BTS will not compete at the 69th Grammy Awards. As the South Korean group announced on Wednesday, they will not submit their music for the ceremony on February 7, 2027. RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook published an identical statement on their respective Instagram accounts.
"We have decided not to submit anything for Grammy consideration this year", it reads. "We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being separated by region or language." And further: "We thank Army and everyone who has always stood by us." Army is what the band's fanbase calls itself.
New Category for Asian Pop
The decision comes just over a month after the Recording Academy introduced five new categories for 2027. One of them is dedicated to Asian pop music for the very first time. The innovation was announced on June 16.
On the official Grammy website, the category "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" is described as follows: "This category recognizes artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances that originate from or are widely recognized in Asian markets, including but not limited to K-Pop, J-Pop, and C-Pop, with substantial use of one or more Asian languages. The performing artists are honored."
The band does not explicitly connect the new category to their withdrawal in their statement.
Nominated Yes, Won Never
A Grammy has eluded the group to this day. They received nominations in categories including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video, but BTS has never won a single trophy. All seven musicians have been voting members of the Recording Academy since 2019.
Expectations for the upcoming ceremony were all the higher. In March, "Arirang" was released, the first album after all members completed their military service. The record topped both the main album and singles charts of "Billboard" and generated an enormous response worldwide.
Back from Military Service, Into the Stadiums
Since their comeback, BTS has been on the road with the "World Tour Arirang". They recently concluded the European leg in Paris. Shortly thereafter, the "Boy With Luv" performers took the field on July 19 at the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and performed their 2020 single "Dynamite" in an eleven-minute halftime show. They shared the stage with Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber.
In 96 years of World Cup history, there had never been a halftime show at a final before. BTS appeared in red outfits specially made for the tour, each bearing a member's name and the number seven. On August 1, things continue at the same location, when the U.S. leg of the tour begins.
Why the Band Continues at All
Four years passed between the hiatus and their joint restart, enough time for doubts. J-Hope (32) described to "Rolling Stone" in April how he came to his decision: "I realized that it's probably not something I can just end because I want to end it. I personally am very influenced by the people around me, so I have to think about whether I can bear the emotional impact my decisions have on so many others."
In the end, he felt, "that this is what I really want: to keep the fire burning. It's the decision that most aligns with my true self".
For Suga (33), the matter was never up for debate anyway. "Even before I went to the military, I knew we would come back together", he said in his "Rolling Stone" interview. "But I can understand that from a foreign perspective, this might seem surprising. For us, it was simply obvious to stay together."
