The discourse is still unfolding months later.
BTS at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 3, 2022, in Las Vegas. Brian Friedman/PMC
The Grammys have long been considered music’s most prestigious — and sometimes polarizing — awards. So when the Recording Academy announced over the summer that it would be introducing a new category celebrating best Asian pop music performance, the scale of the music world’s divided response to it was arguably par for the course.
That said, it’s definitely the biggest topic of Grammy conversation going into the 2027 awards, which will take place on Feb. 7 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. So what happened?
Despite the attention to the new category peaking when BTS announced that it would not be submitting music for consideration this year — despite having a massive year with three-week Billboard 200-topping comeback album ARIRANG — the launch of best Asian pop music performance actually came more than a month prior. Everything that followed, from Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.’s responses to other acts voicing opinions for and against the category, unfolded gradually with careful consideration from all parties over time. It was only after the submission window opened in July that the Bangtan Boys shared their perspective that recognizing Asian artists in a separate category could be seen as divisive.
By the time first round voting opened on Oct. 12, however, the academy had announced its intention to move forward with the new addition, arguing that it gives more artists the opportunity for Grammy recognition while emphasizing that Asian artists are still free to also compete in the general categories. That doesn’t mean the discussion isn’t ongoing, though — and as we approach the unveiling of the nominees in each category, best Asian pop music performance included, Billboard is keeping track of the timeline of events as they happen.
Keep reading to see a timeline of the best Asian pop category controversy below.
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June 16, 2026: Category Announced
The Recording Academy announced the category — along with four others — on June 16, 2026. In addition to best Asian pop music performance, the new awards included best Latin song, best R&B collaboration or duo/group performance, best traditional pop vocal performance and best traditional folk album.
“Asian pop music is one of the most significant and sustained forces in the global music industry,” Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement about the Asian pop category at the time. “As Asian pop’s influence has continued to grow within our process, our members and Trustees felt this was the right moment to create a Category that more accurately reflects the genre’s scale, artistry and global impact.”
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July 29, 2026: BTS Boycotts
More than a month after the changes were announced, BTS announced via matching statements on each of the members’ Instagram accounts that the boy band would not be submitting their music for Grammy consideration.
“I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” their statement read at the time, according to an English translation. “Thank you to ARMY and everyone who is always with us.”
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Aug. 14, 2026: Discussions Renewed
To address the polarized reactions to its best Asian pop addition, Harvey Mason jr. convened with artists, labels, managers and other influential figures representing Asian music spaces to discuss the category’s efficacy. Then, on Aug. 14, Billboard reported that the academy had officially involved its full Board and Awards & Nominations Committee in the discussions.
“The Grammy organization exists to serve all music people, and part of that is working to ensure that no voice or community gets overlooked or misunderstood,” Mason said in a statement at the time. “It’s clear from our numerous conversations with many stakeholders over the past two weeks that, regardless of our intent and desire to be even more inclusive, there are some artists in this space who feel that this category isn’t representing the music they work so hard to create, in the way they wish. As a musician myself, I take that to heart.”
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Oct. 1, 2026: Decision Made
After much internal deliberation, the Recording Academy announced that it had decided to move forward as planned with the best Asian pop music performance category.
“In this case, we heard candid feedback from people in our community who don’t support the continuation of this category,” Harvey Mason jr. said of the decision. “We also heard from people who didn’t have accurate information about the category, and having space to clear up misperceptions has been especially valuable. But by far, the loudest feedback we heard was from people who were enthusiastic supporters of the category, fellow music creators expressing their encouragement for keeping it.”
“We understand this conclusion will not satisfy everyone, and that never feels good,” he added. “But at the same time, we are confident it’s the right conclusion for the music community overall.”
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Oct. 2, 2026: Stray Kids Bows Out
One day after the academy announced it was holding firm on the Asian pop category, Stray Kids joined BTS in bowing out of Grammy consideration for 2027. The group did not elaborate on its decision.
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Oct. 9, 2026: Harvey Mason jr. Elaborates
In an interview with Billboard, Harvey Mason jr. elaborated on the decision, sharing what he learned from the backlash and his thoughts on the addition of more Asian music categories in the future.
“I would say, regardless of what our intention is – which, by the way, is to always celebrate more music and more music people – we have to absolutely think and rethink and make sure that we are conscious of how new categories or new ideas land with those we’re trying to celebrate,” he said. “So, that means really taking the time to listen, bringing in the right groups of collaborators, and being really, really sensitive to how people want to be honored and how they want to be acknowledged.
“We will be having some very robust conversations around not just the Asian pop category, but all of our categories — especially as it relates to expanding, extending our reach into the global markets,” he continued.
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Oct. 13, 2026: SB19 & BINI Share Thoughts
Despite the controversy surrounding the added category, not everyone had negative feelings about it. Both SB19 and BINI shared why they were for it in an Oct. 13 conversation with Billboard, with the latter group’s Aiah and Maloi saying, “We see it as a door opening, not a box closing.”
SB19 leader Pablo added: “It would show the world that the Philippines isn’t just a market. It’s a source of original, world-class music.”