Europe Joins BTS in Grammy Boycott... Controversy Over ‘Asian Pop’ Segregation Widens

European Media Raise Concerns Over Representation in New Grammy Category

Calls for Reevaluation Despite Grammy’s Explanation

The Grammy Awards, regarded as the world’s most prestigious popular music awards, have faced backlash following a "boycott" by BTS. The newly established "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category, which was intended to spotlight Asian music, has instead sparked controversy over whether it confines Asian music within a segregated category.

The seven members of BTS announced on their respective social media channels on July 29 that they will not submit any music for the 2027 Grammy Awards. The members expressed their hope that "music will be listened to and loved for itself, rather than being divided by region or language." Photo by AFP Yonhap News

When BTS announced that they would not be submitting music for the 2027 Grammys, the debate expanded beyond a simple awards category issue to a broader discussion about "Western-centrism" in the global music industry. Major European media outlets have also voiced support for BTS, criticizing the Grammys’ approach as discriminatory based on race and region. This incident has raised suspicions that the Grammys have long discriminated against non-American artists.

On August 14 (local time), the French newspaper Le Figaro published an article titled "Belittlement and Racism. With the Creation of ‘Asian Pop’ Category, the Grammys Shoot Themselves in the Foot," which criticized the introduction of the Grammys’ "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category. French Ministry of Culture sociologist Sylvie Octobre stated in the article, “It’s as if, because all Europeans created it, French music should be considered the same as German or Spanish music—it makes no sense musically or linguistically. It’s belittling and racist.” The article further claimed that the hidden motive behind creating a separate category for Asia is to contain Asian soft power.

"Does BTS need the Grammy?" The Changing Balance of Power

The controversy began on June 16, when the Recording Academy announced that five new categories would be introduced for the 69th Grammy Awards in 2027. Among them, the "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category covers pop music created or widely recognized in the Asian market, including K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop. Music submitted to this category must notably feature at least one Asian language. According to the Recording Academy, this measure was intended to expand the presence of Asian music, which has been relatively excluded from the Grammys. However, the response was not as anticipated.

BTS performing at the World Cup final last July. Photo by AP Yonhap News.

Critics argued that, instead of distinguishing music by artistic characteristics such as ‘Pop’, ‘Rock’, ‘R&B’, or ‘Rap’, it is inappropriate to establish a broad "Asian Pop" category based on region and language of the artists. The criticism was that grouping vastly different music industries, languages, and styles—such as K-pop from Korea, J-pop from Japan, and C-pop from China—under the single label of "Asian Pop" is itself contradictory.

BTS was at the center of this debate. On July 29, the seven members of BTS announced on their respective social media platforms that they would not submit any music for the 2027 Grammy Awards.

The members explained their stance by saying, “We hope music will be listened to and loved for itself, rather than being divided by region or language.” Although BTS did not mention the "Asian Pop" category directly, their statement came immediately after the announcement of the new category, and their criticism of categorizing by region and language was widely interpreted as a protest against it. This marks the first time BTS has decided not to submit any music to the Grammys.

EPA Yonhap News

BTS’s decision has drawn particular attention because it reflects a shift in the power dynamics between the Grammys and BTS. Despite being nominated for "Dynamite," "Butter," and "My Universe" with Coldplay, BTS never won an award but contributed significantly to the global popularity of the Grammys by performing multiple times on stage. Meanwhile, BTS's fifth studio album "ARIRANG" achieved strong results by remaining at No.1 on the Billboard 200 for two consecutive weeks this year.

For this reason, the current decision reverses the traditional question from "Will the Grammys finally recognize BTS?" to "Will BTS accept the Grammys’ standards for acknowledgment?" Yale University’s sociology department, including Professor Grace Kao, even highlighted the BTS Grammy boycott in a broader discussion, presenting the incident as a socio-cultural phenomenon beyond just music awards. BTS’s boycott is not a company-wide stance from HYBE; the company clarified that the decision was made solely by BTS and other artists under HYBE will decide on their own.

Grammys Backtrack as Controversy Grows

As the controversy escalated, the Grammys initially responded in defense. Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, stated that while he regretted BTS’s decision, he understood and respected it as fellow artists and creators. Regarding the Asian Pop category, he emphasized that it was created to highlight the diversity and explosive growth of pop music originating from Asia. He also countered criticism that the new category was meant to push Asian music aside, clarifying that works submitted to the Asian Pop category would still be eligible for the main General Field categories, such as Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year.

The controversy has not subsided. European media outlets have largely agreed with BTS’s criticism. The Guardian described BTS's announcement as gentle in tone but actually a very strong rebuke of the new Asian Pop category. The Guardian also questioned the logic of the Grammys treating Asian and Latin pop as emerging music markets, pointing out that both have already built massive markets for decades and have significant audiences in the United States. Presenting them as "new genres" is out of touch with reality.

The scene from the BTS Arirang World Tour concert held on the 1st (local time) at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The Spanish daily El Pais examined the BTS incident as part of the Grammys’ long-standing representation controversy. El Pais argued that when non-English-speaking artists are classified into subordinate categories based on region and language, it only widens the gap with the core categories historically dominated by North American and British artists. The article also revisited previous cases in which artists like The Weeknd, Drake, and Frank Ocean questioned the Grammys’ transparency and representation, as well as criticism from the Latin music industry, including J Balvin.

The mood shifted again in mid-August. Following BTS’s decision, the Recording Academy reportedly sought the opinions of K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and Indian music industry stakeholders. CEO Mason has also softened his position, recently acknowledging, “It has become clear that, contrary to our intention of holding an inclusive awards ceremony, some artists feel that this category does not fully represent the music they create.” The Recording Academy is now reviewing the future direction of the category through discussions with the board and awards and nomination committees.

Some have even suggested that "BTS has abolished the Grammy’s Asian Pop category," but so far, the Recording Academy has not officially announced the elimination of the category. Meanwhile, with the 2027 Grammy online submission deadline set for August 21, not much time remains for a decision. The nominees will be announced on November 16, and the 69th Grammy Awards will be held on February 7, 2027, in Los Angeles, USA.

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