Grammy Awards' Highest Honor 'Best Pop Duo/Group Performance' Nominee
First Domestic Pop Musician Nominated "Thanks to ARMY for Creating a Miracle"
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The group BTS has been nominated for the Grammy Awards, the most prestigious ceremony in the American popular music industry.
The Recording Academy announced on the 25th (Korean time) that BTS's "Dynamite" has been nominated in the 'Best Pop Duo/Group Performance' category at the 63rd Grammy Awards. This is the first time a Korean popular musician has been nominated for a Grammy. There have been nominees and winners in classical or traditional Korean music categories before.
If BTS wins the award, they will achieve a "grand slam." This year, they won the Billboard Music Awards, one of the three major U.S. music awards, for four consecutive years, and the American Music Awards for three consecutive years. Following the global success of their album "Map of the Soul: 7," they solidified their status as top artists in the pop market by topping the Billboard main singles chart with the single "Dynamite."
BTS expressed gratitude to their fans. Immediately after the nomination announcement, they wrote on their official Twitter, "Thank you to everyone who listened to and empathized with our music during difficult times." They emphasized, "Above all, it is ARMY who made the miracle of becoming 'Grammy-nominated artists' possible. We are always thankful and love you." They also left a message in English thanking the Recording Academy for this great honor.
The 'Best Pop Duo/Group Performance' category was established in 2012 as a subcategory of the pop genre. It is awarded to songs that achieve artistic excellence in pop vocal or instrumental performances by duos, groups, or collaborations. "Dynamite" is a disco-pop single released by BTS on August 21. At this ceremony, it will compete for the trophy against "Un Dia" by J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy; "Intentions" by Justin Bieber and Quavo; "Rain on Me" by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande; and "Exile" by Taylor Swift and Bon Iver.
The Grammy Awards is the longest-standing and most prestigious music awards ceremony in the United States. It has been held annually since 1959 by the Recording Academy, which is composed of music professionals such as singers, producers, recording engineers, and critics. Unlike the American Music Awards, which are based on fan votes, or the Billboard Music Awards, which are based on Billboard data, the Grammys focus on musical excellence when selecting nominees and winners. This process involves voting by approximately 11,000 Recording Academy members and review by a nomination committee. Winners receive a trophy shaped like a phonograph, called the "Gramophone."
The Korean music industry has consistently challenged this awards ceremony and has achieved results in classical and traditional Korean music. Soprano Sumi Jo won the "Best Classical Album" in the opera category in 1993 for Richard Strauss's "Die Frau ohne Schatten," recorded with conductor Georg Solti. Hwang Byung-jun, CEO of Soundmirror Korea, received the 2012 Classical "Best Engineered Album" award for an album featuring American composer Robert Aldridge's opera "Elmer Gantry." In 2016, Charles Bruffy conducted the Kansas City Chorale and Phoenix Chorale in Rachmaninoff's "Vespers: All-Night Vigil," winning the "Best Choral Performance" category. The traditional Korean music record label Akdang Ivan's album "Jeonggaakhoe Pungnyu Gagok" was nominated in 2012 for "Best World Music Album" and "Best Surround Sound Album" but did not win.
BTS has penetrated the conservative core of the American mainstream music industry with their powerful fandom and sensibilities that resonate with the new generation and era. They have been prominently promoted at major U.S. award shows and music festivals this year. At the recently held American Music Awards, their performance was placed last.
Fueled by their immense popularity, K-pop has established itself as a cultural phenomenon that the mainstream pop music industry cannot ignore. However, it is difficult to predict whether this will lead to a win. The Recording Academy remains a conservative organization. Although it has recently increased the proportion of women and others by accepting new members, it still faces criticism for lacking sufficient efforts toward innovation.
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