BTS Turns Away, Grammy Reconsiders 'Asian Pop' Amid Growing Controversy

Grammy CEO: "I Take This Seriously as a Musician"
Discussions Begin with Asian Music Community... HYBE Also Participates

Roughly two weeks after the group BTS refused to submit works for the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy, which oversees the Grammy ceremony, has signaled the possibility of revising the controversial "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category.

Group BTS Photo by Yonhap News

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, stated on the 14th (local time), "We are reviewing the feedback from the music industry regarding the Asian Pop category."

He added, "Regardless of our intentions, it has become clear that some artists feel this category does not properly represent the music they have worked so hard to create. As a fellow musician, I take this seriously as well."

He also noted, "Over the past six years, the Recording Academy has demonstrated that it can respond swiftly and decisively to the needs of the music community," and continued, "We will make every effort so that musicians feel truly respected in line with these developments."

Group BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan). Big Hit Music

The controversy began in June, when the Grammy Awards announced the establishment of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category starting with the 69th ceremony. This category covers pop music either created in the Asian market or widely recognized there, including K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop. The Grammy organizers explained that this was an effort to recognize the diversity and growing influence of Asian music. However, some critics argued that classifying globally influential genres such as K-pop into a separate regional category was, in fact, a discriminatory practice.

Subsequently, on July 29, BTS announced through their members' social media that "we want our music to be evaluated not by region or language, but as music itself," and declared that they would not submit music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards.

At that time, CEO Mason said, "We respect BTS’s decision," but also explained, "The Asian Pop category is intended to specifically acknowledge Asian music." However, after the Recording Academy began discussing the matter with Asian music industry representatives and even mentioned the possibility of restructuring the category, its stance appears to have shifted.

The Recording Academy has decided to review not only the Asian Pop category but also the process of creating new award categories itself. Since the total number of Grammy award categories now exceeds 100, there is a growing consensus that the institution and its operations must evolve to reflect changes in the music industry.

In this context, it was reported that opinions have recently been exchanged not only with representatives from K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop, but also with members of the Indian music industry. This consultation process included musicians, record labels, managers, and even a representative from HYBE. The Recording Academy’s board and its relevant judging committees have also convened to specifically discuss the Asian Pop category.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.