Recording Academy May Revamp New Asian Pop Category For 2027 Awards

The Recording Academy is talking to members of the Asian pop community about its new best Asian pop music performance category, which, in an extraordinary move, may be re-conceived for the 2027 awards. (There’s little time remaining: First-round voting begins on Oct.

12.

Nominations will be announced on Nov.

16.) Related BTS’ Decision to Sit Out the Grammys Brings New Attention to the Academy’s Asian Pop Category Kelly Osbourne Bashes 'Spectacularly Classless' Dee Snider For 'Diminishing' Ozzy's Lyrical Contributions to Solo, Sabbath Albums Cardi B Reignites BIA Feud With a Spaces Rant After BIA Doubles Down on Diss Track Best Asian pop music performance was one of five new categories that were announced on June 16.

But on July 29, BTS , the biggest K-pop act and arguably the biggest group in the world in any genre, announced that they were not entering their recordings for the Grammys this year, as a form of protest against the new category.

“We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year,” a translation of their individual messages read.

“I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.

Thank you to ARMY and everyone who is always with us.” Over the past two weeks, Harvey Mason, Jr. , CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares, and other leaders at the Grammy organization have been engaged in regular dialogue about the new category with various members of the music community representing K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, India and more, including musicians, labels, managers “and even HYBE,” according to the Academy.

Now the Academy is convening its full Board and Awards & Nominations Committee to work with members of and leaders from this community to help further advise them on the Asian Pop category, with the goal of “honoring the music respectfully and accurately in this first awards cycle and determining how we best honor this music in the future,” according to the Academy.

“The Grammy organization exists to serve all music people, and part of that is working to ensure that no voice or community gets overlooked or misunderstood,” Mason said in a statement on Friday (Aug.

14).

“It’s clear from our numerous conversations with many stakeholders over the past two weeks that, regardless of our intent and desire to be even more inclusive, there are some artists in this space who feel that this category isn’t representing the music they work so hard to create, in the way they wish.

As a musician myself, I take that to heart.

“Over the past six years, the Academy has shown that it can act decisively and move swiftly to meet the needs of our music community.