BTS are right: The Grammys' new Asian Pop category feels more like segregation than inclusion

The conversation began after the Recording Academy announced the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which will debut at the 69th Grammy Awards in 2027.

Popstars BTS have spent years proving they belong on the world's biggest stage. They've topped charts, sold out stadiums and built fanbases that stretch across continents. And every single time they seem ready to be judged by the same standards as everyone else, the rules somehow change. The septet choosing not to submit their record-breaking album Arirang for the 2027 Grammy Awards is one of biggest and bold moves in recent times, following The Weeknd who stopped submitting his music since 2021 after his After Hours album in 2020 was completely snubbed and eventually made up with Recording Academy when he surprised the audiences in 2025.

The Grammys gave Asian artists a new category. BTS gave them a reality check. (BigHit)

The group is questioning a system that still appears to judge artists differently based on where they come from. The conversation began after the Recording Academy announced the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which will debut at the 69th Grammy Awards in 2027. The real question is: Is this genuine recognition, or is it simply another way of keeping Asian artists in a separate lane?

BTS decide to not submit their album Arirang

On July 29, BTS' leader RM, followed by the members of the group, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, stated that they have decided not to submit their record-breaking new album, Arirang. "We have decided not to submit our music to the Grammys this year," the group said in a statement shared through the Instagram stories of all seven members. "We hope music can be heard and loved as music itself, rather than being divided by region or language." The group has also expressed gratitude towards their official fan group, known as ARMY.

A separate category isn't always progress

At first glance, the creation of such a category seems to be a move toward recognition of music beyond the US. But award shows have often responded to the growing influence of international artists by creating separate spaces rather than opening the biggest categories to everyone.

For years, Latin artists largely competed in genre-specific categories, regardless of how successful they became worldwide. That changed earlier this year when Bad Bunny made history at the 68th Grammy Awards by winning Album of the Year for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, becoming the first artist to achieve the feat with a Spanish-language album. It felt like proof that language no longer had to be a barrier to the industry's highest honour.

That is why the introduction of an Asian Pop category feels confusing to many. Just when it seemed the Grammys were moving beyond language and regional labels, they introduced another category built around exactly those distinctions.

BTS have done it all

BTS have already done everything that was expected of them and more. They invested years into building a strong presence in the US, released radio-friendly English hits like Dynamite, Butter and Permission to Dance, while continuing to create some of their most meaningful work in Korean. They sat through countless English interviews, promoted tirelessly and became one of the biggest draws at award shows, struggling to stay culturally relevant.

Through it all, they handled every milestone with humility and professionalism, despite repeatedly facing racism, xenophobia, and a level of scrutiny that many of their Western peers never had to endure. One of the few artists who has consistently treated BTS with the respect they deserve is Chris Martin. Alongside Coldplay, he has repeatedly championed the group, proving that genuine admiration and equality can exist without prejudice. By almost every measure, BTS have already proven they belong in mainstream pop conversations.

The language problem

The biggest issue with the new category may be its eligibility criteria. Under the Recording Academy's rules, eligible recordings must include "meaningful use of one or more Asian languages.” That might sound reasonable until you look at how pop music works today. Artists regularly blend languages, genres and cultures, and BTS has built much of its worldwide appeal on doing exactly that. Arirang combines Korean and English and features collaborations with major Western producers, reflecting the borderless nature of modern pop.

The problem is that this rule creates an uncomfortable grey area. It suggests that an artist could be seen as too Asian to compete fairly in the main pop categories, yet not "Asian enough” for the Asian Pop category if too much of their music is in English. Instead of judging the music on its own merit, the focus shifts to language and identity.

Music has never respected borders, and today's pop landscape is more global than ever. Fans don't care what language a song is in anymore. They care whether it moves them. If music has become global, then awards should judge artists by the quality of their work and not by the language they sing in.

The reality of being an Asian superstar

Being a global Asian artist nowadays implies living with the paradox. People can top charts worldwide, set streaming records, sell hundreds of thousands of albums, and even play concerts on different continents, yet they are not mainstream enough for the Grammys. BTS already proved they could compete with the world's biggest artists when they earned three consecutive Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nominations between 2021 and 2023. Their commercial success has only grown since then, though they broke into international markets much earlier than 2019.

This is why the discussion goes beyond just the Grammys. Best Asian Pop Music Performance reinforces the idea that, instead of opening more doors, it risks creating another space where Asian artists compete among themselves while the biggest prizes remain out of reach.

More than a Grammy boycott

BTS choosing not to submit Arirang for Grammy consideration is a clear statement against a system they believe still separates artists based on where they come from, rather than judging everyone by the same standards. Make no mistake, there is no criticism here of other Asian artists who may see this newly created category as a long-overdue chance to finally get their flowers. Indeed, a Grammy nomination, of whatever kind, is a life-altering achievement for musicians whose desire for this is completely justified.

But by walking away, BTS has effectively taken one for the team. Whether the Recording Academy takes that message on board remains to be seen, but BTS has unequivocally drawn a line in the sand, forcing the industry to confront its own structural biases regarding fairness and equality. If modern pop music has successfully erased its borders, it is past time for our most prestigious institutions to do the same.