BTS announced a boycott of the 69th Grammy Awards, refusing to submit their album Arirang (2026) in protest of the newly created Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.
Music composer Ricky Kej argued that the new award pigeonholes Asian artists by categorising them by geographic region rather than musical style or genre.
Kej also said the new Asian pop prize will restrict Asian pop artists from participating in genre categories like Best Pop Album or Best Hip-Hop Album.
In July, Korean boy band BTS announced they will not submit their album, Arirang (2026) or its songs for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards. The seven-member band shared a statement on Instagram boycotting the 69th Grammy Awards for introducing the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which will honour artistic excellence in Asian pop music.
Under Grammy rules, the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category recognises “artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognised within Asian markets, including but not limited to K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, with meaningful use of one or more Asian languages”.
Ricky Kej on introduction of Best Asian Pop Music Performance category
When I asked 3x Grammy winner Ricky Kej whether the Recording Academy has pigeonholed the entire continent, he said the new category doesn't make any sense, arguing that if music is to be pigeonholed and classified, it should be based on the style.
“I think the Grammys made a mistake. It was not the right decision to create a separate category because, as you correctly mentioned, it pigeonholes Asian artists into a single category that is based not on the style of music, but on the region they come from,” he said.
“Secondly, the people who advised the Grammys to add this category are likely Asian Americans who have lived in the US all their lives. Because of this, they don't fully understand ground realities in Asia—an incredibly diverse continent with vast musical forms, including Middle Eastern, Sufi, Eastern European, and highly varied Indian music. On top of that, Asia produces modern pop like K-pop, C-pop, and J-pop, as well as rich traditional styles across China and Mongolia. Where does all of this music go when the focus is narrowed strictly to East Asian pop?,” Kej added.
Ricky Kej on BTS' withdrawal from Grammys
Putting himself in BTS's shoes, the Padma Shri winner said, “BTS is one of the biggest and most successful bands in the world. If I were BTS, I would want to submit my music to the Best Pop category because that category is 60 years old and icons like Michael Jackson, Norah Jones, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift have won it. I would like to win that category. However, with the introduction of the Asian Pop category, the Grammys will force me to compete there while restricting me from participating in genre categories like Best Pop Album or Best Hip-Hop Album. I would not want to win that award, which was just created.”
“How will I feel as BTS? I am winning an award because they have created an award only for me or Asian people to win it,” the musician said further.
What BTS said in their statement
The members of BTS - RM, Jimin, V, Suga, Jungkook, Jin and J-Hope wrote on social media, “We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year. I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.”
They ended their statement with a message to the BTS Army, “Thank you to Army and everyone who is always with us.”
The 69th Grammy Awards will air and stream live across ABC, Disney+ and Hulu on February 7, 2026.
