Recording Academy Confirms Asian Pop Grammy Category Will Debut in 2027 Despite BTS Boycott

The Recording Academy will move forward with its new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category at the 2027 Grammy Awards, CEO Harvey Mason Jr. confirmed on Thursday. The decision follows weeks of internal review and public backlash, most prominently from BTS, the biggest K-pop act in the world.

In a statement released October 1, Mason said the Academy had conducted listening sessions and dialogue with leaders of the Asian music community over the past several weeks. "By far, the loudest feedback we heard was from people who were enthusiastic supporters of the category," he said. "We understand this conclusion will not satisfy everyone, and that never feels good. But at the same time, we are confident it's the right conclusion for the music community overall."

The category was announced on June 16 as one of five new additions for the 2027 ceremony. It is designed to honor "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," according to the Academy.

On July 29, BTS announced it would not submit its recordings for Grammy consideration this year, citing the new category. "We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year," a translation of the group members' individual messages read. "I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language."

The Academy convened its board of trustees and awards and nominations committee in August to work with leaders from K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, India and other Asian pop communities. The goal, the Academy said, was "honoring the music respectfully and accurately in this first awards cycle and determining how we best honor this music in the future."

Some criticism of the category stemmed from a misunderstanding, according to Billboard. While all artists can compete in the General Field categories regardless of genre, a specific recording can be entered in only one performance category. That means a track submitted for Best Asian Pop Music Performance cannot also compete for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

The Academy pointed to broad-based support evidenced by community feedback and a robust number of submissions. It also said the category, like all 99 others on the 2027 ballot, remains subject to annual review, with an ongoing dialogue about rules and eligibility requirements.

First-round voting opens October 12 and runs through October 22. Nominees will be announced November 16, with final-round voting from December 10 to January 7. The 69th annual Grammy Awards will be presented on February 7, 2027.

With BTS out of the running, the inaugural field is wide open. Billboard's predictions note that Blackpink's four all-English songs from February's Deadline won't qualify because nominees "must feature meaningful use of one or more Asian languages." Potential contenders include Japanese artist Kenshi Yonezu, Chinese singer Miist, Filipino group SB19, and K-pop act Stray Kids.