imagine telling people “yeah I won my first grammy because BTS had the balls to reject discrimination in the music industry while I chose not to. Oh, and my trophy might as well have ‘bts charity' engraved on it.”
I don't think people fully understand the magnitude of this decision.
Some of the music industry's most respected producers, writers, engineers, and creatives worked on ARIRANG. A project built to the highest artistic standard. One producer even spoke publicly about hoping the album would receive Grammy recognition.
Then the Recording Academy introduced a category specifically for Asian pop.
And BTS chose not to submit.
Think about that. The biggest musical project of the year. One of the strongest commercial and artistic contenders. A project that could have competed across multiple major categories. It simply won't be in the race because the artists chose principle over prestige.
Moves like this don't happen often. When artists at BTS' level willingly walk away from the biggest stage in music, the conversation shifts because of what they refused to endorse.
jimin's halftime show shirt officially sold for $110,000 at the one goal charity auction, becoming the HIGHEST selling artist item of the ENTIRE auction. congratulations jimin ☺️🎉
do you know how fucking refreshing it is to see an artist stand their fucking ground against a gigantic fucking institution in 2026. I feel vindicated, not only as an ARMY, but as a human. BTS, you will be good. you were always gonna be good, but it only confirms it.
There is absolutely no bigger indictment on the @RecordingAcad than the year’s biggest album/touring/charting artist sitting out their new bullshit categories in protest.
None.
the gag is bts knew they wouldve had a near guaranteed grammy win with this new asian pop category but understand that cosigning this category wld mean that ultimately asian language acts would be gatekept out of the main/general categories
"Let music be heard for what it is, not judged by the language it's sung in or the country it comes from."
THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL STATEMENTS BANGTAN EVER MADE