SEOUL — JYP Entertainment confirmed that Stray Kids did not submit any music for the 69th Grammy Awards before the submission deadline. The group’s latest release arrived too close to the cutoff date to qualify for consideration in the upcoming ceremony.

The submission deadline for the 69th Grammy Awards was August 21. Under Grammy rules, music that is not formally submitted cannot appear on nomination screening ballots or compete for a win. Stray Kids' 10th EP, 'This & That,' was released on August 6, 2026.

Stray Kids held a press conference in Seoul on August 6 for their 10th EP. During the event, member Seungmin addressed the group's approach to their work. "We’ve never once set out to make an album chasing a particular award or record," Seungmin said. He added that the creative process is internal rather than external. "When we talk about the music or performances we love, it doesn’t come from how we’re seen from the outside — it comes from what’s inside us as we build a stage or write lyrics." He said it’s less about outside expectations around awards and more about capturing the sound and story they want to tell. He also expressed gratitude, saying he feels thankful that K-pop, as a genre, is loved around the world, and that it makes him realize all over again just how powerful music can be. He added that they hope their music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.

All eight members of Stray Kids received invitations to become Recording Academy voters. The eight members are Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. Stray Kids have not previously been nominated for any Grammy Awards categories.

BTS stated in July that it would not submit its music for the 69th Grammy Awards. BTS has been nominated for Grammys five times but has never won. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. confirmed that the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category will proceed for the 2027 ceremony.

The Recording Academy held listening sessions and spoke with leaders in the Asian music community before confirming the new category. The Grammy Award for Best Asian Pop Music Performance will be presented for the first time at the 69th Annual Grammy Awards in 2027. "We have decided not to submit for Grammy consideration this year," BTS said. "We thank Army and everyone who has always stood by us," BTS said.

Why It Matters

K-pop groups have collectively received 27 Grammy nominations since 2009, with only two wins, according to the Official Grammy Awards Database. Only two K-pop artists have been nominated in marquee Grammy categories since 2019, with Rosé and HUNTR/X being the only nominees as of 2026. The Recording Academy has a history of introducing regional categories, such as Latin pop and música urbana, that led to debates about whether they isolate artists from general fields. The Recording Academy's Best Latin Music Album category, established in 1988, has faced similar criticism for potentially excluding artists from mainstream Grammy categories.

Timeline

The Asian Pop category's eligibility window began on August 31, 2025, and ended on August 28, 2026, excluding Stray Kids' 10th EP 'This & That' due to its release timing. On July 1, 2026, BTS stated that it would not submit its music for the 69th Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy's listening sessions with Asian music leaders in 2026 included representatives from 12 K-pop agencies, including JYP Entertainment, as documented in a press release dated July 20, 2026. Stray Kids' 10th EP, 'This & That,' was released on August 6, 2026, too close to the August 21 Grammy submission deadline to be considered for the 2027 awards. Stray Kids held a press conference in Seoul on August 6 for their 10th EP, "This & That." JYP Entertainment confirmed that Stray Kids did not submit any work to the Grammys before the August 21 deadline, as reported by Soompi on 2026-10-02.