BTS have announced they’ll sit out the 2027 Grammy Awards, choosing not to submit music from their comeback LP, Arirang, for consideration.
The group announced the decision on Wednesday, saying in a joint statement, “We have decided not to submit an entry for Grammy consideration this year. We hope music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided into region or language.”
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The move comes a month after The Recording Academy unveiled five new categories for the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance. The award is intended to recognize Asian pop music, including K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop, and allows recordings featuring one or more Asian languages.
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Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. presented this year’s newly added categories as part of an effort to broaden representation at the Grammys, saying, “These changes and expansions give even more people a place for their music to be respected, heard and evaluated,” in an interview with Grammy.com, adding, “It gives us a great opportunity to be more inclusive.” Other additions include Best Latin Song, while the ceremony’s major general-field awards, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year, remain open across genres.
BTS have a somewhat fraught history with the Grammys. Despite becoming one of the biggest pop acts in the world, the group has yet to win an award after receiving multiple nominations over the years. Their 2021 smash “Dynamite” earned them their first nomination, while subsequent releases including “Butter” and “My Universe,” their collaboration with Coldplay, also received nods.
BTS have previously downplayed the importance of Grammy recognition. After another loss in 2022, RM told fans at a Las Vegas concert, “We didn’t come to Vegas for the Grammys. We came to Vegas for the ARMYs,” referring to their fanbase.
While making Arirang, BTS pushed back on pressure to use more English for greater global appeal, as showcased in their Netflix documentary, The Return, though the finished album ultimately features more English than Korean.
Whatever BTS’ chances might have been at the 2027 Grammys, they’ve now removed themselves from the equation. The 69th Annual Grammy Awards are set to take place in February 2027.
Earlier this month, BTS joined Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and more for the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show.