Despite shattering records with their latest album and tearing up the US, the Grammys have snubbed up-and-coming Kpop group BTS. But, should they — or the group’s fans — even care?
Just one month ago, the internet was ablaze with the following news. According to allkpop, several music critics discussed one Kpop group that had a chance of earning a Grammy this year: BTS.
A Grammy nomination for the popular Kpop group makes sense. Two months ago, BTS’s newest album, Love Yourself: Her, secured a No. 1 debut on Billboard’s World Albums chart. The album moved 18,000 units. For the week ending December 9, BTS maintains the No. 2 spot. The group also debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 with their single, ‘DNA.’
Just several days ago, and with the help of their dedicated fans, dubbed “ARMY,” BTS broke a world record. The Kpop group broke the Guinness World Record for the most Twitter engagements.
With a chance at a nomination, ARMYs quickly mobilized support of the group. A petition on change.org asked the Grammy Foundation to invite BTS to the 61st Grammy Awards. Currently, the petition has 12,797 signatures.
+ BTS Has ‘Zero Chance’ of Winning a Grammy In 2018, Insiders Say
In fact, a Grammy nomination appeared all-but-certain this year. One month ago, the Grammy Awards wrote a glowing article on BTS.
Earlier today, the Recording Academy released their nominations for the 2018 Grammy Awards.
Childish Gambino, Jay Z, Luis Fonsi, Lorde, Bruno Mars, and SZA received multiple nods. Jay-Z led the nominations list with 8 nods for his highly (un)successful album, 4:44.
BTS didn’t receive a single mention.
Technically, the group’s latest album was released 10 days past the Grammys official cut-off release date. But BTS is one of the hottest new groups, not to mention a major export for Korea. And why is the Grammy 2018 cut-off release date on September 30th, 2017, anyway?
Should a Grammy nomination matter for BTS?
Probably not.
BTS wasn’t the only group snubbed. Ed Sheeran set a Spotify record with Divide. With his single, ‘Rockstar,’ Post Malone broke Apple Music’s single week streaming record. Voters didn’t care. Just as with the popular Kpop group, both failed to receive a single nomination. Maybe there were technical reasons for those disqualifications, as well.
Voters also snubbed Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Kesha, The Weeknd, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, and Demi Lovato.
To put it quite simply, a Grammy nomination doesn’t make-or-break a career. Just ask Taylor Swift. Despite infuriating Grammy judges with her latest album, Reputation, the album remains very successful on the Billboard charts.
In fact, several influential artists in the US have sat out the Grammys in recent years.
Last year, Frank Ocean didn’t hold back any punches in showing his disdain for the awards show. In a lengthy post on Tumblr, he blasted the Grammy’s failure to “represent…people who come from where I come from.”
“Believe the people. Believe the ones who’d rather watch select performances from your program on YouTube the day after because your show puts them to sleep. Use the old gramophone to actually listen, bro, I’m one of the best alive. And if you’re up for a discussion about the cultural bias and general nerve damage the show you produce suffers from then I’m all for it.”
Underscoring the fraught relationship between hip-hop and the Grammys, Canadian Drake rapper Drake didn’t submit his album for consideration. Despite winning two Grammys this year for “Hotline Bling,” he didn’t show up to receive the award. In an interview with DJ Semtex, Drake explained,
“I could give two f—ks ’bout where the Grammys go.”
Drake and Frank Ocean don’t care about the Grammys. With a recent appearance at this year’s American Music Awards, it’s doubtful that BTS will care. Or their legion of fans helping push up the group’s sales in the long run.
Featured image by Jann Shi (CC by 2.0)
What part of they don’t meet the eligibility requirements is it so difficult for you to understand?? Google is free. Of course they’re not getting a nomination. But idiots like you write shit like they can get one, knowing fully well that they can’t. Do you write just for writing’s sake?
I say BTS should get a Grammy like come on they are on the AMA’s and they rocked it. Bts is the best K-pop group I ever heard so far. I wonder why someone could write such stuff like that and not bother to say something good about them ☹️
Can everyone who writes for this damn website just quite their job or be fired already?
Also, “Bubble Gum Kpop”… Where? BTS are pretty much the farthest thing from actual Bubble Gum Kpop, not that there’s anything wrong with that at all, it’s just not their genre of music. Please learn about a group and do your research before you even attempt to write about them. Or do a favor and don’t write about our boys at all.
