Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. speaks out after BTS decline to submit for 2027 awards

Mason says BTS' decision is respected and clarifies the new Asian Pop category does not limit Grammy eligibility

Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. has responded after BTS announced they would not submit their music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, saying he was disappointed by the decision while stressing that the Recording Academy's new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category was created to broaden recognition rather than separate artists.

In a statement, Mason said, “I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision.”

He added, “I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation. The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia. The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists. More categories mean more artists’ work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.”

Mason also said, “I also want to be very clear: submitting music in a genre category such as Asian Pop, or Jazz or Country does not exclude an artist from also submitting and being considered in the General Field categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year. Those categories remain open to any eligible recording, regardless of genre. Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive. An artist can absolutely pursue both.”

All seven BTS members — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook — shared the same statement on Instagram, “We have decided not to submit for Grammy consideration this year. We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. We thank Army and everyone who has always stood by us.”

The announcement came just over a month after the Recording Academy introduced the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.

BTS have previously received Grammy nominations, including for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video, but have yet to win an award.

The group joins a number of high-profile artists, including Drake, Jay-Z and the Weeknd, who have previously chosen to opt out of the Grammy Awards process over concerns about fairness.