BTS is pulling its music from the 2027 Grammys, a pointed decision landing just days before the K-pop superstars bring their Arirang tour to MetLife Stadium. All seven members said Wednesday they want their music heard as music — not sorted by region or language — putting a bright spotlight on the Recording Academy’s brand-new Asian pop prize.
RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook shared the same message, saying they had decided not to submit for this year’s Grammys. “We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is,” the coordinated statement said, according to The Associated Press.
The decision follows the Recording Academy’s June announcement of Best Asian Pop Music Performance, a new category covering music originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop. The award also requires meaningful use of one or more Asian languages, according to the Recording Academy.
The Academy has described the category as a way to recognize Asian pop’s scale, artistry and global impact, but the new lane has also drawn criticism from fans who see it as a separate box for artists who have spent years pushing into the Grammys’ biggest fields. BTS has been nominated five times but has never won, a history that makes Wednesday’s withdrawal more than a routine awards-season decision, AP reported.
For tri-state ARMY, the timing is impossible to miss: BTS is scheduled to play MetLife Stadium this Saturday and Sunday as part of the Arirang world tour. The stadium lists 5:30 p.m. doors and 8 p.m. showtimes for both concerts, according to MetLife Stadium.
The shows arrive during a major comeback cycle for the group, which released the album Arirang in March after its members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service. New York Daily News reports that the band is now on an 85-show world tour, with the East Rutherford concerts among its most high-profile stops in the region.
A new Grammy category without its biggest obvious contender
Best Asian Pop Music Performance is set to debut at the 2027 ceremony on Feb. 7, 2027, alongside four other new categories. Whether the award becomes a meaningful expansion of Grammy recognition or a lane artists would rather avoid will now be debated without BTS in the running.
