Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. has issued a lengthy response after BTS announced they wouldn’t be submitting their music for Grammy consideration this year, giving his support to the group over their decision while also addressing critique toward the organization’s newly-created best Asian pop music performance category.
“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. “I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation. The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia. The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists.”
BTS first announced their decision on Tuesday night, sharing posts on Instagram where they said they “hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.”
The move came just over a month after the Recording Academy first introduced its new Asian pop category, which, per the Academy, “recognizes artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, including but not limited to K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, with meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. Awards are presented to the performing artist(s).”
The award had received a mixed response from fans, with some arguing the award could keep Asian acts from getting properly recognized in the general categories. In his statement, Mason Jr. said the genre categories don’t”exclude an artist from also submitting and being considered in the General Field.”
“Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive,” Mason Jr. said. “An artist can absolutely pursue both.”
Mason Jr. further wrote that the Academy adds new categories “never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.”
“The Grammy organization is here to serve music and all the people who make it,” Mason Jr. wrote. “As we continue to expand the reach, our membership and our awards, regardless of geography or language, I want to emphasize that we will continue to listen to the global music community and work to honor and celebrate all the artists whose music moves the world.”
BTS isn’t the first act to rebuke the Grammys, as other major stars including The Weeknd, Drake and Morgan Wallen have all decided in recent years not to have their music considered as well.
Read Mason Jr.’s full statement below:
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.
I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation. The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia. The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists. More categories mean more artists’ work is recognized. It’s never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.
I also want to be very clear: submitting music in a genre category such as Asian Pop, or Jazz or Country does not exclude an artist from also submitting and being considered in the General Field categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year. Those categories remain open to any eligible recording, regardless of genre. Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive. An artist can absolutely pursue both.
The Grammy organization is here to serve music and all the people who make it. As we continue to expand the reach, our membership and our awards, regardless of geography or language, I want to emphasize that we will continue to listen to the global music community and work to honor and celebrate all the artists whose music moves the world.”
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