Once again, K-pop artists were absent from the Grammy nominations, with none making the shortlist for the 2024 awards. This marks the second consecutive year without a K-pop act among the nominees in the music industry’s most prestigious awards.
Opinions differ on why K-pop artists didn’t make the cut. Many believe BTS’s hiatus from group activities due to mandatory military service left a noticeable gap; BTS was previously nominated three years in a row from 2020 to 2022.
BLACKPINK, too, has been inactive as a group since members left YG Entertainment after releasing ‘The Girls’ in August last year. The Grammy eligibility period, spanning from September 16, 2023, to August 30, 2024, included no group album releases for BLACKPINK.
Grammys operate on a submission basis, with artists or their teams entering eligible works for consideration, and members of the Recording Academy voting on the nominees and winners. Since BTS and BLACKPINK had no qualifying releases, no submissions were made for them as complete groups.
Some, however, argue that K-pop’s lack of representation is indicative of a broader issue. The Grammys, often criticized for racial bias and nicknamed the “White Grammys,” have faced longstanding scrutiny regarding their inclusivity.
This sentiment was echoed in a recent USA Today article titled “Stars Who Should Have Been Grammy Nominees in 2024 but Were Left Out,” which noted, “While K-pop’s popularity in the U.S. has surged since BTS’s first Grammy nomination, with artists like TOMORROW X TOGETHER, BLACKPINK, and SEVENTEEN achieving major successes, the Grammys still lack room for K-pop artists.” The article suggested that the Grammys might consider adding a category for K-pop.
Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter identified BLACKPINK’s Lisa as a notable snub, noting that she was considered for Best New Artist, which would have made her the first K-pop artist to receive a nomination in that category. Gold Derby similarly criticized the Grammys for excluding BTS members’ record-breaking solo works, remarking that “K-pop is not being taken seriously at the Grammys.”
Responding to these concerns, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told AP News, “We recognize the need for improvement across multiple genres. We’re actively inviting people from diverse backgrounds and genres to participate in the Academy. Without accurate representation, we can’t achieve the right results. We aim to reflect and represent what’s happening in today’s music landscape.”
A K-pop industry insider commented, “While K-pop’s visibility in the U.S. may have declined slightly without BTS and BLACKPINK’s group activities, K-pop artists are still achieving significant global success. The lack of Grammy nominations suggests an undervaluing of K-pop by the Grammys.” They added, “This situation underlines the need for K-pop to be recognized as more than just a youth-oriented music trend. Artists and producers should look to expand their reach internationally, following BTS’s example.”
