BTS skipping Grammys in apparent protest over new Asian pop category

K-pop boyband BTS announced Wednesday that they will be skipping the 69th Annual Grammy Awards – scheduled for February 7, 2027 – and will not be submitting any music from their 10th studio album, Arirang.

BigHit Music issued a statement from the Bangtan Boys reading: ‘We have decided not to submit for Grammys this year. Rather than music being divided by region or language, we hope music itself can be heard and loved for what it is.

‘We are always grateful to [our fanbase] ARMY and everyone who is always with us.’

BTS members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook were protesting one of the five new categories – best Asian pop music performance – introduced by the Recording Academy last month.

The new category ‘recognizes artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, including but not limited to K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, with meaningful use of one or more Asian languages.’

‘I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision,’ Grammys CEO Harvey Mason Jr. wrote hours later.

K-pop boyband BTS announced Wednesday that they will be skipping the 69th Annual Grammy Awards – scheduled for February 7, 2027 – and will not be submitting any music from their 10th studio album, Arirang (pictured at the 2022 Grammys)

BigHit Music issued a statement from the Bangtan Boys reading: ‘We have decided not to submit for Grammys this year. Rather than music being divided by region or language, we hope music itself can be heard and loved for what it is. We are always grateful to [our fanbase] ARMY and everyone who is always with us’

‘I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation. The Asian pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia.’

The 58-year-old Underdogs producer continued: ‘The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists. More categories mean more artists’ work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.’

Mason stressed that submitting music in the new category ‘does not exclude an artist from also submitting and being considered in the general field categories, including record of the year, album of the year and song of the year.’

BTS snags Artist of the Year gong at 2026 American Music Awards

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Recording Academy and BTS’s reps for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

BTS – who range from ages 28-33 – have never won Grammy gold, but they’ve been nominated five times between 2021-2023 and they performed during three ceremonies.

Their devoted ARMY fanbase took to the Grammys Instagram account to express their outrage over the new category, including user @eraofjeon who declared: ‘You just don’t want BTS outshining your darlings in the major categories. You know it, we know it, so who is this [actually] for!?’

‘Music categories should be based on genres: pop, country, rock, R&B, and so on,’ Instagram user @doubledragontwins commented.

‘But “Asian music”? What does that even mean? Asia is a continent, not a music genre. BTS makes pop music. You can call it K-pop, but at the end of the day, it is still pop. Their nationality should not determine which category they belong in.

‘Judge them by their music and let them compete with every other pop artist. They are not asking for a special category. They are BTS. Put them in the main categories where they belong.’

BTS members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook were protesting one of the five new categories – best Asian pop music performance – introduced by the Recording Academy last month

Grammys CEO Harvey Mason Jr. (pictured January 29) wrote hours later: ‘I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision’

The 58-year-old Underdogs producer continued: ‘The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists. More categories mean more artists’ work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters’

BTS – who range from ages 28-33 – have never won Grammy gold, but they’ve been nominated five times between 2021-2023 and they performed during three ceremonies (pictured performing at 2020 Grammys)

Their devoted ARMY fanbase took to the Grammys Instagram account to express their outrage over the new category, including user @eraofjeon who declared: ‘You just don’t want BTS outshining your darlings in the major categories. You know it, we know it, so who is this [actually] for!?’

Instagram user @doubledragontwins commented: ‘”Asian music”? What does that even mean? Asia is a continent, not a music genre. BTS makes pop music. You can call it K-pop, but at the end of the day, it is still pop. Their nationality should not determine which category they belong in’

Instagram user @hoseak911 agreed: ‘Then make European pop music? Or African pop?’

‘How does it feel to be rejected by BTS?’ Instagram user @mivk007 scoffed

Instagram user @biancadimillo commented: ‘OK pookie, but why did [you] delete all BTS performances from your website? ʙuттer was the most viewed Grammys performance of all time. Didn’t want those numbers to show anymore?’

The popular boyband is next scheduled to bring their 88-date Arirang World Tour to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey this Saturday and Sunday (pictured July 19)

BTS (short for Bangtan Sonyeondan or ‘Bulletproof Boy Scouts’) have sold over 50 million records and pull 35.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, but all seven members have reached 2B streams on the platform as soloists

Instagram user @hoseak911 agreed: ‘Then make European pop music? Or African pop?’

‘How does it feel to be rejected by BTS?’ Instagram user @mivk007 scoffed.

‘BTS are bigger than the Grammys,’ Instagram user @starlitwrld wrote. ‘Nice try but we don’t need you.’

Instagram user @biancadimillo commented: ‘OK pookie, but why did [you] delete all BTS performances from your website? ʙuттer was the most viewed Grammys performance of all time. Didn’t want those numbers to show anymore?’

The sensational septet are currently celebrating their new single Normal reaching No. 33 on the US Billboard H๏τ 100.

BTS is next scheduled to bring their 88-date Arirang World Tour to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey this Saturday and Sunday.

The popular boyband recently made a comeback after all seven members completed their 18-month military service required for all able-bodied male citizens of South Korea.

BTS (short for Bangtan Sonyeondan or ‘Bulletproof Boy Scouts’) have sold over 50 million records and pull 35.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, but all seven members have reached 2B streams on the platform as soloists.