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. They noted that there is no equivalent Grammy category grouping British, French, German, and Italian performers together as “European pop.” Asian artists were being grouped by continental origin and the use of Asian languages, regardless of the substantial cultural and musical differences among them. The new Asian pop category therefore appeared less like the removal of a barrier than the construction of a more decorative one.