Apparently the “News” portion of “Digital Music News” is a gentle suggestion, and not a requirement that writers for this click-bait site actually provide any substance in their articles. Maybe they are paid per click – (you’re welcome Daniel Sanchez, here’s your 2 cents).
EXACTLY!!!
(*quit)
What about best new group? BTS lit up the US in 2017; no mention of that? Their album came out on Oct 10, just past the deadline — then again, why is the deadline Sept 30 for the next year? That’s 3 mos. left out entirely.
Why do you let just anyone write completely ill-informed stories for this site. Nothing but click-bate and I’m over it. Goodbye DMN, it was fun reading this shit for a while but it’s completely untruthful. At least Lefsetz has something constructive to usually say in his diatribes.
I really believe the writer is stupid. How can he/she drag bts in grammy when they did not even trued to enter their song to compete?
This media is really a bts hater magaphone that spewed hatred and idiot reasonings.
Its funny how this article is always silent when BTS is breaking records.. then they make article like this. LOL is there something new? All your articles are trashes. give me somthing interesting please. Some facts please.
I have some facts –
BTS hit 50M in 20 hours for IDOL,
They received an invitation to the Grammys,
and IDOL has been confirmed as the best YouTube debut of all time.
That’s the tea
Who cares about YouTube views?? Their songs suck!
If their song sucks so much, tell that to all the people supporting BTS as of now. Are you calling all these people stupid for liking a song that sucks? That’s a couple million people that you are offending.
Jokes on you they just got nominated. Here ya go haters. MIC DROP…
Like you can do any better.. they have talent and you don’t so shut it kid.
They’re obviously being paid by SM, YG, and/or JYP to write this @&$!…but, alas, the damage has been done…to your ‘’news’ site. Sticking to ‘digital’ music news (e.g., random plastic surgery allegations bordering on racism) is an afterthought now and your Editor’s feeble attempts to ‘defend’ himself just show how truly clueless he is…Your site is no better than a blog/tabloid, you should be jealous of TMZ, because they look more credible than your lazy site now. Hope you invested that foreign money wisely.
You sound dumb ain’t nobody paying them to say anything you saying like other kpop groups are nominated and the aren’t
lmaaaaaoo they should get a grammy bec they debuted succesfully in the us? ahahahaha delusional fans thats not how it feckin works lmao. first of all yall should know the grammys absolutely abhor ‘boyband/bubblegum’ pop. even the backsterrt boys/nsync, the world’s largest boybands to date NEVER received a grammy, despite several nods. yall are really gonna come here demanding for a grammy as if adele achieved that sales record bec her fans zombie streamed and bulk-bought er albums loooooooool if there’s someone in kpop who shouldve gotten a grammy it should be rain, psy or tvxq. or bigbang — they have an impressive discography ought to attract and impress western critics and the grammy committee. even justin bieber took a while to receive win one i cant believe you 12 yr olds are this entitled lmao an oprah appearance doesnt warrant a grammy asdgsdfafd
I don’t think the vast majority of fans believe that BTS should be nominated for a Grammy–awards shows in general are problematic at best in terms of noticing the musicians who are actually making music that people care about (if it’s popular, it must be bad mentality). The bands you mentioned have an impressive discography to be sure, but in terms of worldwide attention–it just hasn’t happened for any of them (except Psy for a brief time). Also, the category people were talking about was Best New Artist–which would mean they would be new. As in…only one American release.
The issue that people continue to have with this particular site is that the writers seem to have an issue with BTS in general. Despite writing and producing their own songs, working ceaselessly to promote said songs, addressing important issues like mental health and sexuality, and providing a voice for South Korean teens (whose suicide rate is among the highest in the industrialized world), this particular “news” source focuses instead on mostly fictitious stories (being “snubbed” for a Grammy, having plastic surgery, generally racist leaning writing, etc).
The fact that BTS wasn’t nominated for a Grammy isn’t the point of the irritation for most people–it’s the articles here that are the problem.
Also, they were on Ellen. Not Oprah. Oprah doesn’t even have a show anymore? It’s been years since she has…
You are an idiot. BTS is not only well liked by young audiences but by mature adults too. I am one of them. You should also improve your writing skills. How old are you? 15?
EXACTLY!!!
