BTS says it doesn't need the Grammys. Here's why it matters
In protest against new Asian Pop category, BTS say it won't be submitting for GRAMMY Awards consideration
(Photo credit: BIG HIT MUSIC and Netflix)
BTS isn’t here for consolation prizes. Now the band is hitting back in protest against The Recording Academy’s new “Asian Pop Performance” category.
Earlier today, each of the band’s seven members shared a statement on their respective Instagram accounts, announcing it will not be submitting its album ARIRANG for Grammy Awards consideration in the upcoming year.
“We have decided not to submit for Grammy consideration this year. We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” band members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook all wrote. “We thank ARMY and everyone who has always stood by us.”
This is the strongest form of protest the band could make, especially after being praised for making inroads for the K-pop world at the Grammys, only to not win a single trophy after five nominations.
The announcement of the “Best Asian Pop Performance” category has been met with mixed reviews, especially amongst K-pop fans and those who listen to Asian pop music.
The award seeks to honour performances in Asian markets such as K-pop, J-pop and C-pop. According to the Recording Academy’s rulebook for the 2027 awards, eligible recordings must feature meaningful use of one or more Asian languages and that the language must be identifiable within songs that are bilingual or multilingual.
This new category has felt like a concession for artists including BTS, ROSÉ and the singers of KPop Demon Hunters—all who have been nominated in major Grammy awards categories over the years.
In 2021, BTS made history as the first Korean pop act to be nominated for a Grammy in the “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance” category. Though it took five more years for K-pop to receive a win when “Golden” from the KPDH soundtrack ended up taking home a trophy for “Best Song Written for Visual Media” earlier this year.
Much of the criticism for creating a separate “Asian Pop Performance” category has been around how it segregates and pits artists against others, especially if they do not perform primarily in the English language. Similar arguments have been made for the Latin Grammys and the African Music Performance category, which all recognize artists and songs that sound vastly different from each other.
Even Black artists have faced obstacles in getting recognized in big categories. After all, it took Beyoncé 21 years and five nominations to win Album of the Year in 2025!
Don’t get me wrong, I DO see a point in having specific categories recognizing music from all over the world, however imperfect as it is. But considering that Asian artists have historically not been recognized by the Grammys, it remains to be seen whether Asian pop artists will get fair treatment. Right now, it feels like The Recording Academy is lumping all Asian acts into one category—treating the community as a monolith. Creating an award like this feels like, “Here, damn. Happy now?”
The other confusing thing that comes from having a category dedicated to “Asian Pop Performance” is that it seems to be heavily favoured towards East Asian music markets, failing to recognize the other distinctive sounds from other parts of Asia. That includes the vibrant South Asian music scene. Does South Asian music qualify too? It’s incredibly vague what “Asian Pop Performance” will consist of.
That’s why it’s particularly powerful to see BTS taking a stand and deciding to boycott the Grammys. The group has always pushed the message that its music transcends borders and language. Moreover, BTS has also been that rare K-pop group that has stood up against xenophobia and racism. In 2020, the band donated $1 million dollars towards the Black Lives Matter movement. And in 2022, the band made a visit to the White House to speak with U.S. President Joe Biden about anti-Asian hate and crimes. The band’s track “Aliens”—from this year’s album ARIRANG—also tackles the racism the members have faced in the music industry.
“Born different, seven aliens (Ayy, ayy), Green with jealousy, those civilians (Ayy, ayy). Won’t waste my breath to explain, to the stadium, gather up,” Suga raps.
It remains to be seen whether BTS will shut out the Grammys for good. In the past, the band has talked about how much it would mean to win a Grammy one day. However flawed, it’s still considered one of the highest honours a musician can receive. But this move on BTS’s part shows it’s only meaningful to win when done right.
Perhaps BTS’s rejection of the Grammys might push The Recording Academy to make changes to its new “Asian Pop Performance” category. I’m also curious to see if other Asian artists will follow suit.
Still, as BTS has proved time and time and again, it doesn’t necessarily need major awards for validation. Just look at its ongoing sold out ARIRANG world tour. This weekend, the band will play two sold out nights at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford.
I’ll be there, and I can’t wait to see how they might address the Grammys.
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