BTS will not submit their fifth studio album, Arirang, for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, the group announced, stating that they want the music to be appreciated rather than defined by region or language.
The announcement, shared as identical statements on each member’s Instagram Stories, follows the Recording Academy’s introduction of the new Asian Pop Performance category for the upcoming Grammy cycle. All seven members, RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, confirmed they would not enter any of their music for Grammy consideration this year.
“I hope the music itself can be heard and loved rather than being distinguished by region and language. Thank you to the ARMY and everyone for always being with me,” the statement read.
Released in March, Arirang debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, South Korea’s Circle Album Chart, Japan’s Oricon Albums Chart, Germany’s Official Albums Chart, and the UK Official Albums Chart. Its lead single, “SWIM,” became BTS’ seventh No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and nearly every track from the album entered that chart.
The group’s decision to forgo a Grammy campaign signals a desire to keep attention on the music rather than on regional or language-based award classifications. The move is likely to fuel ongoing discussions within the music industry about representation and how non-English-language artists are recognized at major global awards.
