BTS won’t submit music for 2027 Grammys after Asian pop category added

South Korean supergroup BTS announced Wednesday that they will not submit their music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards. The decision was shared through coordinated Instagram posts by each of the seven members.

In a translated statement, the group expressed their desire for music to be appreciated universally. "We hope music can be heard and loved as music itself, rather than being divided by region or language. Thank you to ARMY and everyone who has always been with us," the statement read.

This announcement comes after a period of hiatus for members completing mandatory military service, followed by a successful return with their fifth studio album, "Arirang." The album topped the Billboard 200 chart, achieving the year's largest first-week sales, and set records on Spotify as the most-streamed album debut of 2026.

“

We have decided not to submit our music to the Grammys this year. We hope music can be heard and loved as music itself, rather than being divided by region or language. Thank you to ARMY and everyone who has always been with us.

Forbes had recently suggested BTS could have its most successful Grammy year yet, especially with the introduction of the new "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category by the Recording Academy. However, the category specifies that nominated songs must include "meaningful use of one or more Asian languages." This would have excluded their lead single "Swim," which charted at number one in the U.S. but is primarily sung in English, with over 80 percent of "Arirang's" lyrics being in English.

Critics suggest the new category, rather than celebrating Asian artists, might serve to isolate them, particularly in a year when BTS seemed poised for wins in established categories. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. stated that the new awards reflect the "breadth of today’s music industry" and the "many genres, crafts and creators shaping it."

“

We’re excited to see these updates come to life in the year ahead as we celebrate the music people who are driving music forward.