Stray Kids Skip Grammys After Asian Pop Category Stays

As of October 5, 2026, the Recording Academy, which runs the Grammys, has confirmed it will hand out its new Asian pop award at next year's ceremony. Soon after, JYP Entertainment confirmed that Stray Kids did not submit music for the 69th Grammys. Together with BTS, which announced its own pass earlier, that makes two of K-pop's flagship groups turning their backs on the show.

9 timesStray Kids' No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200

8 membersStray Kids members with Grammy voting rights

Nov. 17Scheduled Grammy nominations announcement

Feb. 7Scheduled date of next year's ceremony

Key points

The Recording Academy said in early October that it will run the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, announced in June, as planned.
JYP Entertainment officially confirmed that Stray Kids did not submit any work for the 69th Grammys.
Stray Kids have hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 nine times, and all eight members hold Grammy voting rights.
Nominations will be announced on Nov. 17, and the ceremony takes place Feb. 7, 2027, in Los Angeles.

The fight started back in June. The Recording Academy announced a new Asian pop category that would judge songs making meaningful use of Asian languages, including K-pop, J-pop and Chinese pop. Critics across the music world quickly pushed back, arguing that K-pop, already a force in the global music business, was being boxed into a regional category.

All of BTS's members objected to the new category and said they would not submit work to the Grammys. Their stated position was that music should be judged as music, regardless of where it comes from or what language it's in. One Korean business daily also pointed out that BTS has recorded most of its recent albums in English, which means it faces a high bar to win in the general categories as well as this one.

The Recording Academy had at one point signaled it might review the setup and rework the category lineup. But in a statement on Oct. 1 (U.S. time), CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said the Academy decided to go ahead after consulting people in the Asian music industry. He acknowledged it would be hard to please everyone, but said he is confident it's the right outcome for the music community as a whole. Organizers also reportedly cited the fact that more voices supported the new category than opposed it.

Less than a day after that announcement, Stray Kids' camp made it official that the group did not submit music. The group had been floated as a leading contender in the Asian pop category, and is billed as the act with the most Billboard 200 No. 1s after the Beatles. The BBC reported that losing a top contender with voting power would be a considerable blow to the Grammys.

At a comeback press conference in August, Stray Kids said they have never made awards or records the goal of an album and that their fans' satisfaction comes first. As attention turns to what other acts will do, Hongjoong of ATEEZ told an overseas outlet that he sympathizes to a degree with BTS's stance and plans to think the issue over himself.

In Korea right nowKorean broadcasters and business dailies are leading with the fact that Stray Kids have now joined BTS. The core question is whether it makes sense to put K-pop in its own category when it's already a global mainstream force. The next thing to watch is whether other K-pop acts follow these two.

FAQ

What is the Asian pop category at the Grammys?

It's called Best Asian Pop Music Performance, and it groups together works that make meaningful use of Asian languages for separate judging. The Recording Academy announced it in June.

Why are K-pop artists pushing back?

Critics say it confines globally successful K-pop to a regional category and steers it away from the major awards. BTS said it wants music judged regardless of region or language.

When is the Grammys ceremony?

Nominations will be announced on Nov. 17. The 69th ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2027, in Los Angeles.