Recording Academy Weighs Changes to New Asian Pop Grammy Category

The Recording Academy is considering a significant overhaul of its newly created "best Asian pop music performance" category for the 2027 Grammy Awards, following a wave of criticism and a high-profile protest from the global phenomenon BTS. The potential revamp comes just weeks after the category was announced in June 2026, and as the institution faces a tight deadline with first-round voting beginning in October.

The controversy escalated on July 29, when BTS, widely regarded as the world's biggest musical act, announced it would not submit its recordings for Grammy consideration this year as a form of protest against the new category. In a statement shared by its members, the group expressed a hope that "music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language."

In response, Academy leadership has engaged in "regular dialogue" over the past two weeks with various stakeholders representing Kpop, Jpop, Cpop, and Indian music communities. These discussions included musicians, labels, managers, and representatives from HYBE, BTS's management company. Harvey Mason, Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, stated that these conversations revealed a...