In a surprising turn of events at the upcoming 66th Grammy Awards, prominent K-Pop artists including BTS, Stray Kids, and other notable groups were notably absent from the list of nominees. This development, announced via a live stream on November 11 by the American Recording Academy, has raised questions and left many fans disappointed.
BTS, who had previously been focusing on solo projects due to their military hiatus, submitted individual albums and songs for categories such as Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Music Video, Best Pop Vocal Album, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. Despite their efforts, they failed to secure a nomination. This outcome is particularly striking given BTS's history of nominations for hits like "Dynamite," "Butter," and their collaboration "My Universe" with Coldplay, marking three consecutive years of Grammy nods.
The absence of BTS and other K-Pop groups such as Stray Kids, TWICE, Tomorrow X Together, and NewJeans from the nominations is notable, especially considering their achievements on the Billboard 200 chart. Reports from AP highlighted that these groups had released chart-topping songs eligible for Grammy nominations, yet they were overlooked.
Stray Kids
This year's Grammy nominations have been characterized by a strong showing from female solo artists. Singer-songwriter SZA has been nominated in several categories, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and R&B Performance for her song "Kill Bill," along with nominations for her album "SOS" in Album of the Year and Progressive R&B categories. In total, SZA has received nine nominations.
NewJeans
Other female solo artists like Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Victoria Monét, have also secured nominations across various categories. This significant representation of women in the nominations has been viewed positively by The New York Times, which noted that the Grammy Awards had previously faced criticism for not adequately rewarding female artists. This year's diverse array of female nominees marks a welcome shift and suggests progress in addressing these concerns.
The Grammy Awards' apparent snub of K-Pop artists, especially groups that have made considerable global impact and have a massive fan following, continues to stir conversation about the inclusivity and representation within the prestigious music awards. As the anticipation for the February 4 event builds, the absence of K-Pop giants like BTS from the nominee list remains a topic of discussion and analysis in the music industry.
