In March 2026, songwriter EJAE accepted an Oscar for Best Original Song as part of the team behind Golden, the hit track from the film KPop Demon Hunters and the first K-pop song to win the award. She noted how others had once dismissed her interest in the genre, yet that evening no one questioned K-pop’s worldwide reach.
Four and a half months later, all seven BTS members announced on Instagram they would not submit music to the Grammys this year. This followed the release of their album ARIRANG, which topped the Billboard 200, Circle Album Chart, Oricon, and charts in Britain and Germany, with lead single SWIM reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The group stated they wanted music appreciated without division by region or language.
The shift came after the Recording Academy introduced a Best Asian Pop Music Performance category for the 2027 Grammys on June 16. Entries must feature meaningful use of an Asian language, excluding fully English-language tracks. SWIM, mostly in English, would not qualify for the category some believed was created for BTS.
The band chose not to submit under the new label. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. expressed disappointment but defended the category, saying it celebrates pop music from Asia and expands recognition for artists. He clarified that genre categories do not bar submissions to general fields.
BTS’s decision has revived debate over whether geographic categories limit artists. While fields like Latin and African music have aided careers, concerns persist that such labels restrict broader recognition. The new Asian Pop category faces added challenges due to Asia’s wide range of cultures and languages.
The Recording Academy previously renamed its world music category in 2020 to address similar issues. BTS has not rejected an award but questioned the category’s foundation, noting that Asia represents a continent rather than a single musical style.
