SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - The Recording Academy will go ahead with its new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category without changing its eligibility rules after weeks of consultations with Asian music industry figures.
CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said the academy heard opposition as well as support during the consultations, but backing for keeping the category was stronger. The academy also said it received a "robust" number of submissions in the category's first year.
The award covers contemporary Asian pop, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop. Eligible songs must make meaningful use of at least one Asian language, while tracks performed entirely in English cannot compete in the category. They remain eligible for other Grammy categories.
The decision follows criticism that intensified after BTS said in July it would not submit music for the 69th Grammy Awards. All seven members said they hoped music could be heard "for what it is" rather than divided by region or language.
The Recording Academy had announced the Asian Pop award on June 16 as one of five new categories for the 2027 Grammys. Mason later said the academy would speak with artists and industry figures after concerns emerged over whether a separate regional category could sideline Asian acts from broader recognition.
Artists entered in Asian Pop are still permitted to compete in the Grammys' general fields, including Album, Record and Song of the Year, if their recordings meet those categories' requirements.
BTS will not be part of this year's nomination process because the Grammy submission window closed on Aug. 21. The 69th Grammy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on Feb. 7, 2027.
AJP Takeaways
- The Grammys will keep its new Asian Pop category for 2027.
- Its controversial Asian-language requirement remains unchanged.
- The Recording Academy said it received a strong number of first-year submissions
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