Grammys Keep New Asian Pop Category for 2027 as First-Round Voting Opens Oct. 12
The Recording Academy confirmed on October 1 that the new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category will go ahead unchanged at the 69th Grammy Awards on February 7, 2027. The category had faced questions after BTS chose not to submit music in July.
What was decided
In a statement published by Variety on October 1, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said the decision followed listening sessions with leaders of the Asian music community, adding that the Academy was "confident it's the right conclusion for the music community overall."
According to reports, BTS announced on July 29 that they would not submit music for the 2027 awards, and Stray Kids also did not enter before the August 21 deadline.
What qualifies
Pop singles or tracks originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop
Meaningful use of one or more Asian languages; isolated words or ad-libs do not count
Songs entirely in English are not eligible in this category but can enter others
Eligibility is based on musical style, not the performer's nationality or ethnicity
The award goes to the performing artist
Dates ahead
Oct. 12–22: first-round voting
Nov. 16: nominations announced
Dec. 10 – Jan. 7, 2027: final-round voting
Feb. 7, 2027: 69th Grammy Awards on ABC, Disney+ and Hulu
The GAJ view
For Japan, the category means Japanese-language songs can be judged as they are, without being translated into English. Entry still comes first: the same requirements apply as in other categories, including commercial availability in the US and an ISRC.
Final voting decisions belong to each voting member. Rules, deadlines and fees change every year; always check grammy.com before applying or submitting.
Sources: GRAMMY.com, new categories and rule updates for 2027 / GRAMMY.com, Grammy 101 / Music Business Worldwide
Published by BRUSH MUSIC Inc. / G Association Japan (GAJ)
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