Could BTS boycott impact?…Grammy suggests possibility of re-examining ‘Asian Pop category’ The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, which will be held on March 14, has sparked controversy over the newly established ‘Best Asian Pop’ category, with some critics accusing the Recording Academy of ‘othering’ Asian music. The Recording Academy responded to the criticism by mentioning the possibility of re-examining the Asian music category. On the 8th, the Recording Academy’s CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., told the Associated Press that they are open to reviewing the new category. Mason said, “We are always open to hearing feedback and reviewing what we do…We are open to evolving and changing and making adjustments.” The criticism over the new category comes after BTS’s management agency, HYBE, announced on the 28th of last month that they would not be participating in the Grammy Awards due to the new category. BTS’s management agency, HYBE, said, “The establishment of a separate category for Asian pop music…may be perceived as a discriminatory act that divides and excludes rather than a way to celebrate diversity.” The Recording Academy announced on the 30th of last month that they would be introducing a new category, ‘Best Asian Pop’, from this year. The move was made in response to the growing popularity of Asian music worldwide, with K-pop groups such as BTS and Blackpink achieving global success. However, some critics have argued that the new category could be seen as ‘ghettoizing’ Asian music. In response to the criticism, Mason said, “We have always tried to be inclusive…We are always looking for ways to be more inclusive.” The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards will be held on March 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The Grammys' 'Best Asian Pop Performance' category has been under scrutiny after BTS' boycott declaration sparked controversy. Grammy Awards CEO Trevor Nelson Jr. acknowledged in a statement on the 14th that "some artists feel the Asian Pop category does not accurately represent the music they've worked so hard to create." As an artist himself, Nelson expressed deep sympathy for their position.
"The Recording Academy has shown, with unwavering and swift action over the past six years, that we can meet the needs of the music community," he added. "As we move forward, we will strive to ensure musicians feel truly respected." The Grammys introduced the 'Best Asian Pop Performance' category last June to distinguish Asian music from other regions.
BTS announced they would not submit for this year's Grammys, citing the desire for music to transcend regional and language barriers. While the band did not specify their reasoning, the observation was that the introduction of the 'Best Asian Pop Performance' category might signal their intent to target this category. Critics argued that the Grammys' decision to confine K-pop to an 'Asian' category rather than a major category showed a lack of recognition for its global impact.
BTS became the first artist to receive an invitation to the Grammys in 2019 and were nominated for the award three years in a row, earning five nominations but no wins.
Written by urgent.news from Hankyoreh's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
