Aug 15, 2026 1:57pm IST
Grammys in Talks to Revamp Best Asian Pop Music Performance Category After BTS Opts Out
The Recording Academy is in talks to revamp the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category. This development comes after BTS announced that they won’t be submitting their music for Grammys 2027, stating that they don’t want their music to be “divided by region or language.”
Sharing a statement on August 14, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said, “The Grammy organization exists to serve all music people, and part of that is working to ensure that no voice or community gets overlooked or misunderstood.” He added, “It’s clear from our numerous conversations with many stakeholders over the past two weeks that, regardless of our intent and desire to be even more inclusive, there are some artists in this space who feel that this category isn’t representing the music they work so hard to create, in the way they wish. As a musician myself, I take that to heart.”
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As per Billboard, the Grammy CEO is also in talks with other leaders and community members from across Asian music genres, including K-Pop, J-Pop, C-Pop and musicians in India to gather more information and insights about their feelings, with regards to the new category. This move also comes a few weeks before the deadline for Grammy submissions ends. The first round of voting is also slated to begin on October 12.
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Mason Jr. has also stated, “Over the past six years, the Academy has shown that it can act decisively and move swiftly to meet the needs of our music community. The management and Board are committed to working together to keep pace with that progress and ensure the musicians we intend to honor feel truly seen and heard by our actions.”
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