BTS Withdraw From 2027 Grammys Over Asian Pop Prize
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- BTS announced via coordinated Instagram posts from all seven members (RM, Jimin, V, Suga, Jungkook, Jin, J-Hope) that they will not enter the 2027 Grammys, with their statement saying they hope music "can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language."
- The new best Asian pop music performance prize, announced last month, requires "meaningful use" of an Asian language — a rule that would have excluded Arirang (over 80% English lyrics) and its US number-one lead single Swim from the new category despite BTS being Asian artists.
- Arirang was widely expected to compete for album of the year and Swim for song of the year in the Grammys' general categories, making BTS's full withdrawal — rather than just declining the regional prize — a notably broader statement.
- All seven BTS members have been voting members of the Recording Academy since 2019; the band were the first K-Pop act nominated at the Grammys in 2021 (for Dynamite) and have collected four additional nominations without ever winning.
- The Recording Academy expanded its voting body in 2025 to include Enhypen's Jungwon, Seventeen's Woozi and Vernon, Le Sserafim's Huh Yunjin, and Katseye, with Twice and Stray Kids added in 2026 — moves meant to integrate K-Pop into Grammy decision-making.
- Fan Ashia Davies told BBC Newsbeat the new category is "disrespectful" and "keeps Western artists in a separate category so they can stay on top," while fellow superfan Lauryn Adene said she was "happy" BTS would not enter; BTS join prior boycotters The Weeknd, Morgan Wallen, Frank Ocean, and Will Smith.
- Drake publicly called for the Grammys to be replaced in 2020, arguing the ceremony "habitually overlooked Black artistry," a precedent the article draws on as context for artist-led rejection of the awards framework.
Why it matters: BTS's withdrawal is the most prominent rejection yet of the Grammys' first region-specific category, and carries unusual weight because all seven members have been voting Recording Academy members since 2019 — making this an insider rebuke rather than an outsider protest. With a top-selling album expected in the general categories, the group chose to skip the ceremony entirely rather than be slotted into a prize defined by the language they don't primarily perform in.
