Recording Academy Confirms Asian Pop Grammy Will Proceed in 2027

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. has confirmed that the Grammy Awards' contested new category, Best Asian Pop Music Performance, will go forward at the 2027 ceremony — despite public opposition from BTS, who said they will not submit their music for Grammy consideration in 2027.

"We look forward to celebrating the Asian Pop Music Performance nominees at the 2027 Grammy Awards," Mason said in a statement announcing the decision.

The category, announced in June, drew split reactions from the start. BTS objected most prominently, arguing that the award effectively ghettoizes a genre rather than highlighting it. "We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language," the group said in a statement.

What changed the Academy's mind?

Mason said the decision followed weeks of consultation. "Over the past several weeks the Academy has been conducting listening sessions and have been in dialogue with leaders of the Asian music community," his statement reads. "The journey has been rewarding and inspiring."

The feedback, he said, was mixed:

• Some community members told the Academy they do not support the category's continuation.
• Others had "inaccurate information" about the category, and the listening sessions helped "clear up misperceptions."
• The "loudest feedback" came from "enthusiastic supporters" — "fellow music creators expressing their encouragement for keeping it."

Mason acknowledged the friction. "We understand this conclusion will not satisfy everyone, and that never feels good. But at the same time, we are confident it's the right conclusion for the music community overall," he said.

The Academy also disclosed that it has received a "robust" number of submissions for the category — a signal of strong interest in its inaugural year.

Why the category drew fire

The dispute revives a long-running complaint about the Grammys' genre-specific awards. Critics inside affected communities argue that while such categories intend to recognize music by genre or language, they often become exclusionary in practice: voters relegate artists to niche categories rather than placing them in mainstream ones. The Latin Grammys have drawn similar criticism for years.

BTS embodies the tension. The group has been nominated for five Grammy Awards across pop and other categories but has never won. The distinction of the first K-pop Grammy win went not to a real act but to a fictional one: "Golden," from the film "KPop Demon Hunters," performed by the animated group Huntr/x (vocalists EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami), won best song written for visual media earlier this year. It did not win best song.

What happens next?

Mason framed the 2027 decision as provisional rather than final. "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," he said.

The first Asian Pop Music Performance nominees will be celebrated at the 2027 Grammy Awards — with or without BTS in the running.