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South Korean music group BTS revealed on Wednesday that it will not enter any of its music for consideration at the 69th Grammy Awards, Billboard reported.
All seven members—Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook—shared identical statements through their individual Instagram accounts.
"We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year," the group said. "We hope music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language," the members added, thanking their fans, known collectively as ARMY, for their continued support.
The decision applies specifically to the group's latest album, "ARIRANG," including its bid for Album of the Year.
The group did not explicitly explain its decision or name any Grammy category in the statement. However, the announcement came more than a month after the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammy Awards, introduced Best Asian Pop Music Performance among five new categories for the 2027 awards.
The Recording Academy said the category would recognize contemporary pop music originating from or widely recognized in Asian markets, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, featuring meaningful use of one or more Asian languages.
Notably, the album's lead single, "SWIM," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, is in English and would not have been eligible for the new Asian pop category in any case.
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While intended to recognize the global growth and influence of Asian pop, the new category has drawn criticism from some fans who argue that it could separate Asian performers from the Grammys' main categories.
Under the Recording Academy's rules, a song entered in the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category cannot also be entered in another performance category, such as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, though acts remain eligible for General Field categories like Album, Record and Song of the Year regardless of genre.
BTS's decision follows a pattern of other artists, including Drake, The Weeknd and Morgan Wallen, who have previously opted out of Grammy consideration.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said he was "saddened" by BTS's decision, adding that the Academy would "continue to listen to the global music community and work to honor and celebrate all the artists whose music moves the world."
BTS has received five Grammy nominations during its career but has yet to win an award. "ARIRANG," released in March, marked the biggest opening week for a group album in more than a decade.
The 69th Grammy Awards are scheduled to take place on Feb. 7, 2027.
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