STRAY KIDS JOIN BTS IN GRAMMY BOYCOTT OVER ASIAN POP CATEGORY

Stray Kids have confirmed they did not submit any music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, joining fellow K-pop group BTS in withdrawing from the ceremony. The band's label, JYP, issued a short statement saying: "Stray Kids did not submit for the Grammys." Both reports link the decision to the Recording Academy's newly introduced Asian Pop Music Performance category, which recognises what the Academy describes as "artistic excellence" in Asian pop music from Asian markets, requiring meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. Critics have said the category risks separating genres such as K-pop and J-pop from wider recognition, making it easier for voters to overlook such acts for awards including Album of the Year. BTS announced their own withdrawal in July, saying they hoped their music could "be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language."

Stray Kids had previously avoided giving a direct answer on the awards. During an August press conference for their album "This and That", member Hwang Hyun-jin said the group had "never once set award results or records as our goal," adding that their priority was for fans to be "happy and satisfied." All eight members of Stray Kids were granted voting privileges at the Grammys earlier this year, as were BTS members, giving added weight to their decision to withdraw. Stray Kids recently scored their ninth US number one album and headlined the Governor's Ball festival in New York alongside Lorde and A$AP Rocky; only The Beatles have recorded more number one albums.

Grammys chief Harvey Mason Jr confirmed hours before Stray Kids' announcement that the new category would proceed at the 2027 ceremony as planned. He said the Recording Academy had held listening sessions and dialogue with leaders of the Asian music community, adding: "We heard candid feedback from people in our community who don't support the continuation of this category." Despite that feedback, Mason Jr gave no indication the category would be altered or withdrawn.