CEO's remarks after BTS boycotted the Grammy Awards

Recently, BTS has become a major topic of conversation after declaring that they will not be submitting any works to the 69th Grammy Awards, one of the three major popular music awards in the United States. As a group that is actively performing and receives immense love worldwide, it seems that many people are paying close attention to this decision. On July 29, 2026, all members personally announced their stance via social media, stating that they had decided not to submit any entries to this year's Grammys. They reportedly conveyed their hope that music can be listened to and loved without prejudice for its own sake, rather than being distinguished by region or language.

This boycott decision is being interpreted as a protest against the Grammy’s recently created Best Asian Pop Music Performance category. This appears to be due to persistent criticism regarding the category’s Western-centric perspective and concerns that separating K-pop from the main awards actually lowers its chances of winning. As the situation unfolded, Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. personally stepped forward to post an explanation. On the 30th, through the Grammy’s official social media, he stated that while he finds the news of BTS’s absence regrettable, as a creator himself, he understands and respects their choice.

They reportedly explained in detail that the Asian Pop category was established to celebrate the remarkable growth of Asian music, not to distinguish or categorize artists. They also added that even if an entry is submitted to this genre category, it can still be submitted for core main awards like Record of the Year or Album of the Year to ensure fair evaluation. It seems they wanted to make it clear to the public that the main awards are always open to all qualified music, regardless of genre. Given that BTS has made a firm decision to be recognized fully for their music itself, transcending regional and language barriers, this makes us look forward even more to what amazing music and future endeavors they will showcase.