Since the Recording Academy announced the creation of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, it has faced widespread criticism over what many describe as the GRAMMYs' long-standing "Western-centric" mindset, confining K-pop within the boundaries of Asian music while protecting the major awards reserved for mainstream αмєяι¢αn pop.
The controversy reached its peak when all seven BTS members υиєχρє¢тє∂ly announced that they would not submit their music for consideration at the 69th GRAMMY Awards. Not only fans, but also numerous artists and industry experts publicly voiced their support for the group's decision.
In response to the backlash, the Recording Academy insisted that the new category was not created for any specific artist but rather to "celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia". CEO Harvey Mason Jr. emphasized that artists who submit to this category remain fully eligible to compete in the General Field, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.
Meanwhile, Zeena Koda, a member of the Golden Music Alliance Advisory Committee, stated that the category was designed to bring greater attention to Asian artists who have yet to receive widespread recognition—not global superstars like BTS. She also expressed disappointment that BTS's public rejection had left many people who worked to establish the category as part of broader awards reform feeling dismissed and disrespected.
However, a recent discovery by the ARMY community is now being cited by some fans as evidence that these explanations were merely empty damage control. According to their claims, the Recording Academy had already been laying the groundwork months in advance by labeling BTS as an Asian Pop Artist and seemingly positioning the group for the new category!
Specifically, some fans recently discovered that around May 2026—nearly one month before the Recording Academy officially announced the Asian Pop categories—the official BTS biography on the GRAMMY website was quietly updated.
Previously, the group's biography simply highlighted BTS as the first K-pop act to receive a GRAMMY nomination with the нιт song "Dynamite." However, following the update, the following sentence was added: "BTS also became the first K-pop act to receive Grammy nominations, ultimately earning five Grammy nominations, a milestone that reshaped how the Western music industry views кσяєαn-language music and Asian pop artists."
The discoveries did not stop there. Fans also found that when searching the keyword "Asian" on the official GRAMMY website, BTS is the only prominent result that appears. This has further convinced many that the Recording Academy had already begun αѕѕociating BTS with the concept of "Asian Pop" during the planning stage of the new category. According to these fans, what the Academy never anticipated was BTS refusing to submit their music, ultimately derailing the entire plan and leading to what they believe were retaliatory actions, such as removing BTS videos from the GRAMMY homepage.
Based on these findings, many fans insist that "RA has already decided a selection on that category. It shows it's 100% rigged before even the submission since BTS never send it." Some have reacted even more strongly, arguing that "it's time to compile a comprehensive dossier and submit it to the FTC and request an investigation into potential conflicts of interest and anti-competitive practices surrounding the GRAMMYs."
Meanwhile, one fan commented on the situation, writing: "They needed BTS to win because they were going to used them to create the Asian Grammy, just like they did the Latin Grammy. After all, who can be used as the face of those awards than the biggest group ever. With everything that’s been found about who’s who behind that decision, it’s clear the long game they been playing," a remark that has received widespread support online.
Discussions surrounding ARMYs' latest discovery are currently gaining significant traction, including:
- Are there no more Asian artists in the Grammy website that BTS are the only ones that appear when you search it? What about Olivia and Bruno? I thought they were Asians
- They can’t bother to be inclusive on their website but they think creating an Asian category is what will make them look good. If they can’t even do the least recognition, what makes yall think they had good intentions? Dumbarses all of them
- Also a funny observation is that they didn’t add “asian pop album” category like how there is best pop song and best pop album or literally any other “genre” category
- Well well well, this is why there's a saying you don't count your chickens before they hatch, cause I believe they really don't predict tannies to pull that statement, learning over years how they desired the grams. Now everything crumbles and they lose not 1, but 7 golden swan.
- Where is that zeena anaconda who ranted saying Asian pop is not for BTS?? They had everything prepared to box them in that category
- Keep going ARMY, digging Moreeeeeeee! Those people are sooo ∂ιяту in secret and everything else
- "You walk like a duck, вιт¢н!" Armys clocked it as ŕäċïṩṃ from miles away and kpoppies are still jumping through hula hoops trying to say this sh!t is normal
- In кσяєα, you know they’re not calling BTS Asian pop artists. The term Asian really creates a border cross over.
- This is infuriating, but at the same time I am having a blast with their scrambling, shows how much power BTS have in the industry
- Music is universal. You can't divide it by language or country, get that through your heads. That's why you're яα¢ιѕт. @RecordingAcad
