Full Breakdown
Grammys Review New Asian Pop Category After BTS Withdrawal
8/15/2026, 3:15:16 AM
Core Event
The Recording Academy announced a “Best Asian Pop Music Performance” category two months ago. Within weeks, BTS said they would not submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, citing concerns that the category’s rules limit how their work is recognized. In response, the Academy said it is re-examining the category’s structure and criteria.
Background & Context
The new Asian-pop award was introduced to broaden representation of music from regions such as South Korea, Japan, China and India. Critics, including BTS, argued that the category could segregate Asian artists from general Grammy fields and impose language-based restrictions. The timing of BTS’s withdrawal—shortly after the category’s debut—prompted the Academy to seek broader input from artists and industry representatives across the Asian music spectrum.
Official Statements & Responses
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. issued a statement emphasizing the Academy’s commitment to “serve all music people” and to ensure no community feels overlooked. He noted that recent conversations with “many stakeholders” revealed dissatisfaction among some Asian-pop artists with how the category reflects their work. Mason added that the Academy’s management and Board will convene the full Board and the Awards & Nominations Committee to gather further advice and to review the process for introducing new categories. The organization also indicated that it will continue to diversify its membership while addressing concerns that genre-specific awards might unintentionally marginalize artists.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It’s clear from our numerous conversations with many stakeholders over the past two weeks that, regardless of our intent and desire to be even more inclusive, there are some artists in this space who feel that this category isn’t representing the music they work so hard to create, in the way they wish. As a musician myself, I take that to heart.” — Harvey Mason, recording academy CEO
- “Over the past six years, the Academy has shown that it can act decisively and move swiftly to meet the needs of our music community,” — Mason Jr, recording academy CEO
What’s Next
The Academy has scheduled meetings with representatives from K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and Indian music communities over the coming weeks. The outcome of these consultations will shape whether the Asian-pop category is revised, retained as-is, or potentially merged into broader categories before the next submission deadline.
