The Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr has officially responded to BTS’ recent announcement that they will not submit their music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards.
The announcement comes after the Recording Academy introduced a new Asian Pop Music Performance category, which has been criticized for restricting rather than celebrating the success of regional artists.
The BTS shared on Instagram that they will not be featured in the Grammys this year because of the division by region.
“We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year. I hope that music can be shared and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” the statement read.
BTS have long campaigned for fair recognition on the global stage, with the new category felt like a step backward in integrating them into mainstream categories such as Best Pop or Album of the Year.
Harvey Mason Jr has addressed the issue, saying he needs clarification, as the Asian Pop was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth.
“I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation. The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia,” Mason said in a statement.
He said the submission of music in a genre category such as Asian Pop or Jazz or Country does not exclude an artist from submitting and being considered in the General Field categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year.
The Recording Academy has defended itself, insisting the category was meant to highlight Asian talent and broaden representation.
