Grammys confirm Asian pop category will go ahead in 2027
The Best Asian Pop Music Performance award will go ahead at the 2027 Grammys exactly as planned.
The Recording Academy confirmed the decision on Oct. 1, 11 days before first-round voting opens for next year's ceremony, ending weeks of speculation about whether the new category would be changed or paused Billboard.
First-round voting runs from Oct. 12 to Oct. 22. That vote decides the final nominees.
Nominees will be announced on Nov. 16. Final-round voting to choose the winners runs from Dec. 10 to Jan. 7, ahead of the 69th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 7.
The debate has been loud. Over the past two months, the Academy said it brought together its board of trustees and its awards and nominations committee with artists, executives and industry leaders representing the Asian music community.
Academy chief executive Harvey Mason Jr. said the organisation held listening sessions and dialogue with leaders of the Asian music community over the past several weeks. He said the Academy heard candid feedback from people who oppose keeping the category, and from others who did not have accurate information about how it would work.
The loudest feedback, he said, came from enthusiastic supporters, including fellow music creators who encouraged the Academy to keep the category in place.
The Academy cited that feedback, alongside what it described as a robust number of submissions, as evidence of broad-based support. It said the category, like the other 99 categories on the ballot for the 2027 Grammys, remains subject to review.
It also said it has opened an ongoing dialogue about how the category's rules and eligibility requirements can evolve over time.
The category was first announced on June 16 as one of five new additions for the 2027 Grammys. On July 29, BTS said it would not submit its recordings for consideration in protest against the new award, arguing that Asian pop should compete in the main categories.
For fans, this means the new race will be tested in public. Entries have already been submitted, voters will now decide the first shortlist, and the response to that list will shape the next argument.
As defined by the Academy, the award recognises artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognised within Asian markets Grammy.com. It covers styles including J-pop, Mandopop and K-pop, and is for singles or tracks only, vocal performances only.
