The Grammy Awards suggested it could revise the best Asian pop music performance institutional sector about two weeks after group BTS declared a boycott.
Billboard said on July 14 (local time) that CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement, "It has become clear that, regardless of our intentions, some artists feel the (Asian pop) institutional sector does not represent the music they worked hard to make," adding, "As someone who comes from the music community, I take that to heart."
He added, "Over the past six years, the Recording Academy (which organizes the Grammy Awards) has shown it can move decisively and quickly to meet the needs of the music community," and emphasized, "We will keep pace with this progress and work to ensure musicians can truly feel respected."
In June, the Grammy Awards sparked controversy by announcing it would create a new "best Asian pop music performance" institutional sector separating music from Asia, including Korea, China and Japan.
Critics said that even as K-pop gains global popularity, the move looked like an attempt to check a box by giving only an Asian pop award instead of a main award. Some also called it an invisible glass ceiling.
In response, BTS declared a boycott on the 29th, taking issue with the creation of the Asian pop category.
BTS said, "We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year," adding, "We hope music can be heard and loved as music itself, rather than being divided by region or language."
Billboard also said it would consider overhauling the process of developing new award institutional sectors.
Mason, the CEO, added, "Now that the Grammy award institutional sectors have surpassed 100, it is time to consider how we can evolve our efforts."
Based on these remarks, Billboard projected that the Recording Academy could unusually reorganize the Asian pop institutional sector starting with next year's ceremony.
The Recording Academy is said to be in contact with music figures in Asia to discuss the issue.
The academy said leaders across the organization, including CEO Mason, met and spoke with musicians, labels and managers representing HYBE as well as K-pop, J-pop (Japanese popular music), C-pop (Chinese popular music) and India.
It also convened the full board and the nominations committee, and is conducting separate consultations on the Asian pop institutional sector. The academy is said to have set a goal of respecting and accurately honoring the music from the first awards onward.