The 2027 Grammy race is already seeing a notable K-pop absence. After BTS announced that they would not submit their music for consideration, Stray Kids have now followed suit, leaving two of the biggest names in the genre out of the awards’ submission process.
Stray Kids skip Grammy 2027 submission
Stray Kids will not be in contention at the 69th Grammy Awards after the group did not submit any music before the August 21 deadline. Their agency, JYP Entertainment, confirmed the decision in a brief statement, saying, "Stray Kids did not submit any work to the Grammys."
The agency has not publicly given a reason for the decision and has also not confirmed whether the move is connected to the Grammys’ newly introduced Asian Pop category. Under Grammy rules, recordings that are not formally submitted cannot proceed to the nomination process or appear on the voting ballot.
The decision comes after Stray Kids recently achieved another US No. 1 album. Interestingly, all eight members — Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin and I.N — were invited to become Recording Academy voting members this year. This means they can participate in selecting nominees and winners even though their own music is not competing.
BTS had already opted out
Stray Kids’ decision follows BTS, who announced in July that they would not submit their music for consideration at the 2027 Grammys. The announcement came after the Recording Academy unveiled its new Asian Pop Music Performance category.
All seven BTS members — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — shared the same message through their individual Instagram accounts.
Their statement read: “We have decided not to submit for Grammy consideration this year. We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. We thank ARMY and everyone who has always stood by us.”
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What is the new Asian Pop category?
The controversy comes against the backdrop of a major change at the Recording Academy. For the 69th Grammy Awards, the organisation introduced the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, one of five new awards taking effect for the 2027 ceremony.
According to the Recording Academy, the category is intended to recognise artistic excellence in Asian pop music originating from or widely recognised within Asian markets, including K-pop, J-pop and C-pop.
Eligible recordings must make meaningful use of at least one Asian language. Songs performed entirely in English are not eligible for this category, although they can remain eligible in other appropriate Grammy categories.
The new category has received mixed reactions. Supporters see it as a dedicated space for Asian pop industries that have expanded significantly on the global stage, while critics have questioned whether creating a separate category could further divide Asian music from the wider pop field. BTS’ statement about wanting music to be heard without being “divided by region or language” has added to that wider debate.
For now, neither BTS nor Stray Kids has explicitly said that the new category was the reason for their decision. The Recording Academy, meanwhile, has defended the category following BTS’ announcement.
The 69th Grammy Awards is scheduled for February 7, 2027, with the nominations set to determine which artists will compete across the newly expanded list of categories.
