BTS says no to Grammy 2027 submissions: Why they made this surprising decision despite super successful comeback album

BTS have decided not to submit their music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards, a move that has surprised both fans and the music industry. The announcement comes at a time when the group's comeback album Arirang has become one of the biggest global releases of the year, making many expect that the K-pop stars would finally have their strongest shot at Grammy recognition.

Instead, all seven members — RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — shared the same message through their individual Instagram accounts, explaining why they are staying away from this year's Grammy submissions.

BTS explain why they are skipping the Grammys

In their statement, the members wrote, "We 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."


In another version of the statement shared by several reports, the message read, "We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year. I hope music itself can be heard and loved rather than being distinguished by region or language. Thank you to the ARMY and everyone for always being with me."

While BTS did not directly mention any specific Grammy category or explain their decision further, the reference to music being judged beyond "region or language" has become the centre of discussion among fans.

New Grammy category sparks debate

The announcement comes a little over a month after the Recording Academy introduced a new Grammy category called Best Asian Pop Music Performance.

According to the Recording Academy, "This category recognizes artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, including but not limited to K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, with meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. Awards are presented to the performing artist(s)."

The category was created to recognise outstanding Asian pop performances featuring one or more Asian languages. However, its introduction also drew mixed reactions online. While some fans welcomed dedicated recognition for Asian artists, others argued that grouping artists by language or region could unintentionally separate them from competing in the Grammys' biggest overall categories such as Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Although BTS never directly linked their decision to the new category, many fans have connected the timing of their announcement with the Recording Academy's recent changes.

Why the decision is surprising

The decision has attracted attention because BTS appeared to have one of their strongest Grammy campaigns in years.

Following the completion of their mandatory military service in South Korea, the seven members reunited for full-group activities and released Arirang, their first full-group studio album in years. The album received strong reviews, broke streaming records and topped charts in multiple countries. It also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while its lead single SWIM reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100, according to multiple reports.

Because of the album's commercial success and critical response, many industry observers believed BTS would be among the strongest contenders at the 2027 Grammys, including in the newly introduced Asian pop category.

BTS' Grammy history and what's next

BTS have already made Grammy history by becoming the first K-pop act to receive nominations in major Grammy categories. They earned nominations for songs including Dynamite, Butter and Yet To Come, while also receiving nominations in categories such as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video. Despite those achievements, the group has never won a Grammy. All seven members have also been voting members of the Recording Academy since 2019.

The group is currently focused on its World Tour Arirang, having recently wrapped up its European concerts before performing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show. BTS is now preparing to resume the US leg of the tour beginning August 1 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.