K-pop group BTS have announced that they will not submit their music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, weeks after the Recording Academy introduced a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.

The seven members – RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook – shared the identical statement on their individual Instagram Stories on Wednesday.

“We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year,” the group wrote in Korean. “We hope music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. Thank you to ARMY and everyone who is always with us.”

ARMY refers to the official name of BTS’ global fanbase.

The Independent has reached out to the Academy for comment.

While BTS did not mention the new category by name, the timing of the announcement has prompted speculation, as it comes just over a month after the Recording Academy unveiled five new Grammy categories for the 69th Grammy Awards.

Among them is Best Asian Pop Music Performance, which the academy says recognises “artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognised within Asian markets, including but not limited to K-pop, J-pop and C-pop”, provided the recording makes “meaningful use of one or more Asian languages”.

Songs performed entirely in English are not eligible for the category.

The Recording Academy announced the new category in June as part of a broader overhaul of its awards, and led to debate across the industry. Ayan Artan argued in Teen Vogue that the change could be seen as “part of a history of gatekeeping non-white artists from major award categories”.

Artan described the new category as “tokenistic inclusion that dresses up white bias as recognition”, arguing that a dedicated category could make it easier for Grammy voters to recognise Asian artists without seriously considering them for awards like Album of the Year.

BTS’ latest album Arirang, which they released in March, became one of the year's biggest global releases. It debuted at No 1 on the Billboard 200 with the biggest opening week for a group album in more than a decade, while also topping the UK’s Official Albums Chart, South Korea's Circle Album Chart, Japan's Oricon Albums Chart, and Germany’s albums chart. Its lead single, “Swim”, also reached No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Arirang had been widely tipped as a contender for several of next year’s Grammy Awards’ biggest prizes, including Album of the Year, particularly due to its commercial and critical success.

However, the album features multiple songs with predominantly English-language lyrics. “Swim” is sung entirely in English, which would have made it ineligible for the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.

After the album release, BTS set out on their ongoing world tour, with more than 85 dates across 34 cities in 23 countries, with multiple stadium shows selling out within hours.

Earlier this month, BTS performed at the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show in New Jersey, performing with Madonna and Shakira.

Although BTS have won more than 500 awards in South Korea and internationally during their 13-year career, a Grammy has remained one of the few major honours to elude the group.

In 2021, they became the first K-pop act to receive a Grammy nomination when “Dynamite” – their first song performed entirely in English – was shortlisted for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

They went on to receive five Grammy nominations, including three consecutive nods for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Dynamite”, “Butter” and “My Universe” with Coldplay. They were also nominated for Best Music Video for “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)”, while the members received an Album of the Year nomination as featured artists on Coldplay's Music of the Spheres.

The decision marks a notable shift for the group, who have long spoken openly about their desire to win a Grammy.

In a 2020 interview with Variety, Suga said: “I grew up watching American award shows, so obviously we all know and I know the importance of the Grammys. It’s a dream anyone working in music has.”

RM added that “having the goal of a Grammy, an industry-voted award, motivates us to work harder” and described it as “an eventual goal” for the group.

Two years later, after BTS lost out again at the ceremony, RM told fans during the group’s Permission to Dance On Stage concert in Las Vegas: “We didn’t come to Vegas for the Grammys. We came to Vegas for the ARMYs.”