BTS has decided not to submit entries for the 2027 Grammy Awards, despite being a five-time nominee across categories like Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Album of the Year, and Best Music Video, after the Recording Academy introduced a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.
The group announced the decision on Wednesday (Jul 29), saying it hoped music could be “listened to and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.”
“We have decided not to participate in this year’s Grammy Awards submission process,” BTS said in a statement. “Thank you to ARMY, who have always bee n with us.”
The seven members — RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — shared the statement on social media.
The newly introduced category requires submitted songs to have a “significant use” of an Asian language, meaning tracks such as BTS’ “Arirang” and “Swim,” which contain mostly English lyrics, may not meet the eligibility criteria under the new rules.
BTS had been viewed as a strong contender for major Grammy categories following the release of “Arirang” in March 2026. The album achieved record-breaking global sales, while its title track “Swim” topped the Billboard chart.
The group became the first K-pop act to receive a Grammy nomination and has performed at the awards ceremony multiple times. Its members have also been Recording Academy voting members since 2019.
The decision has sparked debate among fans and observers, with some arguing that the new category could limit K-pop’s growing global influence by placing Asian pop music in a separate regional category rather than allowing artists to compete on equal footing in major Grammy categories.
Shortly after the announcement, fans noticed that several of BTS’ past Grammy performance videos had disappeared from the Recording Academy’s official YouTube channel. Some videos previously embedded in reports by outlets including Billboard and Rolling Stone were also unavailable, although they remained accessible on BTS’ official channel.
The removal prompted speculation among fans that it was linked to BTS’ decision, although no official explanation was given.
Recording Academy chief executive officer Harvey Mason Jr. said on July 30 that he regretted BTS’ decision but understood and respected it. He said the new category was created to recognize the diversity and growth of Asian pop music, rather than divide artists by region or category, adding that genre categories would not prevent songs from competing for major awards.
Recording Academy responds to BTS’ decision not to submit Grammy entries.
HYBE said the decision was made independently by BTS members and that other artists under the company could still submit their works for Grammy consideration as planned.
