BTS says it will not submit its next album for Grammy consideration, citing timing around a yearslong military hiatus

BTS said it will not submit its latest album for Grammy Awards consideration, according to CBS News. The group’s decision means the Recording Academy will not evaluate the album for nomination through the standard submission process, even if the release otherwise meets eligibility requirements the Academy has set for that cycle.

CBS News reported that BTS’s move follows the group’s yearslong hiatus tied to mandatory military duty. BTS’s pause from mainstream music promotion has altered the timeline of releases, performances, and award campaigns compared with artists whose recording schedules have continued uninterrupted.

The CBS News report also connected the decision to uncertainty surrounding how the Grammys may be handling categories and eligibility in the coming year. CBS News said the group’s rationale may be related to the Recording Academy adding a new category, an adjustment that could affect how and when certain musical work is reviewed.

The Grammys submission process is separate from the Academy’s internal voting and balloting procedures. In general terms, many high-profile artists submit recordings for specific categories, after which members review eligible materials during the awards cycle. When an artist declines to submit work, the Academy typically does not have that recording formally in its nomination pipeline for that year, even if other pathways for recognition exist.

CBS News framed BTS’s decision as a deliberate choice to step away from the next ceremony’s consideration. The report did not indicate that BTS is challenging the Grammys on legal grounds, nor did it provide details of any formal complaint. Instead, it described the decision as an abstention from submission for the upcoming awards cycle.

For BTS and its fan base, the practical effect is immediate: the group’s next album will not be positioned for Grammy nominations under the submission route that many major labels and artists use to ensure their work is properly accounted for by the Academy. For the Recording Academy, the development is another high-profile report that major international acts may weigh their award campaign strategies against the realities of career disruptions and shifting category structures.

The next Grammys cycle will proceed with the Academy’s established eligibility and voting processes, but BTS’s absence from submission for this year’s consideration reduces the range of work the Academy can consider from one of the world’s largest pop groups. The CBS News report leaves open what, if any, alternative plans BTS could make for future Grammy eligibility, including whether the group will reassess submissions in later cycles.