Grammys Keep Asian Pop Category After Review Following Industry Pushback

The Recording Academy is moving forward with its new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category for the 2027 Grammy Awards after reviewing the award following criticism from parts of the Asian music community.

The category was introduced in June as one of five additions to the 69th Grammy Awards. It is designed to recognize contemporary Asian pop performances, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, and requires eligible recordings to make meaningful use of at least one Asian language.

The announcement quickly became part of a broader debate over whether Asian artists should be separated into a region-specific category as their music increasingly competes in the global pop market.

That debate intensified in July when BTS announced that it would not submit music for consideration at the 2027 Grammys. The group said it hoped music could be heard and appreciated without being categorized by region or language.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. subsequently acknowledged concerns surrounding the category, and the organization began consulting artists, labels, managers and other representatives across Asian music markets.

After that review, the Academy has decided to retain Best Asian Pop Music Performance for its planned debut at the 2027 ceremony.

The decision leaves the category’s existing eligibility framework in place as the Grammys approach first-round voting in October. Under the published rules, recordings performed entirely in English are not eligible for Best Asian Pop Music Performance, although they may compete in other appropriate Grammy categories.

The category will make its debut when the 69th Grammy Awards are held February 7, 2027.