RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Topline The K-pop mega band BTS will not be submitting their music for consideration at next year's Grammy Awards in an apparent protest against the Recording Academy’s decision to introduce a separate new “Asian Pop” category, prompting the academy’s CEO Harvey Mason Jr. to defend the new category while saying he was “saddened” by the band’s decision.
In statements issued via Instagram on Wednesday, each of the band’s seven members announced they have decided not to enter the Grammys this year.
The band members said they hoped that their music could be “heard and loved for what it is, rather than being categorized by region or language,” according to a translation by Yonhap News .
The statement thanked their fans—who refer to themselves as “ARMY”—for standing by the band.
Although the statement didn’t explicitly say they were pulling out of the Grammys in protest, it comes amid concerns that the new Asian Pop category may segregate popular Asian artists from the Grammys’ main categories.
The band’s decision to pull out of the Grammys means “ARIRANG”, their comeback album after all members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service, will not be in contention for the awards.
“ARIRANG” topped the Billboard 200 charts for two consecutive weeks earlier this year, and the band is currently in the middle of a World Tour promoting the new album.
On Wednesday night, in a statement shared with various outlets, the Recording Academy’s CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said : “I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision.” Mason then defended the Asian Pop category’s introduction, saying it was created to “celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia.” He added that more categories allow for more artists’ works to be recognized and the intent is not to “divide.” The Grammys boss also noted that: “Submitting music in a genre category…does not exclude an artist from also submitting and being considered in the General Field categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year…Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive. An artist can absolutely pursue both.”
BTS have had five Grammy nominations in the past, including three consecutive Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nominations in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Their single “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)” was nominated for “Best Music Video” in 2023. However, the band has never won at the Grammys.
BTS says it will not submit music for next year’s Grammys (Yonhap News)
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