BTS opts out of Grammys, 'Aliens' hits #1 on global iTunes as Grammy CEO responds

BTS won't submit to this year's Grammys, announced July 29. By the next day, 'Aliens' from their album 'ARIRANG' hit #1 on global iTunes.

By Newsdesk·7/31/2026·1 min read321

BTS announced on July 29 — via individual Instagram posts from all members — that they will not be submitting to the Grammy Awards this year. "We hope music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language," the group wrote.

The announcement came after the Grammys unveiled a new "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category last month. By July 30, Aliens (에일리언스), a track from BTS's fifth studio album ARIRANG, had climbed to number 1 on the global iTunes Top Songs chart.

Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. responded the same day via official SNS. "I was sad to hear the news, but I understand and respect their decision as music creators," he wrote. He also addressed the new category directly: "The Asian Pop category was created to honor the depth, diversity, and excellence of pop art coming from Asia" and "is never meant to divide."

The Aliens rap section by RM includes the line: "Pardon, Kim Gu, tell me how you feel" — a direct address to the late Korean independence activist Kim Gu.

Epik High's Tablo reposted RM's Instagram story with the caption "ARIRANG > Grammy."

BTS has been a voting member of the Recording Academy since 2019. They presented and performed at the 2019 Grammy Awards, then received nominations for three consecutive years starting in 2021. As of July 31, BTS's Dynamite and Butter performance videos were no longer findable on the Grammy official website.

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BTS opts out of Grammys, 'Aliens' hits #1 on global iTunes as Grammy CEO responds

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