible night for K-pop at the Grammys 鈥� an institution where the genre has despite its massive international following.
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