Recording Academy CEO reacts to BTS skipping 2027 Grammy Awards consideration

Thu, July 30, 2026 at 1:01 AM UTC

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Tom Weller/dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images - PHOTO: BTS perform during the FIFA World Cup 2026 final halftime show, July 19, 2026, in Rutherford, New Jersey.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. is weighing in after BTS announced Wednesday that they will not submit music for consideration in the 2027 Grammy Awards.

The decision of the group's seven members -- RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook -- to withdraw from Grammy consideration, comes one month after the Recording Academy announced five new categories for next year's awards, including best Asian pop music performance.

In a statement shared with ABC News, Mason said he is "saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year."

He added said that he respects the group's decision and also wanted to address why the Asian Pop category was created.

"I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation," he began. "The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia. The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists."

Mason continued, "More categories mean more artists' work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters."

"I also want to be very clear: submitting music in a genre category such as Asian Pop, or Jazz or Country does not exclude an artist from also submitting and being considered in the General Field categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year," he added. "Those categories remain open to any eligible recording, regardless of genre. Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive. An artist can absolutely pursue both."

BTS returns for world tour after 4 years

Each BTS member shared a statement on each of their Instagram accounts Wednesday morning, seemingly addressing the reason as to why they aren't submitting for 2027 Grammys consideration was related to the new Asian Pop category.

South Korean K-pop supergroup BTS said Wednesday they will not submit music for consideration in the 2027 Grammy Awards.

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"We have decided not to submit for Grammys this year. Rather than music being divided by region or language, we hope music itself can be heard and loved for what it is," the group's members shared across each of their social media profiles. "We are always grateful to ARMY and everyone who is always with us.”

BTS returned from a years-long hiatus in March with a highly anticipated fifth album called "Arirang."

They were the only K-pop group to have earned a Grammy nomination until 2026, when several K-pop artists scored big nods in top categories.

At last year's Grammys, the song "Golden," performed by artists EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami -- the singing voices behind the "KPop Demon Hunters" fictional K-pop group, HUNTR/X -- took home the award for best song written for visual media.

According to the Recording Academy, the best Asian pop music performance category was created to recognize the breadth of the continent's pop music and its growing impact across the global music landscape.

Grammys add 5 new categories, including 1st Asian pop award

The new award recognizes "artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, including but not limited to K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, with meaningful use of one or more Asian languages."

"The changes advanced by our Academy members speak to the breadth of today's music industry and the many genres, crafts and creators shaping it," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement when the new categories were announced on June 16.

The four additional categories announced for the 2027 Grammys include best Latin song, best traditional pop vocal performance, best R&B collaboration or duo/group performance and best traditional folk album.

The 2027 Grammy Awards will air live on ABC, Disney+ and Hulu on Feb. 7.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of ABC News.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”