This comments was made for Fabi
My first comment that has reasons why BTS deserves a Grammy was for the writer of this article
First of all, where is your prove and evidence that BTS is a ‘Bubblegum’ k-pop group? Second of all, do you know how hard BTS works just so their fans can be happy? They practice dancing for 10-15 hours a day, they learn different languages so they can perform for all their fans, they safrificed their youth for their fans, and they always have great story lines in their MV’s. Also, keep in mind that this is just the minimum of reasons BTS is hardworking and deserves a Grammy. And you should know that its rude for you to call people delusional 12 year olds just because you disagree with them. Just like you have your favorite k-pop groups, other people have their favorite groups.
Well, hun, it was the Grammy who actually wrote an article about them regarding the eligibility to be nominated. The groups you’ve stated wouldn’t even be on the Grammy’s radar as they weren’t being acknowledged in America except for Psy.
you are not that kind of a person huh a music person this comment is full of nonsense
The Grammy’s aren’t based off a voting system from the public. If you actually thought BTS were anywhere near getting a Grammy nomination, I’m sorry, but you’re an idiot.
I get this a month old, but if anyone reading this has the same point of view, I suggest they do their research and look into BTS’ body of work as a whole – & specifically their lyrics – not just at the one or two electropop singles blowing up cause they’re easy to listen to. You can’t tell me that the band behind Wings or You’ll Never Walk Alone isn’t up there with some of the people the Grammy’s has recently deemed worthy of an award.
Um, your rude. Don’t call us idiots because its not like you’ve never hoped or dreamed before
Como no van a ver nominaciones para bts. Para mi que los Grammy son todo una cagada parque bts son los mejores del mundo y que todos . aguante el kpop (bts)
Bueno bts tanbiem lomeresen por que son muy exitosos y los demas idols(bigbang etc
Yo solo queria decir que los que dise que bts son idiotas esas personitas son unos hijos de p**** y que mo entienden el significado de la musica y Nisiquieralos conosen por que si los conosieran se enamorarian de todo lo dulce y lindos que son .forever armyy93
Christ almighty it seems like even when Digital Music News writes about these K-pop groups defending them their fans get angry. Do you K-pop fans want every article to have everything positive about your groups? That’s what critics do, give you the positive and negative. It’s like you big crybaby fans want the American Media to put these guys on a silver platter and help make them successful here. Oh no. You have to earn it by being original and not some copycat boy band shit that we did in America 25 years ago. New Kids on the Block. NSYNC. Backstreet. The list goes on and on. Why do these K-pop bands think that this is something so groundbreaking and it should be respected such as? If we thought the average Millennial was some sensitive cry baby take a look at the K-pop Millennials, no hope at all. LOL. Now do yourself a favor and go get a tan!
Um, this might be news to you, but BTS didn’t copy any of your boybands in America. First, your boybands were product of Max Martin but BTS write their own songs and actually talked about sensitive and important issues like mental health and social issues. The commenters here were triggered not just from this article but from the writer’s past malicious and false articles about BTS. Also, we know it’s not easy to get into American music and both BTS and the fans have worked so hard just to get them being noticed. If you don’t know even a bit of their background, I suggest that you stop assuming anything about them. You’d be surprised how hard these guys are working these past few years only for you to call them a copycat.
bull ? i love bts and i read an other one of your articles and NO RAP MONSTERS SINGLE TRACK IS NOT ? AND HE IS NOT NOTHING WITHOUT BTS they r all very talented people and i am very up set eat my crayons ? ARMY 4 LIFE
I agree 1000+% ^ a b c
You jealous haters are spewing nonsense with misinformation here.
“copycat boy band shit that we did in America 25 years ago”?
Comparing these American boybands to BTS are like comparing western movies on black& white-TV to modern movies on color-TV !! Lol
Its disgusting to read what you self-delusional ignorant racist idiots- You are labeling any new successful boyband on the global marketplaces “as copycat boyband Blackstreet. New Kids on the Block. NSYNC” etc.– I grew up with these American boy groups but Kpop’s BTS is by far talent and mesmerizing than any of these old grandpa style boyband shits 25 years ago. Incomparable!!
Blackstreet is separate from Backstreet Boys, dude. They are two separate groups. lol As a matter of fact, Blackstreet is an R&B group from the 80’s and one of BSB’s influences. BSB may have been manufactured, but they do write their own stuff and have since their second album in 1999. They also had a more mature sound than ‘NSync and everyone else. There were real messages in their songs. Listen to Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely.
Billboard Rated BTS JIMIN as a “Modern Dance King”—(Any those US grandpa style boybands had any training in contemporary Art school before? I guess not! )
Jimin studied contemporary dance in school and was the top of his class.
