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Grammy CEO defends new Asian Pop category amidst backlash, says he is ‘saddened’ by news of BTS' withdrawal
A day after BTS shared their decision to not submit their latest album ARIRANG for consideration in the Grammys 2027, the CEO of the Academy has spoken out.
On July 29, BTS sent shockwaves through the music industry when the K-pop group announced that they would not be submitting their work for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, citing regional and language biases. The announcement sparked widespread online debate and renewed criticism of the Recording Academy. Now, a day later, Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. has addressed the controversy in a statement shared on the Academy's official Instagram account.
In his statement, Mason Jr. said he was “saddened” by BTS' decision to withdraw from the Grammys. He also defended the widely criticised introduction of the Asian Pop category, stating that it was created to celebrate the “depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia.”
His response came shortly after all seven BTS members – Jin, RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook – shared a joint statement on their individual Instagram Stories announcing that they would not be submitting their latest album, ARIRANG, for consideration at the upcoming Grammy Awards. A translation of their statement reads, “We’ve decided not to submit our work for this year’s Grammy Awards. We hope music will be recognised and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. Thank you, as always, to ARMY and everyone who supports us.”
Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.’s statement
In his statement, Mason Jr. wrote, “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.”
He further sought to clarify what he described as a nuance that had been “getting lost in the conversation.” Explaining the rationale behind the new category, the Recording Academy CEO said, “The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia. The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists. More categories mean more artists’ work is recognised. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognised by our 15,000 Grammy voters.”
Not an exclusion from the “General Field” categories
Mason Jr. also clarified that submissions for the Asian Pop category will also be considered in the “General Field” categories, namely the Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year. He added, “Those categories remain open to any eligible recording, regardless of genre. Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive. An artist can absolutely pursue both.”
Wrapping up his statement, Mason Jr. reaffirmed the Recording Academy's commitment to supporting artists worldwide. He said that as the organisation continues to expand its global reach, membership and awards, it remains dedicated to listening to the international music community and recognising and celebrating artists from every corner of the world.
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