Grammys 2027 and the New Asian Pop Category: Why BTS and Stray Kids Opted Out
K-pop stations picked for you
What happened
For the 2027 Grammys the Recording Academy introduced a new category, Asian Pop Music Performance. It is meant to honour pop music from Asian markets, and eligible songs must make meaningful use of one or more Asian languages.
On paper it looks like recognition: K-pop, J-pop and other Asian scenes get their own spot at America's biggest music award. The reaction, however, has been mixed.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
BTS and Stray Kids sit it out
BTS were the first to announce their decision: the group did not submit any music. They said they want their music to be heard and loved for itself, beyond regions or languages.
On 2 October 2026, JYP Entertainment confirmed that Stray Kids had not submitted for the Grammys either. The statement gave no reason, but many connect the decision to the new category.
The arguments
Critics worry the separate award could become a ghetto: it might make it easier for voters to honour Asian artists in a special category while overlooking them in the main ones, such as Album of the Year.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. acknowledged the criticism but said the category will go ahead at the next ceremony. According to him, the loudest feedback came from supporters, and he admitted the decision "will not satisfy everyone".
Submissions for the 2027 Grammys ran from 7 July to 28 August 2026. The ceremony is scheduled for 7 February 2027.
Illustration: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where to listen to K-pop online
While the industry argues about categories, listeners just press play. The Radio Finder catalogue has stations dedicated entirely to K-pop and Asian pop:
- Listen.moe Kpop – a fan-run station with non-stop K-pop.
- REYFM #kpop – the K-pop channel of Germany's REYFM network.
- juka radio kpop – another European stream of Korean hits.
- SBS PopAsia – Australian broadcaster SBS's channel for pop from Korea, Japan, China and across Asia.
- Generación Kpop – a station from Lima, showing how popular K-pop is in Latin America.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Whether the new category turns out to be recognition or a limitation, February's ceremony will tell. For listeners the answer is simpler: good music doesn't need to be sorted by region.
Sources: NME, Billboard, Rolling Stone.