Key facts
- K-pop group BTS will not submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards.
- The boycott is in protest of the Recording Academy's new "Asian pop" category.
- BTS stated they hope music is heard and loved for what it is, rather than divided by region or language.
- Fans and celebrities are supporting BTS' decision.
- The Recording Academy defended the new category as a way to celebrate new genres.
K-pop supergroup BTS has announced it will not submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, apparently in protest of the U.S. Recording Academy's creation of a new "Asian pop" category. Critics argue this category risks segregating non-Western artists.
The group stated their hope that music could be "heard and loved for what it is, rather than categorized by region or language." Following the announcement, BTS' fanbase, known as ARMY, surged streaming activity for the group's songs. The track "Aliens," from BTS' fifth studio album "Arirang," reached No. 1 on the iTunes Top Songs chart in 78 countries and regions.