BTS announced Wednesday it will not submit its music for the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, scheduled for February next year. The group posted a brief statement on social media, writing: “We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year. We hope music can be heard and embraced for what it is, beyond region or language.” No further explanation was given.
The decision comes as a shock to many, given BTS’s long pursuit of Grammy recognition. Over the years, the members have repeatedly called winning a Grammy a top career goal. To date, the group has earned five nominations without taking home a single trophy—though they were credited on Coldplay’s Album of the Year nomination for “Music of the Spheres.” Last year, the song “Golden,” from the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” became the first K-pop-related track to win a Grammy, taking Best Song Written for Visual Media. The award went to the songwriters, not the performers, meaning no K-pop act has yet won a Grammy as a named artist.
The announcement comes just weeks after the Recording Academy unveiled five new categories for the 2027 Grammys, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance. The category, announced in June, aims to “recognize artistic excellence in Asian pop music performance.” Its creation has sparked debate in Korea’s music industry. Some critics argue that the Recording Academy has historically responded to the growing influence of emerging genres by creating separate competitive fields, as it did with Latin and R&B music. Others welcome the category as overdue recognition of Asian pop’s global impact.
BTS’s 2026 album “Arirang” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and its lead single “Swim” topped the Billboard Hot 100. A second single, “Normal,” was released earlier this month. With these achievements, the band seemed poised for a strong Grammy campaign. Yet they have chosen to step back, leaving their fans—and the music industry—to wonder what comes next.
