Stray Kids Join BTS in Boycotting 2027 Grammy Awards Over New Asian Pop Category
South Korean group Stray Kids will not submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, joining BTS in boycotting the event.
In Brief
- •South Korean group Stray Kids will not submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, joining BTS in boycotting the event.
- •Record label JYP confirmed Stray Kids opted not to submit entries following the Recording Academy's creation of an Asian pop category.
- •Critics and artists argue the new award segregates Asian musicians and restricts them from main categories, with language rules excluding English releases.
- •Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr confirmed the category will move forward at the 2027 ceremony after conducting listening sessions.
Why It Matters
The decision by two of K-pop's largest global groups to boycott the Grammys highlights rising resistance from international artists against traditional Western award structures. By withholding submissions, both groups are using their commercial leverage and voting membership within the Recording Academy to oppose categories they consider exclusionary. The protest reflects wider ongoing debates about geographic and linguistic segregation in music awards, drawing comparisons to past critiques regarding Latin music categories where artists argued specialized awards limited their access to major honors like Album of the Year.
Key Details
- Boycotting Groups
- Stray Kids, BTS
- Controversial Category
- Asian Pop Music
- Target Event
- 2027 Grammy Awards Ceremony
- Stray Kids US Chart Record
- 9 Number-One Albums
- Language Requirement
- Meaningful use of an Asian language
Context & Background
The Recording Academy introduced the Asian pop music category in June following the Grammy victory of 'Golden' from 'K-pop Demon Hunters' earlier in the year. However, the rule requiring songs to make 'meaningful use' of an Asian language effectively excluded prominent English-language tracks by major acts such as BTS and Blackpink, intensifying debate over how global pop music is recognized.
What To Watch
The 2027 Grammy Awards ceremony, where the Recording Academy plans to introduce the newly created Asian pop music category.
Original Reporting & Sources
VNews is an independent briefing product. Original reporting remains credited to the following publishers:
This brief was synthesized automatically using attributed third-party reporting. VNews is a digital news publication produced under the VContent Group brand and operated by Francis Vincent Sunday in Ghana, independent from the publishers cited above. Read our AI Transparency Policy and Editorial & Corrections Policy.