GRAMMY Bows to Pressure From a K-Pop Group for the First Time: BTS prompts a Category Overhaul
At the end of last month, BTS's decision to withdraw from the Grammys sent shockwaves through the global media, accompanied by a firm message: "Music can be heard and loved as music itself, rather than being divided by region or language." The boycott immediately reignited a controversy that had already been simmering, placing the Grammys at the center of criticism over allegations that the "Asian Pop" category was being used to isolate and discriminate against Asian artist. The Recording Academy began associating BTS with the concept of "Asian Pop Music" during the early planning stages of the new category. What they did not expect was or BTS to openly boycott it, ultimately throwing their entire plan into disarray. Ironically they seemed to have little choice but to resort to retaliatory measures, such as removing BTS videos from the GRAMMY homepage or issuing statements that fans described as hollow and entirely unconvincing. Finally, after more t...