New Grammy category could boost BTS’ chances of first win

SEOUL – BTS may be closer than ever to winning its first Grammy Award after the Recording Academy on June 16 announced the introduction of five new categories beginning with the 2027 ceremony, including a category dedicated to Asian pop music.

Among the additions is Best Asian Pop Music Performance, a category created to recognise outstanding performances in Asian pop music by artists from Asia or those recognised within Asian music markets.

The new award immediately positions BTS as a leading contender, given the group’s global commercial success and influence.

Few Asian acts currently rival BTS in terms of chart performance, touring scale or international visibility. The group recently became the first K-pop act to win artist of the year at the American Music Awards for a second time and remains one of the most commercially successful acts to emerge from Asia.

However, a key eligibility requirement could affect which BTS songs are submitted.

According to the Recording Academy, entries must make “meaningful use” of at least one Asian language. The academy said an Asian language must play a significant enough role to be clearly identifiable within the recording, and bilingual or multilingual songs must feature a substantial use of the language to qualify.

That requirement would likely make BTS’ English-language single Swim, the main track from the group’s fifth studio album Arirang, ineligible for the category.

Instead, industry observers expect Hybe and BTS to consider Korean-language album tracks for submission. Body To Body has been cited as a potential candidate due to its Korean lyrics and performance-oriented production.

The Recording Academy said eligible recordings should reflect musical characteristics often associated with Asian pop, including genre-blending arrangements, layered production techniques and dynamic structural transitions that support both the audio recording and live performance elements.

BTS’ reputation for intricate production and large-scale performance could strengthen its position in the category.

At the same time, Hybe is expected to continue pursuing major general-field and pop categories with Swim, which has been the album’s biggest commercial success. A submission to categories such as best pop duo/group performance would likely place the group against significantly stronger competition.

Among the early favourites frequently mentioned by awards commentators and prediction forums are Stateside by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, as well as The Life Of A Showgirl by Taylor Swift featuring Sabrina Carpenter.

Music critic Lim Hee-yun said the new category substantially improves BTS’ chances of finally securing a Grammy, even if the group’s prospects in the major general-field categories remain challenging.

“BTS’ chances of winning will become higher because they would be competing within the Asian music sphere,” Lim said.

“And while it may not be one of the general-field awards, for many Koreans, what matters is winning a Grammy itself. Winning one of the major categories is never easy.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK