The Grammys added a new “Best Asian Pop” award, sparking a huge debate about BTS’s chances for 2027. Now, a Recording Academy member is publicly backing what a lot of ARMY have been saying from day one.
Adam Birson Says BTS Should Be In The Main Fields
In a viral Instagram video, Adam Merter Birson said it would be “insulting” to trap BTS in this new category instead of putting them in the main Grammy races. If fans are going to campaign, they should push for Album of the Year, not for a smaller category that feels like a separate lane.
BTS returned in March 2026 with ARIRANG, their first studio album in six years. The largely Korean-language project debuted with 641,000 equivalent album units in its first week, the biggest opening for a group album in more than a decade. RM also described it as a return to BTS’s roots, built around love, hurt, and nostalgia.
ARMY Reaction Has Been Massive
Across social media, fans are calling the new Grammy category a “separate table.” Others have gone further, calling it racist, xenophobic, and a gatekeeping move meant to keep BTS out of the main fields.
But for many fans, the issue is simple. ARIRANG is not being viewed as a niche regional release. It is being treated like one of 2026’s biggest albums, and ARMY wants the Recording Academy to judge it accordingly.