BTS Declines to Submit 'Arirang' Album for 2027 Grammy Consideration

All seven members of the South Korean group BTS posted an identical statement on Instagram on July 29, saying they have decided not to submit music from their comeback album Arirang for the 2027 Grammy Awards. The members added that they hope music will be appreciated without division by region or language and thanked their fans.

The decision appears to target the Recording Academy’s new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which requires a "meaningful use" of an Asian language. BTS noted that both region and language criteria influence their choice, even though their recent English-language single "Swim" would not qualify for the new category.

Arirang, released in March 2026 after the members completed mandatory military service, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 641,000 units, the largest opening week for a group album in over a decade. The group has previously received five Grammy nominations, including three consecutive nods in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category.

"We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year," the Instagram post read.

The boycott arrives amid broader criticism of the new category, with some observers arguing it could confine Asian acts to a subcategory and limit their eligibility for higher-profile General Field awards. The Recording Academy has not yet responded to BTS’s statement.