Despite BTS Boycott, Grammys Move Ahead With Asian Pop Category

The Recording Academy will move forward with its new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category at the 2027 Grammy Awards, keeping the award and its eligibility rules intact after weeks of renewed discussion with the Asian music industry.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. confirmed the decision on Oct. 1, saying the organization had spent recent weeks hearing from artists and other members of Asian music communities.

According to Mason, the strongest response came from those who wanted the category to remain, while the Academy also received a substantial number of entries for its inaugural year. He acknowledged that the outcome would not satisfy everyone but said the award would proceed as planned.

The category had come under increased scrutiny after BTS announced in July that it would not submit music for the 69th Grammy Awards. The group did not explicitly name the Asian pop award in its statement, but said it hoped music could be "heard and loved for what it is" rather than separated by region or language. The timing prompted widespread discussion over whether a dedicated Asian category could provide greater recognition or further divide Asian artists from the Grammys' existing fields.

The debate led the Academy to hold further discussions with representatives across Asian music communities before reaching its latest decision.

For its first year, the category will continue to cover contemporary Asian pop, including K-POP, J-pop and C-pop. Eligible recordings must make meaningful use of at least one Asian language, while songs performed entirely in English cannot compete in the category but remain eligible elsewhere.

BTS will not be part of this year's Grammy race because the group did not submit its music before the entry period closed. The 69th Grammy Awards are scheduled for Feb. 7, 2027, in Los Angeles.