The 2026 Grammy nominations are finally here, and BLACKPINK’s Rosé has just shattered the glass ceiling. Thanks to her global smash “APT.,” a high-energy collaboration with Bruno Mars, Rosé is officially the first solo K-pop artist to land a nomination for Record of the Year. This isn’t just any nod—it’s one of the Recording Academy’s “Big Four” prizes.
Rosé didn’t just stop at one category, though. She secured a massive triple-threat for the 2026 ceremony:
- Record of the Year
- Song of the Year
- Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Some say the Bruno Mars collab was a strategic masterstroke. It probably was. While BTS paved the way with multiple nominations in previous years, Rosé’s entry into the “Big Four” marks a new peak for the genre’s mainstream respect. Still, she earned this on her own merit.
The Cultural Power of “APT.”
The success of “APT.” goes way beyond the charts. By turning a traditional Korean drinking game into a viral earworm, Rosé built a perfect cultural bridge. The track blends K-pop sensibilities with Western pop gloss so seamlessly that the Recording Academy simply couldn’t look away anymore. It dominated social media for months. Now, it’s a Grammy contender.
Katseye Joins the Best New Artist Race
The K-pop excitement doesn’t end with Rosé. Global girl group Katseye has snagged a nomination for Best New Artist. This is a huge win for the “global group” model. Developed through the HYBE x Geffen partnership, Katseye was designed for the Western market from day one. Their nomination suggests the Academy is finally warming up to this new, hybrid idol format.
The “Hybrid K-pop” Debate
But not everyone is purely celebrating. A debate is currently brewing among fans and industry experts. Is the Academy actually embracing K-pop, or just the “Americanized” versions of it? Some skeptics on Reddit argue that these nominations favor artists backed by massive U.S. labels like Atlantic and Geffen.
“The majority of these nominations strike me more as a de-territorialized, hybrid idea of K-pop… the song does not feel like a localized K-pop production.” — Areum Jeong, Assistant Professor of Korean Studies.
Snapshot: 2026 Grammy Nominations for K-pop
- Rosé & Bruno Mars: “APT.” (Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance)
- Katseye: Best New Artist
- HUNTR/X: “Golden” (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance)
- Jennie ft. Dua Lipa: “Handlebars” (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance)
While BLINKs are out in full force celebrating, some critics are being less than kind. There’s been plenty of misogynistic chatter claiming Rosé only got here because of the “Bruno Mars factor.” However, the consensus remains clear: this is a historic shift for idols on the world’s biggest stage.
Will 2026 be the year a K-pop artist finally takes home a trophy? All eyes are on the Academy to see if this “hybrid” era finally breaks the ultimate glass ceiling.
