Grammy Awards moves ahead with controversial Asian pop category for 2027 after BTS boycott

The Recording Academy has officially announced that its brand-new category, Best Asian Pop Music Performance, will be introduced on schedule at the 2027 Grammy Awards ceremony. CEO of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason Jr., commented on the debate about the decision, pointing out that although everyone won’t be pleased with the choice, the award will remain.

Recording Academy defends category strategy for 2027 Grammy Awards

The award was launched in June along with four other categories for the Grammy Awards of 2027. The category is expected to recognise artistic achievement in Asian pop performances. To be eligible, the songs must either come from Asia or have become popular in the region. These include genres such as K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, or Mandopop, featuring a strong element of an Asian language. The Academy praised Asian pop as an important influence in the music industry.

But this move met with fierce opposition from several artists. In July, the global sensation BTS declared their refusal to attend the 2027 Grammy Awards, claiming that they will not participate with their music. This is because they want their music to be valued for what it deserves without any distinction based on geography or language. Artists in other genres such as Indian, K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop also raised concerns over the segregation this genre may bring.

Following the outrage, however, Harvey pointed out in August that the Academy had been reviewing the criticisms. Following consultations with major players from the Asian music industry, the Academy resolved to stick with the initial strategy.

CEO Harvey Mason Jr. described the new category as an honour of how huge and diverse Asian pop has become over time, and not as a way of putting international artists aside. He stated that participation in the genre competition will not automatically make the acts ineligible for general category prizes. Asian artists can even qualify for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year awards at the Grammy Awards.

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