The Grammys have long been considered music’s most prestigious — and sometimes polarizing — awards. So when the Recording Academy announced over the summer that it would be introducing a new category celebrating best Asian pop music performance, the scale of the music world’s divided response to it was arguably par for the course.
That said, it’s definitely the biggest topic of Grammy conversation going into the 2027 awards, which will take place on Feb. 7 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. So what happened?
Despite the attention to the new category peaking when BTS announced that it would not be submitting music for consideration this year — despite having a massive year with three-week Billboard 200-topping comeback album ARIRANG — the launch of best Asian pop music performance actually came more than a month prior. Everything that followed, from Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.’s responses to other acts voicing opinions for and against the category, unfolded gradually with careful consideration from all parties over time. It was only after the submission window opened in July that the Bangtan Boys shared their perspective that recognizing Asian artists in a separate category could be seen as divisive.
By the time first round voting opened on Oct. 12, however, the academy had announced its intention to move forward with the new addition, arguing that it gives more artists the opportunity for Grammy recognition while emphasizing that Asian artists are still free to also compete in the general categories. That doesn’t mean the discussion isn’t ongoing, though — and as we approach the unveiling of the nominees in each category, best Asian pop music performance included, Billboard is keeping track of the timeline of events as they happen.
Keep reading to see a timeline of the best Asian pop category controversy below.
