Key facts
- BTS will not submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards.
- The group is protesting the Recording Academy's new Asian Pop Music Performance category.
- BTS believes music should not be divided by region or language.
- The group's song 'ARIRANG' will not be submitted.
- BTS has previously received five Grammy nominations but no wins.
- The group resumed activities in March after completing mandatory military service.
K-pop supergroup BTS has announced they will not submit any music for consideration for the 2027 Grammy Awards, in protest against the Recording Academy's newly established Asian Pop Music Performance category. The group stated their decision stems from a belief that music should be appreciated for its artistic merit, rather than being categorized by geographical origin or language.
In a unified statement, all seven members—RM, Jimin, V, Suga, Jungkook, Jin, and J-Hope—declared that their song 'ARIRANG' would not be submitted for any category. This move comes despite 'ARIRANG' being widely expected to contend for Song of the Year, particularly given its English-only lyrics which would have made it ineligible for the new Asian-focused award that requires "meaningful use" of an Asian language.
This is not the first time BTS has expressed reservations about the Grammy process. The group has previously received five nominations but has yet to win an award. Members have spoken about the intense pressure surrounding their past Grammy appearances, with J-Hope recalling a particularly challenging experience at the 2022 ceremony where illness and limited rehearsal time due to COVID-19 outbreaks among members led to significant mental exhaustion. Despite these challenges, the group performed 'Butter' and aimed to deliver a performance reminiscent of their early days, emphasizing their identity as BTS.
BTS fully resumed group activities in March after all members completed South Korea's mandatory military service. The decision to withdraw from the Grammy consideration marks a significant statement from the global music phenomenon regarding the categorization of artists in major awards ceremonies.