Billboard has highlighted five potential contenders for the newly introduced Best Asian Pop Music Performance category at the 2027 Grammy Awards.
The post shared Billboard’s prediction along with links to the five songs under discussion: aespa’s “Lemonade,” Kenshi Yonezu’s “Iris Out,” Miist and Narada Michael Walden’s “It’s Too Late To Love You (Chinese & English Edition),” SB19’s “Visa,” and Stray Kids’ “STAY.”
Billboard’s published rundown identifies the same five recordings as possible contenders for the category.
The Best Asian Pop Music Performance award is one of five new categories being introduced at the 69th Grammy Awards. Under the Recording Academy’s rules, eligible songs must originate from or be widely recognized within Asian pop markets and make meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. Songs performed entirely in English are not eligible for the category.
Billboard noted that BTS is not in contention after the group decided not to submit music for the 2027 Grammys. BLACKPINK’s eligible-period releases are also absent from this category because their songs are entirely in English and therefore do not meet its language requirement.
Among Billboard’s selections, Miist has publicly announced the submission of “It’s Too Late To Love You,” while Sony Music Philippines confirmed SB19’s submission of “Visa.” Billboard presented the remaining tracks as potential contenders rather than confirmed nominees.
Netizen Reactions
The sampled comments were largely critical of the new Grammy category itself, with users questioning the concept of “Asian pop,” criticizing artists or labels for participating, and joking about the lack of coordination among K-pop companies. A smaller number pushed back against the criticism and emphasized that Billboard was merely publishing predictions.
1. They’re actually submitting that again? Tsk, tsk.
2. Unlike Latin pop, “Asian pop” didn’t even exist as a category in the first place, what the f*ck... Calling it idol pop would make more sense.
3. Do they give British pop its own award called Britpop and European pop its own award called Europop? What is this bullshit about some nonexistent “Asian pop”?
4. It’s literally just a Billboard prediction post, but people are saying it’s tacky and that they’re picking up discarded awards and all kinds of stuff ă…‹ă…‹ă…‹ă…‹
5. You can clearly see they’re trying to divide fandoms. Honestly, why would anyone want Asian pop to stick around..? They might give it to a K-pop artist in the first year just to establish the category, but I hope whoever wins refuses the award.
6. Wait, but I looked it up after reading the comments, and apparently that Stray Kids song isn’t even a promotional single—it’s just a fan song they released. Is that really the one? If they were seriously trying to win an award, I don’t think they would’ve submitted that.
7. This group project really isn’t working ă…‹ă…‹ă…‹ă…‹
8. I wish the category would disappear completely, but since that probably won’t happen, I’d honestly rather an artist from another country win it.... If a Korean artist wins, they’ll get dragged, fandoms will mock each other and start fighting, and it’s not even some hugely prestigious award anyway. There doesn’t seem to be any benefit.
9. Submitting there just gives legitimacy to racism, and it’s f*cking annoying. If you’re Asian, the very existence of that award should feel insulting ă…‹ă…‹ Black people make a huge fuss together even over small things, while here in Asia we’re pathetically begging for this award.
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