LOS ANGELES, USA — The Recording Academy confirmed it will move forward with introducing the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category at the 69th Grammy Awards following conversations with key figures across the industry.
The decision comes after global pop group BTS declared in July that they would refrain from submitting entries for the upcoming cycle, emphasizing a desire for recognition independent of geographic or linguistic boundaries.
”We hope that music can be heard and loved for its own sake, rather than being categorized by region or language,” the group said.
The group’s boycott ignited wider debates regarding whether isolated genre awards risk siloing international creators instead of integrating them into core fields.
However, Academy officials maintained that the distinction aims to highlight the global reach of Asian popular music, covering acts in K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop that feature Asian languages, while still leaving them eligible for main categories.
Recording Academy Chief Executive Officer Harvey Mason Jr. addressed the feedback, stating that internal discussions with regional leaders helped guide the final call.
“Over the past several weeks the Academy has been conducting listening sessions and have been in dialogue with leaders of the Asian music community. We look forward to celebrating the Asian Pop Music Performance nominees at the 2027 Grammy Awards,” Mason said, according to Billboard.
The newly created distinction joins four other newly established awards set to premiere at the ceremony, including Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, Best Traditional Folk Album, and Best Latin Song.
Voting for nominees runs from October 12 to 22, with final nomination announcements slated for November 16 ahead of the main event on February 7, 2027.