BTS will not submit their comeback album Arirang for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, the group confirmed in a joint statement shared across their social accounts. The decision arrives in the middle of BTS’s biggest comeback push since completing mandatory military service, and comes shortly after the Recording Academy announced a new category built specifically around Asian pop music.
Here’s what BTS said, how the Recording Academy responded, and how the decision fits into the group’s wider 2026 comeback timeline.
What BTS Announced
All seven members signed a joint statement confirming that neither the Arirang album nor any of its individual songs will be entered for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards. The group framed the decision around wanting their music judged on its own terms rather than being categorized by region or language, writing that they hope their work can be “heard and loved for what it is.” BTS did not frame the decision as a protest against any individual, and the statement stopped short of directly criticizing the Recording Academy by name.
The Recording Academy’s Response
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. responded directly to the news, saying he was saddened by BTS’s choice to sit out this year’s Grammy process. Even so, Mason struck a measured tone rather than a defensive one, noting simply that he could “understand and respect their decision” as a fellow music creator. He also used the moment to explain the thinking behind the Academy’s newest category, describing it as a way to spotlight the growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia rather than as a substitute for competing in the show’s more general categories.
The New Best Asian Pop Music Performance Category
The Recording Academy announced five new award categories in June 2026, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance, which is set to debut at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards in 2027. The category is built to recognize pop recordings originating from or widely tied to Asian markets, covering genres like K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop that feature meaningful use of an Asian language. The other four new categories added in the same announcement cover Best Latin Song, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance, and Best Traditional Folk Album.
BTS member Jin. Photo: TV 10 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
Why the Timing Matters
BTS’s Grammy decision lands in the middle of what’s already been the group’s most closely watched stretch since all seven members completed their mandatory military service. Arirang, the group’s post-hiatus comeback album, has anchored a wider return that’s included a world tour and a widely watched FIFA World Cup halftime performance. Choosing to sit out Grammy consideration during a comeback this high-profile makes the decision carry more weight than it might have at a quieter point in the group’s career, since it puts the album’s biggest awards-season showcase opportunity aside at the same moment the group is otherwise leaning fully into its return.
What This Means Going Forward
Neither BTS nor the Recording Academy has indicated this is a permanent stance, and nothing in either statement rules out future Grammy submissions for the group’s later work. For now, the decision leaves Arirang out of contention for the 2027 ceremony entirely, while the new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category moves forward as scheduled with its first group of nominees. For more on BTS’s comeback so far, see our coverage of the Arirang album and world tour and the group’s record-breaking Paris concert attendance.
FAQ: BTS and the Grammys
Why isn’t BTS submitting Arirang for Grammy consideration?
BTS said they want their music judged on its own terms rather than divided by region or language, without directly criticizing the Recording Academy or any individual category.
Did the Recording Academy respond to BTS’s decision?
Yes. CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said he was saddened by the decision but said he could understand and respect it, while also explaining the reasoning behind the Academy’s new Asian pop category.
What is the new Grammy category connected to this story?
The Recording Academy added Best Asian Pop Music Performance as one of five new categories announced in June 2026, debuting at the 69th Grammy Awards in 2027.
More on this story via Billboard, Variety, and Grammy.com.
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