Recording Academy Adds Five New Grammy Categories, Including Best Asian Pop Music Performance
On Tuesday, June 12 2026, the Recording Academy announced that the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, set for February 7 2027, will feature five new categories. The additions include Best Asian Pop Music Performance, Best Latin Pop Album, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Traditional Folk Album.
The new Best Asian Pop Music Performance award will recognize recordings that originate from or are widely recognized within Asian markets. Eligible work may come from K‑pop, J‑pop, or C‑pop and must demonstrate mainstream pop songwriting, melody‑driven composition, and commercially oriented production. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said the expansion makes the awards more inclusive and allows the organization to represent a broader range of music creators.
Best Latin Pop Album will apply only to albums whose primary language is Spanish. The R&B Performance category will be restructured to focus on solo artists, while the existing Best Folk Album category will shift its emphasis to contemporary folk music. In addition, the eligibility rules for Best New Artist will be broadened; an artist may now be nominated up to four times instead of the previous limit of three.
The announcement follows a history of K‑pop nominations that have yet to result in a win. BTS’s “Dynamite” and “Butter” were nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance in 2023, and Rosé’s “APT.” received a nomination in 2024. In 2023, the theme song “Golden” from the animated film KPop Demon Hunters won Best Song Written for Visual Media, though debate continues over whether the track qualifies as K‑pop.
The new categories are part of a broader overhaul of the Grammy Awards that began in 2025. The 68th Annual Grammy Awards, presented on February 1 2026, already featured 96 categories, an increase of two from the previous year. The Recording Academy’s changes aim to reflect the evolving global music landscape and to give emerging genres a dedicated platform.
Industry observers note that the inclusion of an Asian pop category could open the door for high‑profile acts such as BTS, Blackpink, and other K‑pop groups to win a Grammy. The category also aligns with the Recording Academy’s recent partnerships with streaming platforms and licensing bodies, which have broadened the reach of non‑English language music.
The 69th ceremony will be broadcast on ABC and streamed simultaneously on Disney+ and Hulu, marking the first time the awards are available on multiple Disney‑owned platforms.
The Recording Academy’s announcement was made during a press briefing in New York. The organization said it will release the full list of nominees for the new categories in early November, with nominations for the 69th ceremony announced on November 7 2026.
In summary, the Recording Academy’s five new categories and revised eligibility rules signal a shift toward greater inclusivity and genre diversity. The first presentation of Best Asian Pop Music Performance will occur at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2027, potentially giving K‑pop artists a new pathway to recognition.
