If other artists from the same affiliation wish to participate, they will proceed as scheduled,” HYBE said, adding that participation in the Grammy Awards remains a decision for each individual artist. The withdrawal came as a surprise to much of the music industry because BTS were seen as strong contenders for several of the ceremony’s top prizes this cycle. Story continues below this adBut the introduction of the Asian pop category complicated the picture. Under Grammy eligibility rules, tracks nominated in the new category must feature what the Academy calls “meaningful use” of an Asian language. Since more than 80 percent of the lyrics on Arirang are in English, the album’s biggest songs would not have qualified for the Asian pop prize.