Overview
- On Wednesday, July 29, all seven BTS members posted the same Instagram statement saying they will not submit any music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards.
- The coordinated announcement said the group wants music to be “heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” without explicitly naming the Grammys’ new category.
- In June the Recording Academy created a Best Asian Pop Music Performance category that requires recordings to make “meaningful use” of one or more Asian languages, a rule that can exclude tracks performed mainly in English.
- HYBE said the decision was made by BTS alone and is not a company-wide boycott, adding that other HYBE artists remain eligible to submit for the 2027 Grammys.
- By not submitting, BTS is ineligible for nominations or wins this cycle, and the move has intensified debate over whether the new category recognizes Asian pop or keeps non‑Western artists separate from the Grammys’ major fields.