Rabat – Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, issued a statement on Wednesday following BTS’ announcement that they will not submit any work for the 2027 Grammy Awards, saying he was “saddened” by the group’s decision but respected their position as fellow musicians.

“I am saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator myself, I understand and respect their decision,” Mason said.

His statement comes after the seven-member K-pop group revealed that they would not enter their highly anticipated reunion album, “ARIRANG,” for Grammy consideration. 

The announcement, shared simultaneously by RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook on their individual Instagram accounts, argued that music should be recognized on its artistic merit rather than divided by region or language.

Although Mason did not directly address the band’s criticism, he defended the Academy’s recently introduced Best Asian Pop Recording category, stressing that it was designed to expand recognition rather than separate artists.

According to Mason, the category was created to celebrate the “depth, diversity, and extraordinary growth” of Asian pop music and to give more artists the opportunity to be acknowledged by the Recording Academy’s roughly 15,000 voting members.

He also clarified that submitting a recording in a genre-specific category does not prevent artists from competing in the Grammys’ General Field categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year.

“Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the General Field are not mutually exclusive,” Mason said, adding that artists remain eligible for both.

The Recording Academy executive concluded by reaffirming the organization’s commitment to honoring music regardless of language or geography, saying it will continue listening to the global music community as it expands its awards.

The exchange follows renewed debate over how international artists are recognized at the Grammys, particularly after the introduction of the Asian pop category prompted criticism from some fans and artists who argue that regional classifications risk separating global acts from the ceremony’s top honors.

Ironically, Mason and BTS share a similar Grammy record. 

While Mason did not mention it in his statement, both he and the group have received five Grammy nominations without securing a win. 

Mason’s nominations came as a producer and songwriter on projects including Justin Timberlake’s “Justified,” “Dreamgirls,” “Pitch Perfect 2,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” Live in Concert, and Toni Braxton’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough.” 

Meanwhile, BTS remains one of the most-nominated groups never to have won a Grammy despite multiple nominations in recent years.