The 2027 Grammys take place on February 7th, and music released during the window of August 31st, 2025 to August 28th, 2026 is eligible for nominations. However, as we’ve seen with The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, and Zach Bryan in recent years, not everyone is as enthusiastic about submitting their music to the Recording Academy for Grammys consideration. The reasons for these opt-out decisions vary, but many of them have to do with criticism of the Recording Academy and the event itself.
The beef doesn’t always last forever, though; The Weeknd notably pulled his music for consideration in 2021 citing the organization’s “secret committees,” but then returned to the Grammys in 2025 for a performance in support of <em<hurry Up Tomorrow, which, funnily enough, didn’t earn any Grammy nominations.
The most controversial move by the Grammys this year is the introduction of a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, which has divided some significant names in K-pop and led them not to submit.
Artists Opting Out of the 2027 Grammys
According to an October 5th report from Billboard, Drake will not submit music from his three 2026 albums, Iceman, Maid of Honor, and Habibti, for consideration at the 2027 Grammys. He has yet to offer a concrete explanation for opting out, though he has a history of withholding music from the awards (Drake also declined to submit 2018’s More Life, 2021’s Certified Lover Boy, and 2022’s Honestly, Nevermind for Grammy consideration.)
His latest decision could also reflect lingering frustration with the Recording Academy after Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” won five Grammys at the 2025 ceremony. Drake remains in litigation with his record label, UMG, alleging that the company promoted Lamar’s diss track despite lyrics he claims are defamatory. He also appeared to foreshadow his decision on Iceman closer “Make Them Know,” rapping, “This album, I’m never submittin’ it.”
BTS
BTS announced back in July that they would not submit music from their 2026 comeback album ARIRANG for Grammys consideration. Their decision arrived shortly after the Grammys introduced new categories for the 2027 edition, including Best Asian Pop Music Performance. “We have decided not to submit an entry for Grammy consideration this year,” the group said in a joint statement. “We hope music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided into region or language.”
BTS’ protest of the new Asian Pop category made waves, with Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. revealing in August that the organization was considering scrapping the category altogether. “There are some artists in this space who feel that this category isn’t representing the music they work so hard to create,” Mason Jr. said. In a later statement, however, he confirmed that the category would remain in place for 2027. “We understand this conclusion will not satisfy everyone, and that never feels good. But at the same time, we are confident it’s the right conclusion for the music community overall.”
Stray Kids
Like their fellow K-pop act BTS, Stray Kids also chose to not submit music from their 2026 EP This & That for the 2027 Grammys. The band did not offer a formal statement about the abstention, with their label JYP Entertainment simply telling the BBC, “Stray Kids did not submit for the Grammys.” Though the decision was made before the submission deadline on August 28th, the label confirmed the band’s boycott on October 2nd, just one day after Harvey Mason Jr. released a statement explaining that the Grammys would keep the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.
We’ll continue to update this post as we learn about more artists who are opting out of consideration for the 2027 Grammys.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
⚖️ ENTER THE LEGALIZER
Think the government has no idea what it's doing? Put your case before the Federal Case Terminal and find out.
