Recording Academy Retained Asian Pop Music Category
The category remains part of the 2027 Grammy Awards following extensive feedback from the Asian music community.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Pop
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The Recording Academy has confirmed it will keep the best Asian pop music performance category for the 69th annual Grammy Awards. This decision follows a series of listening sessions held throughout August and September to address industry concerns.
Why it matters
The move maintains a specialized platform for music featuring meaningful use of Asian languages, addressing concerns that the category might otherwise limit the visibility of artists within the broader industry.
The new category sits within the Pop & Dance/Electronic Field and features 99 total categories on the ballot for the 69th Grammy Awards. Eligible tracks must feature meaningful use of an Asian language, while recordings entirely in English are ineligible.
The players
The Recording Academy
This U.S.-based organization of musicians, producers, and recording engineers oversees the annual presentation of the Grammy Awards.
BTS
This South Korean boy band is a global music powerhouse known for their significant influence on international music charts.
The details
The Recording Academy convened its board of trustees and awards committee to review feedback after BTS announced a boycott of submissions for the upcoming ceremony. While the category remains, officials clarified that all artists retain the ability to compete in general field categories.
Timeline
The Recording Academy announced the category on June 16.
BTS announced on July 29 that it would not submit recordings for the 2027 ceremony.
The academy confirmed on October 1 that the category would be retained.
First-round voting for the awards is scheduled from October 12 to October 22.
The 69th annual Grammy Awards ceremony will take place on February 7.
Industry Dynamics
The decision reflects a broader strategy to refine how the Grammy Awards accommodate global music trends and diverse cultural contributions. This update to the 69th annual Grammy Awards mirrors an industry-wide push to balance specialized genre categories with the prestige of general field awards.
Fans will see the new category featured during the 69th annual Grammy Awards on February 7. The retention of this award ensures that specific musical performances categorized by their use of Asian languages remain a focal point of the broadcast and recognition process.
The takeaway
The academy's choice to retain the category demonstrates an effort to balance inclusive representation with the evolving nature of music submissions. Musicians and fans should monitor the upcoming nomination announcements to see how this category shapes the final field of contenders.
What happens next
First-round voting for the Grammy Awards is scheduled to take place between October 12 and October 22. The full list of nominees is slated to be announced on November 16.
Further reading
For more updates on the upcoming ceremony, visit the Pop section.
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