The Recording Academy showed Grammys 2024 nominations celebrating the biggest releases and celebrities of the year including Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, but they have failed to give a nod to any K-pop artists. These nominations have disappointed the fans of the genre, particularly BTS, who have reached new heights of fame and success with their solo projects. Let’s explore what this says about the prestigious awards.
Is the Grammys failing at recognizing K-pop’s global impact?
BTS became K-pop’s representative at the prestigious awards in 2021 with a nomination for “Dynamite.” The following year, they received another nomination for their English track “Butter” in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category; Coldplay collaboration track “My Universe” in the same category, and a Best Music Video nomination for “Yet to Come.”
These ignited hope for fans and artists of the Acadamy acknowledging the impact of K-pop on global music. Many other artists including aespa, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, TWICE, NCT, and FIFTY FIFTY submitted their tracks for Best New Artist, Best Music Video, Song of the Year, and the Pop/Duo Group Performance categories.
As a whole K-pop artists filled over forty slots but the genre has been completely shut out from the nominations of Grammys 2024. This includes BTS, who have competed with their members in solo releases and broken records while fulfilling their military duties as citizens of South Korea.
https://twitter.com/KChartstours/status/1723016225104728562?t=QV7rifIbpt9Vatbk2gRUzg&s=19
Jimin’s “Like Crazy” made him the first solo K-pop artist to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Jungkook followed suit with “Seven Ft Latto” which was also appreciated on radio and streaming sites.
Additionally, JIN’s “Astronaut” with Coldplay, J-Hope’s “On The Street” with J.Cole, RM and SUGA’s full-length albums, and V’s double million seller “Layover” were neglected from nominations. This has shocked their fans and K-pop fans in general.
Firstly, it is indisputable that while the rating of the awards was declining they benefitted from the presence of BTS. Secondly, the impact of K-pop on the global music charts has only risen with artists filling arenas and headlining major music shows. In such situations, K-pop artists snubbed acknowledgment highlights the shortcomings of the prestigious awards.
Is the audience losing faith in the Grammys?
The audience is growing tired of The Recording Academy for having the same or below standards of music recognition then contemporary award shows. For decades, Grammys has been credited as the most prestigious awards any artist can attain but their lack of acknowledgment of global music has remained a debatable issue.
Honestly speaking I've never had any expectations from Grammys. Their lack of gender and racial diversity within the winners’ circle as well as a perceived lack of transparency about the nomination process, made me lose all respect for it.
— dokyeommie🌞 (@dokyeomdreamer) November 10, 2023
After years of partially appreciating Black artists, the Academy has added three new categories namely, Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording. Their official announcement claims it is a watershed moment to recognize artists from a multitude of regions and genres.
However, fans believe it is an attempt to lock them in the genre-specific categories to keep them away from the big awards. K-pop fans shared similar sentiments of K-pop artists getting nominations in Billboard and VMA’s genre-specific category. Read some of their reactions to the Grammy nominations and general K-pop’s presence in global award shows below.
https://twitter.com/vtaee/status/1723034405092954458?t=wi7zuVQPYv9FaJV9vqvSzw&s=19
and when grammys makes a k-pop category.. please no
— cy da baby g (@jinsaircon) November 10, 2023
The fact that K-pop albums are never nominated, with the exception of BTS a few years ago, in the "Best Recording Package" category at the #GRAMMYs when K-pop has the best album packaging in the music industry is WILD. Both KEY and Red Velvet were robbed this year.
— Kat (@katwalcott) February 6, 2023
The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on February 4, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The show will crown many celebrated artists but the golden glow of former prestige won’t be as bright this year.
