After BTS Declines 2027 Grammy Submission, Grammy Performance Videos Become Unavailable
By Kpop News
BTS has announced that it will not submit its music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards following the introduction of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category. Shortly after the announcement, fans noticed that the Grammy-hosted performances of "Dynamite" and "Butter" were no longer publicly available, prompting renewed discussion online as the Recording Academy has yet to comment on whether the two events are connected.
BTS
has announced that the group will not submit its music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards following the Recording Academy's introduction of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category. Days later, fans noticed that the group's Grammy-hosted performances of "Dynamite" and "Butter" were no longer publicly available alongside several other performances from the 2020 and 2021 Grammy Awards, prompting renewed discussion online. While the Recording Academy has not commented on whether the two events are related, the timing sparked widespread discussion across social media.
The announcement was shared on the members' individual Instagram Stories on July 29, where the group stated:
"We have decided not to submit an entry to the Grammys this year. We hope that music can be heard and loved for its own sake, rather than being defined by region or language."
Ahead of the 2027 Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy announced the creation of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category. In their statement, BTS
emphasized their belief that music should be recognized based on its artistic merit rather than being separated by geography or language.
HYBE later clarified that BTS
's decision does not represent a company-wide boycott of the Grammy Awards. In a statement, the company said:
"This is not a boycott at the company level… Protect the status and pride of the K-pop industry as a whole."
Following BTS
's announcement, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. released a public statement addressing both the group's decision and the purpose behind the newly introduced category.
He began by saying he was "saddened to hear that BTS
has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year," while adding that he "understands and respects their decision."
Mason explained that the new category was created to recognize the continued growth of Asian pop music, stating:
"The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia."
He also emphasized that artists submitting to the new category would still remain eligible for the Grammy Awards' General Field categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year, noting that the categories are "not mutually exclusive." The Recording Academy has maintained that the new category is intended to expand recognition for Asian pop artists rather than limit their eligibility in other Grammy categories.
Some fans questioned Mason's explanation, pointing to BTS
's previous Grammy history. Despite the group's global commercial success and multiple nominations for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, BTS
has never received a nomination in the General Field categories.
Mason concluded his statement by reiterating the Recording Academy's commitment to recognizing artists from around the world and expanding opportunities for global music.
Shortly after BTS
announced its decision and Mason publicly responded, fans noticed another development. At the time of publication, the Recording Academy-hosted uploads of BTS
's Grammy performances of "Dynamite" and "Butter" were no longer publicly available through the Academy's official platforms. Before becoming unavailable, the performances had accumulated more than 84 million and nearly 90 million views, respectively, making them the second- and third-most viewed Grammy performance videos on YouTube, according to a 2025 ranking by The Yorkshire Post. However, both performances remain available through BTS
's official BangtanTV YouTube channel.
The Recording Academy has not publicly stated whether the videos' unavailability is connected to BTS
's decision not to participate in this year's Grammy submission process.
Although multiple Grammy performance videos from the 2020 and 2021 ceremonies have also been removed from the Recording Academy's official channels, and the Recording Academy has not publicly explained why those performances are no longer available, the timing of BTS
's videos becoming unavailable following the group's announcement quickly drew fans' attention and sparked discussion across social media. Many questioned whether the two events were connected, although the Recording Academy has not publicly indicated that they are related.
BTS
joins a growing list of artists who have publicly criticized or distanced themselves from the Recording Academy in recent years, including The Weeknd, Zayn Malik, Bad Bunny, and Eminem, each citing different concerns surrounding recognition, transparency, or representation within the awards process.
The group's decision marks one of the highest-profile public responses to the Recording Academy's newly introduced Best Asian Pop Music Performance category and has reignited broader conversations about how international artists are recognized within major Western music awards.
While discussions surrounding the new category continue, BTS
's decision has once again placed the conversation around global recognition, representation, and the evolving relationship between international artists and the Grammy Awards at the forefront of the music industry.