BTS Grammy decision - Who are the supporters, publicly?
(Video at the end)
As we all know, the majority of people (ARMY) who are aware of BTS and this Grammy controversy support them. However, it’s interesting to note the lack of public support from the majority of celebrities and music industry professionals who are not people of color (POC). Even the majority of POC are not making public statements. A friend mentioned this fact to me, and I agreed, but I had also seen many videos of non-POC supporting them. I started searching my history for those videos to send her some links. Although there is support, she was absolutely right. Very few non-POC are publicly supporting BTS. Yes, there are professional reasons for music industry people, but what is the main reason? Is it because they don’t see the issue of gatekeeping? Is it because they don’t know who BTS are and what their artistry brings to the table? Is it because they don’t think BTS’ music is worthy of Grammy consideration and would never win one? There are many more reasons, I suppose.
What’s even more interesting is that many POC artists have complained of Grammy gatekeeping and segregation for years, and nothing major has really changed. We’ve seen incremental changes like inviting POC to be RA voting members, but when you consider that there are over 15,000 voting members, and those members can only submit 10 votes across three genres in their area of expertise, and the top six general fields, who is voting for Asian artists? Well, Asian artists and those who support the Asian artist community (producers and songwriters) are voting in this new category for Asians based, on how the RA members can vote. This new category doesn’t get those top-tier artists like BTS any headway in the six general categories.
As of August 2nd, there is only one Arirang producer who has publicly supported BTS’ decision, and that is Sleep Deez. None of the white or major producers on the album have publicly supported them.
Tablo stands out as the only artist to publicly support BTS. He reshared RM’s post and expressed his belief that ARIRANG > Grammys.
Some celebrities and public figures have also spoken out in support of BTS, particularly those from the Asian Pacific Islander (POC) community.
Bernie Cho, a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, has been vocal about his criticism of the Recording Academy’s treatment of BTS. He has argued that the Grammys have systemic biases against Asian artists and has reiterated this stance after BTS’s decision.
Jeff Benjamin, while not a recording artist himself, has publicly praised BTS’s decision as a significant statement about equality in music recognition. He has consistently supported BTS’s position in interviews and social media discussions.
Tamar Herman, another POC celebrity, characterized BTS’s move as a principled stand against geographic segregation in awards recognition. She emphasized the broader implications for Asian artists.
As I delved deeper into researching individuals who have publicly supported BTS beyond Army members, it became evident that there are relatively few people who have taken a stand in their favor.
In the past, several celebrities have expressed their support for BTS regarding Grammy recognition, even though they have not publicly commented on the 2026 boycott.
Halsey, for instance, after the 2020 Grammy nominations, expressed her belief that BTS deserved many nominations and criticized the US for being behind in recognizing their artistry. She has repeatedly praised BTS’s talent and criticized the lack of Grammy recognition.
Steve Aoki, another celebrity, has also spoken out in support of BTS. He has consistently advocated for BTS’s position and has expressed his belief that the Grammys have biases against Asian artists. He has consistently advocated for Grammy recognition and defended them in interviews.
MAX publicly praised BTS and expressed disappointment over previous Grammy outcomes.
Lauv has voiced support for BTS’s artistry and Grammy recognition in the past.
As of August 2, 2026, there are no verified public statements supporting BTS’s Grammy boycott from artists such as Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, BLACKPINK members, SEVENTEEN, and Stray Kids. This does not necessarily mean they disagree; it simply means no verified public endorsement has been reported.
As the days and weeks progress, it will be iinteresting to observe who publicly supports BTS’s stance and who does not.
More importantly,:
What will be the outcome of their decision to not submit their work?
Will the category remain in its current vebiage?
Will many K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and P-pop artists submit their work for nomination?
Will BTS ever submit in the future, or are they truly done pursuing this award or any other award?
What will happen to the Disney purchase profitability to air the Grammys along with a 30/40% drop in ad revenue since BTS will not be present or performing next year?
Will this matter simply fade into the annauls of history like so many complaints by other artists over the years?
I would be delighted to hear your thoughts in the comments or a repost with your commentary. If you are aware of any verifiable sources of celebrities, artists or industry professionals supporting BTS in this matter, please let us know.
Here is a video of a non-POC succinctly discussing the issue with infographics on a timeline.
