"It makes me sad": Grammy CEO reacts to BTS's rejection of the 2027 awards

The chief executive officer of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason Jr., has responded to the decision by the South Korean boy band BTS to withdraw their music from consideration for the 2027 Grammy Awards. In a statement posted on the official Instagram page of the Grammys, Mason expressed his disappointment over the group's choice to opt out of the nomination process this year. He acknowledged and respected their decision while emphasizing his understanding as a musician. BTS, consisting of seven members, RM, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, Jung Kook, and Jin, shared a message on Instagram on Wednesday, stating they would not submit their album ARIRANG or individual tracks for Grammy consideration. The group’s announcement came just over a month after the Recording Academy introduced five new categories, including one for Best Pop Asian Performance. This category was intended to recognize releases from K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and other genres originating from Asia. Despite the academy’s intent to celebrate more voices within the broader Asian music industry, some fans viewed the new category as racially biased against artists from Asia. According to the rules, the category acknowledges works from various Asian pop genres. However, critics argue that such classifications could inadvertently marginalize these artists further within the predominantly Western-dominated Grammy framework. In his statement, Mason clarified that the new category was designed to honor the depth, diversity, and remarkable growth of pop music emerging from Asia. He emphasized that additional categories mean more recognition for more artists, and stressed that the initiative does not aim to divide but rather to expand the scope of who can be recognized by the 15,000 Grammy voters. Mason reminded that submitting work for a genre-specific award does not preclude an artist from competing in general field categories such as Album of the Year, Song of the Year, or Best Recording. He reiterated that recognition in a genre-based category and general field categories are not mutually exclusive. An artist can, indeed, pursue both avenues simultaneously. BTS has yet to win a Grammy, though they have been nominated five times. Their nominations include three for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, along with nods for Album of the Year for their contributions to Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres and Best Music Video for Yet to Come. Notably, no K-pop acts had ever won a Grammy before this year, when the song Golden from the film KPop Demon Hunters took home the award for Best Song for Visual Media. This marked a historic moment for K-pop, which has long been underrepresented in the Grammy awards despite its massive global fanbase. The Grammy institution has historically struggled with recognizing the growing influence of K-pop, even as it gains immense international popularity. The 2027 Grammy cycle represents a potential turning point for the genre, offering a platform for greater visibility and acknowledgment. As the debate around representation and inclusivity continues, the decisions made by artists like BTS will likely shape future conversations about how the Grammy awards evolve to reflect the changing landscape of global music.