South Korean supergroup BTS has declined to submit its music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards.
The decision comes a month after the Recording Academy confirmed that the 2027 ceremony will include an Asian pop music performance category for the first time.
“We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year,” the band said in a statement shared on Instagram by all seven members, adding: “I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.”
Grammys CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement to CNN: “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.”
He said that artists who submit music in a genre category, such as Asian pop, can also submit in the general field categories, such as Record of the Year.
Mason Jr. added: “The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia. The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists.”
The announcement comes just weeks after the Recording Academy unveiled a new category, Best Asian Pop Music Performance, for the 69th Grammy Awards, which will air Feb. 7. The addition, along with four other new categories, sparked widespread debate among fans and industry observers, many of whom argued it could separate Asian artists from the general pop categories rather than further integrate them.
Others speculated the category’s creation coincided with BTS’ long-awaited return as a full group.
BTS have enjoyed massive success since forming in 2010. They picked up the Billboard Music Award (BBMA) for Top Social Artist five times between 2017 and 2021, were named Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards in 2021 and 2026, and became the most awarded group in BBMA history in 2022.