Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. has responded to the news that K-pop powerhouse BTS will not submit their music for consideration at the forthcoming 2027 Grammy Awards. “I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision,” Mason Jr. wrote on the Grammys' official Instagram page. “We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” they wrote, just over a month after the Recording Academy announced five new Grammy categories, which include best Asian pop music performance. The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia,” he wrote. “Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive,” Mason Jr. said.