Grammys Will Debut Best Asian Pop Category in 2027

The Grammys' new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category will debut at the 2027 show, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. announced in a statement Thursday, ending weeks of controversy that saw BTS refuse to submit their comeback album for consideration.

The category, which the Academy describes as recognizing "artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets," drew immediate pushback when it was announced. BTS responded by declaring they would not submit their comeback album Arirang for the 2027 Grammys. The group said they "hope that music can be heard and loved by itself rather than being divided by region or language."

Mason Jr. initially defended the category after BTS' announcement, but pledged to discuss the situation with Grammy stakeholders and the Asian music community. Those conversations have now concluded, and the Academy has decided to proceed.

"Over the past several weeks the Academy has been conducting listening sessions and have been in dialogue with leaders of the Asian music community," Mason said in his Thursday statement.

The sessions surfaced sharp disagreements within the industry. "We heard candid feedback from people in our community who don't support the continuation of this category," Mason said. "We also heard from people who didn't have accurate information about the category, and having space to clear up misperceptions has been especially valuable. But by far, the loudest feedback we heard was from people who were enthusiastic supporters of the category, fellow music creators expressing their encouragement for keeping it."

Mason acknowledged the decision would leave some dissatisfied. "We understand this conclusion will not satisfy everyone, and that never feels good," he said. "But at the same time, we are confident it's the right conclusion for the music community overall. As is the case with all our categories, we will continue to diligently engage with the music community and keep striving to honor this music — and all music — in the best possible way. We look forward to celebrating the Asian Pop Music Performance nominees at the 2027 Grammy Awards."

Even a reversal by the Academy could not have recovered BTS' participation at this point. Online entry for the 2027 Grammy Awards closed on Aug. 21. First round voting begins on Oct. 12, with the official nominee announcement following on Nov. 16. The 2027 Grammy Awards will be held on Feb. 7, 2026.

The standoff sets up a conspicuous absence at the ceremony: the category created in part to honor the global rise of Asian pop will launch without its most commercially dominant act, and the Academy's first winners will be crowned amid an unresolved debate over whether genre awards should be divided by region at all.