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BTS boycott of 2027 Grammys

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2026-07-31 21:42 UTC → 2026-07-31 21:55 UTC · added ~~removed~~

On 29 July 2026 BTS announced via Instagram that it would not submit any material for the 69th Grammy Awards scheduled for February 2027, arguing that music should be appreciated without division by region or language. The boycott was prompted by the Recording Academy’s creation of a new “Best Asian Pop Music Performance” category, which requires a substantial portion of the song to be in an Asian language. BTS’s comeback album Arirang, over 80 % English, is therefore ineligible. The ~~group’s global chart success was highlighted, with the B‑side track “Aliens” reaching No. 1~~ seven members posted synchronized Instagram messages on ~~iTunes in 78 regions after the announcement.~~ July 29, reiterating their call for music to be heard and loved without regional or linguistic segregation. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. expressed disappointment but stressed that the category is intended to celebrate Asian pop and does not preclude entries in general‑field awards. HYBE clarified that the decision is a personal stance by BTS, not a label‑wide policy. BTS has received five Grammy nominations between 2021 and 2024 but has never won. Arirang topped the Billboard 200, South Korea’s Circle Chart, Japan’s Oricon, Germany’s Album Chart and the UK Official Albums Chart. ~~South Korean~~ Fans and scholars described the boycott as a challenge to the Western‑centric awards ~~system.~~ system, noting that BTS now appears confident it no longer needs validation from Western institutions.

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