The New York Times on BTS' Grammy withdrawal.
βThe largest Asian entertainment companies, with lots of new acts to promote, may not want to fight that system on principle. But BTS, possibly the biggest act in the world since Jackson, is perhaps the only Korean recording act with the freedom and leverage to spark a reckoning.
So will this be a moment where artists and entrepreneurs conspire to force the major institutions of this business to break its addiction to racism dressed up as demography?
Every artist, whether BTS or Bad Bunny, deserves access to the largest market without being filtered out or qualified.β
Forbes in their new spicy article:
βUltimately, BTSβs legacy was never created by a nomination. It was built through stadiums filled across continents, records broken across markets, and a global community that transformed the relationship between artists and audiences.β
I applaud @bts_bighit for rejecting the Recording Academy's attempt to shove them into a category for the Grammys.
The Grammys wanted to label BTS as "Asian pop." They said, No thanks. We're not 'Asian music.' We're pop. Put us in the main category.
GOOD. Enough with all the groups, labels, and categories. That's what caused all the controversy around The Odyssey. They had to check the Academy's boxes to be considered for an Oscar. These organizations can keep their awards if it means bowing to a system that puts arbitrary limits on artists.
BTS said that it will not submit its music for the 2027 Grammy Awards after a new award for best Asian pop music performance was announced.
The category sparked criticism that the Recording Academy found a way to sideline K-pop and other Asian acts. https://t.co/FbpCUk0Efb
Back in February, when we dropped our #BTS cover story, RM dropped some hints that the Grammys weren't the band's top priority these days. Just today, the band announced via coordinated Instagram posts that they βhave decided not to submit for Grammy consideration this year.β
βWe hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. We thank Army and everyone who has always stood by us,β the message said.
Revisit the cover story for more about what BTS is thinking about in 2026: https://t.co/r12K9exeMi
BTS will not submit its music for consideration at next year's #Grammys.
βWe have decided not to submit for Grammy consideration this year. We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. We thank Army and everyone who has always stood by us," the group said in a statement. https://t.co/1A5D5cjEwr
#BTS' ARIRANG rockets back into the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 at #9 (+17) with 40,000 equivalent album units (up 62%), following the release of a new vinyl picture disc variant of the album with two bonus tracks and their new single "NORMAL" and after their huge success at the FIFA World Cup final halftime show, where the group performed its 2020 No. 1 Hot 100 hit βDynamiteβ! 'ARIRANG' has now spent 13 weeks in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, the 1st 2026 Album to do so and the 1st Asian Album to reach this Milestone in History!πͺπΏππ9β£πΊπΈ2β£0β£0β£ππ₯ππΏπππβοΈ1β£3β£ππ₯πππ
Elle Korea said Jinβs approach towards live vocals on this world tour very new and refreshing and In NORMAL, Into the Sun and Like Animals, particularly in the high-pitch sections, he seemed to almost βhowlβ passionate and intense voice
π― accurate!!!