His training shows through his moves on stage, especially during the choreography for his Wings solo track “Lie,” which he co-wrote. Jimin took things to another level with his expressive delivery of the song’s dramatic choreography, telling a message as much with his body as his vocals.
BTS is full of hype from their fandom. They are delusional. They are okay for a KPop group but let’s get real… There are other KPop and non-KPop groups that are so much better in creating beautiful original songs.
so….got the writer of this nonsense get fired already???
Come on, really? They’ve accomplished American Music Awards in 2017 and the Billboard Music Awards in 2018 (this year), so getting a Grammy would be a next step-step achievement. ARMY will still love them whether they get an award or not. :/
You need to make good music to win the Grammy
Exactly, so that’s why they are going to win a Grammy at some point. I believe in them. They can do it!
I feel like it could be possible… they just need to keep their success as solo and as a group artist. They have the foreign edge and international acknowledgement, that makes them different. The only thing missing is time. J-lo just recently got on times magazine and it’s well past her heyday. I don’t really care, but Suga wants it.
Why can’t they just stay in their national award like other kpop groups? It’s disturbing that we see this bts everywhere. It’s like virus and spamming.
i cannot led these untalented losers to grace the grammy and give them an opporthunity to spred grabage music,why is so importan to take grammy i’m so tired to watch them everywere (i don’t hate them just don’t belong here)
Así como odian despacito de Luis fonsi… Es la envidia que los correo… Arriba BTS!! IDOOOOOLL
Así como odian despacito de Luis Fonsi… Es la envidia que les corroe!! Arriba BTS… IDOOOOLL!! Me encanta BTS y soy Army… Claro que siiii!! Ah y soy ELF también por SuJu ??
Así como odian despacito de Luis Fonsi… Es la envidia que les corroe!! Arriba BTS… IDOOOOLL!! Me encanta BTS y soy Army… Claro que siiii!! Ah y soy ELF también por SuJu ??
get ready for korean invasion on music award shous,because they are too desperate to take grammys….what will be next oscar…no the hell
what is wrong with the word
i hope this garbage bts will be forgaten next year,and will be remuved from nominations forever
why’s care for ther youtube vievs,and their records………patetic
First, before you decide to hate, learn proper English(but if it’s not your first language then it’s fine). Now, they’ve broken a lot of records but you don’t seem to care. Fine, I won’t judge you like you decide to judge BTS. For award shows, they are in American award shows because they are very popular in America, that’s why they win American awards and attend American award shows. They want a Grammy, is that a problem? Is it a problem that a foreign KPOP group have a dream to win a music award? Also, it’s almost a year, yet they haven’t been forgotten and they still have nominations! BTS will continue to thrive and achieve their dreams. Besides, why voice your hate for a group that’s never going to see, hear, or even notice you in the first place? Seems like a waste of time to me. Now why don’t you go a take some English lessons?
asians in grammys????hell no
bts need to stay in korean music shous, what there doing in mtv and grammy
somebody tell me why this shit group became important to take grammy?
if there are so despert to take grammy they must start to sing on english
somebody don’t like to listen that strange language chocamoca bacha macha
i hope next year this koreans will be forgaten and remuved from any nomination
They are a KPOP group, the “K” stands for Korean, so of course they sing in Korean. Music has no language barriers. Beside you could search up the English translation for their lyrics. It’s not that difficult. What’s so wrong with Asians? Also, instead of telling them to sing in English, why don’t you go back to school? It was a hassle trying to read your comment.
why do so many people have a crysh on k pop?
there are nothing special only people wiht plastic syrgery and makeup
They have done no plastic surgery though, do you have proof? Only one of the members have had it, but he only needed the surgery to breathe correctly. Also, they wear stage makeup to perform. Actors wear makeup all the time so what’s the problem? Plus, I like BTS because they have very soothing singing voices and their lyrics are deep and talk about important topics of life such as self-empowerment and self-love. Maybe you should read their lyrics, listen to a few songs, and then you would understand the hype.
bts perform like they’re on orgasming
if this worst scenario is happen bts to win a grammy that will be the end
If you’re concerned about a foreign music group winning an award and think that’s the end, you clearly have placed your priorities in the wrong places. What about all of the world’s problems such as famine and disease in poor countries? Be worried about those problems.
