LOS ANGELES: BTS skips Grammys consideration for 2027, prompting Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. to defend the new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.
Mason said he respected the South Korean pop group’s decision but rejected concerns that the category would divide artists by region or language, according to Entertainment Weekly.
He said the award would give Asian pop artists a dedicated platform before the Recording Academy’s 15,000 voters. Mason added that artists could still enter Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year.
BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook shared a coordinated statement through their Instagram Stories on Tuesday, July 28.
The group said it would not enter the Grammys this year. Its message expressed hope that listeners would embrace music without separating it by region or language.
The Recording Academy announced the Asian Pop category on June 16. It covers K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop performances that feature meaningful use of one or more Asian languages.
Read: BTS Skips 2027 Grammy Submissions Over Region-Language Divide
BTS released its comeback album “Arirang” in March after a six-year gap. The group has received five Grammy nominations but has not won an award.
The 69th Grammy Awards will take place in Los Angeles on February 7, 2027. ABC, Disney+ and Hulu will broadcast the ceremony.
