BTS Snubs Grammys Over 'Divided' Music

BTS is sitting out the Grammys. The K-pop group said Wednesday it won't submit any music for the 69th Grammy Awards, a decision widely viewed as a rebuke of the Recording Academy's new Asian pop category, per the Korea Times. In a joint statement posted to all seven members' Instagram Stories, BTS said it wants music to be "heard and loved as music itself, rather than being divided by region or language."

The move comes after a blockbuster year: the group's fifth studio album, ARIRANG, and its single "Swim" both debuted at No. 1 in the US. The group had been expected to compete in major Grammy categories, including album of the year and song of the year, per the BBC, but "Swim" would not have qualified for best Asian pop music performance because it's sung in English. The new Grammy category has drawn criticism from those who see it as separating Asian artists from the top general awards. BTS has three past Grammy nominations but no wins.