Stray Kids Join BTS in Boycotting 2027 Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are facing serious pushback from the global music industry's biggest powerhouses. Chart-topping band Stray Kids have officially pulled out of consideration for the 2027 ceremony, joining fellow South Korean juggernauts BTS in taking a firm stand against the Recording Academy's newest category additions. Record label JYP Entertainment confirmed the stance in a brief public update, revealing that the global group chose not to put forward any of their music for eligibility. While the management team kept its official commentary extremely concise, industry insiders view the decision as a direct reaction to controversial structural changes set for the upcoming awards cycle.

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The global music community was thrown into intense debate following the announcement of the Asian Pop Music Performance category, slated to debut at the 2027 ceremony. Intended to honor artistic achievements in Asian pop music originating from regional markets, the new award mandates the meaningful inclusion of an Asian language. However, critics argue that placing global hitmakers into a separate genre bucket runs the risk of side-lining major international acts from general field categories such as Record or Album of the Year. Stray Kids recently proved their massive commercial dominance once again by soaring to the top of the charts with their album *This and That*, while building huge momentum with hits like "Lose My Breath." Yet despite their colossal streaming numbers and arena-selling reach, the group chose to forego Grammy submissions completely instead of navigating the controversial new category setup.

BUZZBEAT

The group is not the first K-pop act to take a hard pass on the prestigious American ceremony. Global icons BTS originally launched the boycott movement, opting to keep their entire discography out of the running for the annual event. In an earlier statement, the group noted that they had decided against submitting their creative work, signaling widespread frustration over how Asian musicians are categorized by major Western awards bodies. With two of the world's highest-selling groups refusing to participate, the Recording Academy finds itself under heightened scrutiny regarding diversity and representation. As the 2027 awards season approaches, the absence of K-pop's biggest global ambassadors threatens to cast a long shadow over the proceedings.