BTS Pulls “Arirang” From 2026 Grammys Over New Asian Pop Category
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 9
BTS Pulls “Arirang” From 2026 Grammys Over New Asian Pop Category
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 9
Summary
BTS withdrew its album “Arirang” from Grammy consideration, calling the new Asian Pop Music Performance category a divisive label rather than recognition.
The group said music should be judged “for what it is,” while many fans see the category as a way to steer K-pop acts away from top prizes like Album, Record and Song of the Year.
The Recording Academy now has about 100 categories, up from 28 in 1959, and critics argue such expansion often mirrors old industry habits of separating artists by race, region or market.
That matters because “pop” still carries the most commercial and cultural weight—shaping awards, airplay, bookings, endorsements and promotion far beyond the Grammys.