BTS Will Not Submit ARIRANG for the Grammys; Here's Why

BTS announced that it will not submit its latest album ARIRANG for the 69th Grammy Awards. The decision was shared by the group’s seven members on social media and is being interpreted as a protest against the creation of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.

In a joint statement, RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook said: “We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year”. The group also explained that they hope their songs will be recognized for their artistic merit, rather than the region or language in which they were produced.

“We hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language” the members wrote, also thanking ARMY for its support.

The decision comes days after the Recording Academy announced five new categories for the awards, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance. Although the new category was created to recognize works in Asian languages, such as K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop, it has drawn criticism for effectively separating those artists from contention in the major categories, such as Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

As a result, ARIRANG, considered one of BTS’s leading contenders for the 2027 Grammy Awards, will be out of the running. The 69th edition of the awards is scheduled for February 7, 2027.