BTS Grammy Boycott Forces Asia Category Rethink

As of August 18, 2026, the Recording Academy says it's reworking the new category that groups Asian music together after BTS announced it won't submit new music to this year's Grammys. All seven members said they oppose splitting music by region or language, and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. acknowledged the new category left some artists feeling sidelined.

15 daysTime between BTS's boycott announcement and the Grammy's response statement

100+Total number of Grammy award categories at the time of the controversy

15.4 millionU.S. TV viewers for last year's Grammy Awards (down 9% year-over-year)

August 21Deadline to submit new music for the 69th Grammy Awards

Key points

All seven BTS members posted statements on their personal social media on July 29 saying they won't submit music to this year's Grammys.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in an August 14 statement that the Academy will reconsider the new category.
The controversy began in June, when the Academy unveiled plans for a new category grouping music from Korea, Japan, China and other Asian countries.
The Academy is now discussing the category's name and criteria with HYBE and music industry figures from Korea, Japan, China and India.

The Grammys — the most prestigious awards show in American pop music — are in hot water over a category they created themselves. It goes back to June, when the Recording Academy unveiled plans for a new category that would lump together music from Korea, China, Japan and elsewhere in Asia. Instead of applause, the announcement drew pushback from Asian music industries and fans alike, who suspected the real goal was to quietly steer artists with major global reach out of the running for top prizes like Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

The backlash hit a breaking point with BTS. Every member posted on their own social media saying they wouldn't submit new music to this year's ceremony, arguing that music should be judged on its own merits — not sorted by region or language. The move stung, given that the group's fifth studio album, released in March, had raised hopes the band might finally clear the Grammy hurdle it's never gotten past.

As pressure mounted, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. responded on August 14. He said conversations with various stakeholders confirmed that some artists felt the new category didn't fully capture their work. He also noted that with more than 100 award categories already on the books, the Academy would revisit how — and whether — to roll out the new one.

The Academy is now in talks with BTS's label and music industry figures across Korea, Japan, China and elsewhere in Asia to hash out a path forward. But with the submission deadline for the next ceremony landing on August 21, it's unclear whether the category will be scrapped outright or just get a new name and clearer rules.

In Korea right nowIndustry watchers in Korea see this as less about outright discrimination and more about the Grammys' market strategy. One producer pointed out that Korean and Japanese artists have already won Grammys for years, suggesting the real target of the new category might be pulling in China and Southeast Asia — markets without many homegrown global stars. In China, some have pushed for years to use the term 'A-pop' instead of 'K-pop' or 'J-pop,' and at least one streaming platform has already adopted it as an official genre tag. With Grammy viewership sliding sharply in recent years, the theory that the Academy was chasing Asian fandoms to boost ratings is gaining traction.

FAQ

Why did BTS refuse to submit to the Grammys?

All seven members said they oppose having music judged by region or language, so they won't enter new music in this year's ceremony.

Why did the new Asian music category cause controversy?

By grouping music from Korea, Japan, China and elsewhere into one category, critics argued the Academy was effectively pushing Asian artists out of contention for the top, general-field awards.

What is the Grammys planning to do next?

The Academy is talking with music industry figures across Asia about renaming the category and adjusting its criteria, but no final decision has been announced with the next submission deadline fast approaching.