Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr has responded to BTS pulling out of the 2027 Grammy Awards. He said the news left him saddened. He also said he hopes the group reconsiders before the submission window closes.
Mason addressed the situation directly in a statement. He said he was “saddened to hear” that BTS has chosen not to take part in the process this year. As a fellow music creator, he said he understands and respects the group’s choice.
Mason then pushed back on how the new category has been portrayed. He said the Asian Pop category was built to celebrate the depth and growth of pop artistry from Asia, not to separate artists from the rest of the field. More categories, he said, simply mean more artists get recognized by the Academy’s 15,000 voters.
View this post on Instagram
He also stressed a point he felt had been overlooked. Submitting a recording in a genre category, whether Asian Pop, Jazz or Country, does not stop an artist from also being considered in the General Field. Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year remain open to any eligible recording regardless of genre. Genre recognition and General Field recognition are not an either-or choice, he said, and an artist can pursue both.
Mason closed by saying the Academy exists to serve music and the people who make it. He said the organization will keep listening to the global music community as it expands its reach, its membership and its awards.
This is not the first time Mason has spoken about the category since it launched. When the new awards were unveiled in June, he called the update a reflection of the industry’s growth. He said the changes reflect the many genres and creators shaping music today.
Mason has led the Recording Academy since 2020. During his time as CEO, he has pushed to diversify the voting membership and expand which genres get recognized on the main telecast.
What BTS announced
All seven members of BTS posted the same message on their individual Instagram accounts on Wednesday, July 29. RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook confirmed they will not submit music for the 69th Grammy Awards.
The band said it wants music to be judged on its own merit. Their statement said they hope songs can be heard and loved without being separated by region or language. They thanked their fans, known as ARMY, for their continued support.
The group did not name the Recording Academy directly. But the timing points to one thing. The announcement came about a month after the Academy revealed a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.
Why the new category matters
The Recording Academy unveiled five new award categories on June 16. Best Asian Pop Music Performance was one of them. It was designed to recognize K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and related genres from Asia.
The rules require meaningful use of an Asian language in the recording. Songs performed fully in English do not qualify. This detail matters for BTS. Their latest album, ARIRANG, leans heavily on English tracks, including lead single “Swim.”
Critics online argued the category could box Asian artists into a separate lane. Some said it keeps acts like BTS out of the bigger, more visible categories. Others welcomed it as overdue recognition for a genre long overlooked by the Academy.
BTS and the Grammys
BTS has never won a Grammy. The group has picked up five nominations since 2020, mostly in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category. All seven members have held voting membership in the Academy since 2019.
The band returned from a mandatory military hiatus earlier this year. ARIRANG topped charts in more than twenty countries after its March release. BTS also performed at the FIFA World Cup 2026 halftime show in July.
Expectations were high heading into next year’s ceremony. Many expected the group to compete strongly in the new Asian pop category. Their decision to opt out removes one of the most high-profile acts from the 2027 race.
- BTS
- Korean star
