Overview
- In mid-August 2026 Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said the Board and the Awards & Nominations Committee will consult widely with Asian pop artists and industry leaders to reconsider the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.
- All seven BTS members announced in late July 2026 that they would not submit music for the 2027 Grammys because they oppose dividing music by region or language.
- The new category, introduced in June, requires a recording to make “meaningful use of one or more Asian languages” to be eligible and covers K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and related Asian pop music.
- The Academy’s review is time-sensitive because the online submission window is reported to close on August 21 and first-round voting begins in October, so any rule changes would need to be decided quickly for the 2027 cycle.
- Executives have held talks with stakeholders including K-pop and J-pop representatives and HYBE, while critics warn the language rule could confine Asian artists to a separate lane and fans have mobilized online with both advocacy and instances of harassment toward volunteers.