The 2024 Grammy nominations were recently unveiled, and K-Pop enthusiasts find themselves in a familiar state of disappointment, tinged with a sense of predictability.
This year’s lineup failed to recognize any artists from Seoul, despite the rich diversity in genre, sound, and style evident in the submissions.
BTS, a trailblazer that set the stage by securing a nomination in 2021 for “Dynamite,” remained the only K-pop act acknowledged at the Grammys until the following year when “Butter” earned them a nod in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category.
However, this year’s nominations were devoid of any recognition for K-pop, despite multiple acts like aespa, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, TWICE, NCT, and FIFTY FIFTY submitting their work across various categories.
Even BTS, individually bidding for recognition during their second chapter while members fulfill mandatory enlistment periods in the South Korean military, found themselves overlooked.
This oversight extended to notable singles like Jimin’s “Like Crazy” and Jung Kook’s “Seven” feat. Latto, both of which topped the Billboard Hot 100, demonstrating the global impact of K-pop solo artists.
The omissions extended further to Jin’s solo track co-written with Coldplay (“The Astronaut”), j-hope’s collaboration with J. Cole, RM and SUGA’s exceptional full-length albums, and V’s jazz-inspired lo-fi pop project.
Despite BTS’s impactful performances over the past two years, contributing to the Grammys’ viewership amid declining ratings, the Recording Academy seems reluctant to accord due significance to its influence on the global music scene.
This oversight raises questions about the thoroughness of the evaluation process, as it appears that artists from Seoul are subjected to a blanket treatment, disregarding the distinctiveness of their contributions and implying a lack of consideration compared to acts from English-speaking countries.
(JR AMIGO/ai/MNM)
