Stray Kids do not submit music for 2027 Grammys amid Asian pop category debate

Stray Kids did not submit music for the 2027 Grammy Awards, their label JYP Entertainment confirmed on 2 October. The decision leaves the South Korean group outside consideration for the awards in Los Angeles next February and follows BTS’s earlier decision not to enter. Stray Kids and JYP have not said why they did not submit.

JYP told South Korea’s Ilgan Sports: ‘Stray Kids did not submit for the Grammys.’ Newsis separately reported, citing the label and music industry sources, that the group had registered no entry for the 69th awards. A recording that is not submitted cannot be considered for a nomination, Newsis reported.

What Stray Kids have said about the Grammys

The label’s statement confirms the result, but gives no explanation for it. Describing the decision as a protest against the Recording Academy’s new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category would go beyond what Stray Kids or JYP have said. The category debate provides context for the announcement; it does not establish the group’s motive.

At a press conference for the group’s album This and That in August, member Hwang Hyun-jin said the band had never made award results or records its goal. Its priority was for fans to be happy and satisfied, he said, according to the BBC. Those remarks were made before JYP confirmed the non-submission and did not directly answer why the group would skip this Grammy cycle.

How the new Asian pop Grammy category works

The Recording Academy announced Best Asian Pop Music Performance in June as one of five new categories for the 69th Grammy Awards. Its published description covers Asian pop performances originating from, or widely recognised within, Asian markets. It names K-pop, J-pop and C-pop as examples and requires meaningful use of at least one Asian language.

The award is for a performance, with the prize presented to the performing artist or artists. The Academy said its members and trustees saw a need for a category that reflected Asian pop’s scale, artistry and global reach. Its stated purpose is recognition, although the language condition has become a focus of criticism.

Critics worry that a separate regional prize could push Asian artists away from recognition in major categories such as album or song of the year, the BBC reported. The language requirement has also prompted objections. The Academy’s published category description establishes the condition, but it does not show how particular recordings will fare when entries are assessed.

How BTS’s earlier decision differs

BTS announced in July that it would not submit music for the 2027 Grammys. The members said they wanted their music to be heard and loved for what it is, rather than divided by region or language, according to reporting cited by the BBC and Ilgan Sports. Unlike Stray Kids, BTS offered a public explanation for its decision, although that statement did not explicitly name the new award.

The distinction matters when comparing the two groups. Both will be absent from consideration after choosing not to submit. Only BTS has publicly connected its decision to the broader question of dividing music by region or language. Stray Kids’ statement, as reported by Ilgan Sports, says only that no entry was made.

The BBC reported that BTS had received five Grammy nominations before its decision to sit out the 2027 awards, without winning. Its absence and Stray Kids’ non-submission place two prominent K-pop groups outside this year’s competition while the Academy presses ahead with the new category.

What the Recording Academy says happens next

Recording Academy chief executive Harvey Mason Jr said the organisation had held listening sessions with leaders in the Asian music community. In comments reported by the BBC, he acknowledged opposition to continuing the award and said the Academy had also heard strong support. That is the Academy’s account of the feedback; the cited statement did not identify participants or provide a count of responses.