The Grammys recently announced five new award categories that will be added to the ceremony, which will take place on February 7, 2027.
These new categories were added “as part of the Grammys’ annual process of accepting proposals from the music creators and professionals who make up its membership body, and its ongoing commitment to reflecting today’s dynamic musical landscape.”
One of these new categories is for “Best Asian Pop Music Performance.” Explaining the category, The Grammys wrote:
This Category recognizes artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets, including but not limited to K-pop, J-pop and C-pop, with meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. Awards are presented to the performing artist(s).
While some online welcomed the embracing of Asian pop by The Grammys, others saw it as a means of segregating Asian acts from the main categories, something akin to what the show has been accused of doing with African American acts for decades. Some also noted the emphasis on East Asian music, and wondered if Southeast, South, Central, and West Asian acts would be considered. Some also didn’t like how it seemed like the category was limited to strictly pop music, in effect excluding other genres of Asian music.