GRAMMYS NEED TO IGNORED BTS THIS GROUP MAKE TOO MUCH DAMAGE IN MUSIC
GRAMMYS ARE ON DRUGS,AFTER THEY GIVE THEM NOMINATION FOR BEST NEW ARTIST ON THOSE ASIANS,WHY THEARE ARE SO IMPORTANT TO TAKE GRAMMY,THESE BTS NEED TO CHILL OUT,WHY THEY JUST STAY IN THEIR AWARDS SHOUS LIKE OTHERS???
GRAMMY PLEASE JUST REMOVE THEM BEFORE COME TOO LATE
people why support k pop are idiots,blind,deft
retarded morons
Así como odian despacito de Luis Fonsi… Es la envidia que les corroe!! Arriba BTS… IDOOOOLL!! Me encanta BTS y soy Army… Claro que siiii!! Ah y soy ELF también por SuJu ?
Más idiota y retardada sos vos Becky G? Serás cantante que hablas de música como si supieras?? Jijijij BTS es millonario por gente idiota o no!! Pero son famosos como otros tantos que ni cantan ni bailan!! BTS canta y baila!! Y sino canta pues al menos baila je je je je
I support them, and I’m dang sure im not blind, “deft”(whatever that means, I can’t tell because you can’t write English correctly), or a retarded moron.
these show will never be same after the invasion of desperate korean wave
i’m so tired to watch them everywere ,they will destroyed the music with their songs
i will never accept them as artist or popular singers because there are not
(SAVE THE WORLD FROM KOREAN INVASION)
PLESE GRAMMYS DON’T GIVE THEM GRAMMY
IGNORED THEM THOSE ASIANS
THOSE ASIANS DON’T DESRVED GRAMMY
THERE ARE IDIOTS
now and asians take grammys?……………………….lol…idiots
they don’t deserve and single nomination..this is realy funny
asians with grammy lol
hhahahaaahahahhahaa
clown show
hahhahahhahahahahhahhhhahahaa
i don’t understand if bts are ignored by grammys ,so why they have two nominations song of the summer and best new artist
this don’t have sense
i canceled all shows when asians go in and take awards
grammys bye bye from me
see ya when you remove asians from nominations,and give grammy on try artist
bye
omg those koreans take the world with their gay music
just save the world from koren invasion
don’t givethem nominations
don’t givethem power to have domination
don’t givethem awards
don’t givethem red carpet
give them ticket to back in korea
Por personas como todos los que hablan puro veneno, es que existe un mundo de basura!! Dejad a los que gusten de cualquier tipo de música!! La música es universal!! Para mi la música que es basura es la de maluma que denigra a la mujer, como se llama ese otro ah si!! Bad Bunny o farruco que solo de drogas hablan!! BTS habla de amarte a ti mismo para poder amar a los demás!! Pero todos los que aquí escriben se nota que no se aman nada en los absoluto… Entonces como pretendan que les guste o respeten lo que a otros les agrada ??
Por personas como todos los que hablan puro veneno, es que existe un mundo de basura!! Dejad a los que gusten de cualquier tipo de música!! La música es universal!! Para mi la música que es basura es la de maluma que denigra a la mujer, como se llama ese otro ah si!! Bad Bunny o farruco que solo de drogas hablan!! BTS habla de amarte a ti mismo para poder amar a los demás!! Pero todos los que aquí escriben se nota que no se aman nada en los absoluto… Entonces como pretenden que les guste o respeten lo que a otros les agrada ??
bts is too much overrated group how much the pay to take this awards and now grammy???here smell to big business to me ,look like all this awards bts has taken is bought because they are too desperate for world fame many talented artist don’t have nomination they have,when they became number one priorities that they must be nominated
sad,sad,sad,sad,sad i’m tired from those untalented bts and they toxic crazy fans need to stop give them fake hope that they someday will be shoulder to shoulder with the biggest stars,but that will never happen
nobody care about their records
bts ignored??no they have nomination,do you know what’s ignored??
why they are,and why bts became priority that they must be everywhere in show and always must win >:(
k pop is desperate for world fame,pathetic
like they cute as fuck
I am literally losing brain cells reading all of the toxic hate comments. Like, what is your problem?? Why are you hating on a foreign KPOP group? They literally have nothing to do with you. If you don’t like them, fine! Then please leave any KPOP related articles and videos. Why do you have to voice your hurtful and toxic opinion? “BuT iT’s My oPiNioN” ok?? But you don’t have to go out of your way to say that BTS suck?? You don’t have to like them, but your shouldn’t hate them either…just respect them and leave them alone.