Global K-pop sensation BTS has announced that it will not submit its music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, citing concerns that music should be judged without being defined by region or language.
The seven-member group revealed its decision through identical messages posted simultaneously on each member’s Instagram account. In the statement, BTS said it had chosen not to enter this year’s Grammy competition and expressed hope that music would be appreciated for its artistic value rather than categorized by language or geographic origin.
The announcement comes despite widespread expectations that the group’s latest album, Arirang, would be a strong contender in several of the Grammy Awards’ top categories. The record has become one of the best-selling albums of the year, while its lead single, Swim, reached number one in the United States and was widely viewed as a potential nominee for Song of the Year.
However, Swim would not have qualified for the newly introduced Best Asian Pop Music Performance category because Grammy rules require entries to feature meaningful use of an Asian language. More than 80 percent of the lyrics on Arirang are performed in English, making the project ineligible for the award.
The introduction of the new category last month sparked mixed reactions across K-pop communities. While some welcomed the recognition of Asian artists, others argued that the move risked separating them from mainstream award categories instead of promoting equal recognition.
By referencing both region and language in their statement, BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook appeared to echo concerns shared by many fans regarding how international artists are categorized.
The group concluded its message by thanking its dedicated fanbase, known as ARMY, for their continued support.
The Recording Academy has not publicly responded to BTS’s decision.
Since debuting in 2013, BTS has become one of the world’s most successful music acts, breaking numerous global sales and streaming records. Their current world tour is also expected to become one of the highest-grossing concert tours in recent years.
The group made history in 2021 as the first K-pop act to receive a Grammy nomination for their English-language hit Dynamite. Since then, BTS has earned additional nominations in categories including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video, although the band has yet to secure a Grammy win.
All seven members have been voting members of the Recording Academy since 2019 and have performed at the Grammy Awards on multiple occasions.
BTS now joins a growing list of high-profile artists who have publicly distanced themselves from the Grammys. Musicians including The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, Morgan Wallen and Will Smith have previously criticized or boycotted the awards over concerns about fairness and representation.
The Recording Academy has made several efforts in recent years to strengthen K-pop representation by expanding its voting membership to include prominent Korean artists, producers and songwriters. More recently, members of groups such as Enhypen, Seventeen, Le Sserafim, Katseye, Twice and Stray Kids were granted voting privileges.
The latest Grammy Awards also featured notable recognition for K-pop artists, including nominations for Rosé and the historic Grammy victory for the song Golden from KPop Demon Hunters in the Best Song Written for Visual Media category.
Despite those developments, BTS’s decision underscores ongoing debate within the global music industry over how international artists should be recognized, with the group emphasizing that musical excellence should transcend linguistic and regional boundaries.
