[SPEAKER_01]: Consequence Podcast Network
[SPEAKER_00]: Bora Hay, iconic army, Bora Hay.
[SPEAKER_00]: I have two words for you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Autumn leaves.
[SPEAKER_01]: Say no more.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh my god, met life day two.
[SPEAKER_00]: Got autumn leaves as one of the surprise songs.
[SPEAKER_00]: And like, I have never wanted to be at a concert more in my entire life.
[SPEAKER_00]: Me and Mike.
[SPEAKER_00]: me in like seriously and some of our wonderful iconics were there and got to experience it first hand which were so so happy for them but i like i'm asking myself i know we had pied-piper in Tampa i wish like we're so lucky and grateful for but it's like if you can have pied-piper or autumn leaves for me
[SPEAKER_00]: I'd have to say autumn leaves like, I use autumn leaves for me too.
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I really wanted Pied Piper and I don't know where in my BTS memory did I just kind of forget about autumn leaves.
[SPEAKER_01]: But when you put it, when you put those songs side by side, I'm like, of course, I would want autumn leaves over Pied Piper, but I'm not like they're both so good, but like, no, when you texted me that met life that they ended up getting autumn leaves as their surprise song.
[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, we deserve a partial refund.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I do not.
[SPEAKER_01]: This is so unfair.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I truly am so envious of all of the armies that I got to experience.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like BTS of today and the vocal line and the rap line performing this freaking song.
[SPEAKER_01]: Are you kidding me?
[SPEAKER_01]: The song is 11 years old.
[SPEAKER_00]: Wow, I don't even know the last time they would have performed it and yeah, I mean to for yes exactly like BTS 2026 vocals like Performance this song
[SPEAKER_01]: Honestly, I think the skills needed for the vocal part of Autumn leaves is like out of this world.
[SPEAKER_01]: So with BTS being so well seasoned at this point and their vocal abilities are even better than when the song came out.
[SPEAKER_01]: Hearing Jungkook and Jim in and Jen and Tae Young doing the vocal parts of this song is so strong And it was just like they just sing it one time, you know it and when it's been like Eight plus years probably since they sing it last you kidding.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, your guys are so lucky So I feel like my life will not be fulfilled until I hear it live now like And it probably will never happen like I'm just like oh my gosh I'm so distraught over it
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, they put in not today on the set list for this world to wear.
[SPEAKER_01]: So who's to say that Autumn Leams maybe?
[SPEAKER_01]: Can't come back.
[SPEAKER_01]: The girl can dream.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, girl can dream.
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I will be dreaming on the set list.
[SPEAKER_00]: I literally like, I saw the news at like 930 last night and like, you know, I just, oh gosh.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll just never be over it.
[SPEAKER_00]: When I've discovered Autumn Leams as a baby army in
[SPEAKER_00]: 2017 like I listened to it on repeat for a week straight like I just have always loved it It always been obsessed.
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, so incredible that they performed it and it's just very happy for all the army They got to experience that live and we'll just live by curiously through them and the videos that are posted online Wait for them to kick off the second part of their
[SPEAKER_01]: North America.
[SPEAKER_00]: Seriously.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, they are coming out with a bang and they already did an amazing job on their first leg of the North American tour, we're so happy that they're back here and hopefully just, you know, all of the armies that are going to the concerts are just going to have an incredible time.
[SPEAKER_00]: I also have to talk about that Park Jimin is back with his silver hair, like the blonde is no more.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is still long and luxurious, but it is silver.
[SPEAKER_01]: We, I mean, blood sweat in tears.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like blood sweat in tears, silver, we are ushering in a new era.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like if you thought the blonde Jimin was like fairy fantasy romantasy, like beautiful, like, I mean, this like silver hair Jimin is going to destroy us all with the long hair, like both are phenomenal.
[SPEAKER_01]: I enjoyed the golden hair though.
[SPEAKER_00]: I love the golden on him.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was beautiful.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, but the part you're going to find.
[SPEAKER_00]: The part you're going to find.
[SPEAKER_00]: So us.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we have a lot to talk about with BTS today.
[SPEAKER_00]: So we're excited to get into it with you all.
[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back, where you're hosts, I'm Kayla.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm Bethany and this is Standing BTS.
[SPEAKER_01]: You're a favorite informative fan-girl podcast.
[SPEAKER_01]: All right, today we're going to hang out for about an hour and we are talking all about how BTS have denied the Grammys.
[SPEAKER_01]: You guys have probably all been hearing about it.
[SPEAKER_01]: We've been dying to talk about it with you guys.
[SPEAKER_01]: So we're going to get into just kind of how this went about, their Instagram stories, all of the news and press.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's been released about it in media coverage and we're just going to go into what this really says for BTS and we just have to lead with that we are so proud and we are so supportive of this decision.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, very excited to talk about like,
[SPEAKER_00]: Our thoughts about this and what this means for BTS and the statement that they're making here before we get too much into it We just want to say thanks iconic so much for being here for listening and for all of your support Surely it means everything to us.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's why we do what we do so we appreciate that you're here If you'd like to support us any extra you could join us on patreon at patreon.com slash standing BTS Yeah, thanks for being here for all of your support and of course for listening
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so let's talk about how all of this transpired.
[SPEAKER_00]: It started with all seven BTS members posting on their Instagram stories the same exact message and they posted this on July 29, which is allegedly a reference to number 29 on their album where
[SPEAKER_00]: The bell rings and then it rings out into silence, which is also just like impactful.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a major like Mike drop moment, you know.
[SPEAKER_00]: They all posted the same exact message, which we feel shows a lot of unity.
[SPEAKER_00]: The message translates to, we decided not to submit for this year's Grammys.
[SPEAKER_00]: We wish for our music to be heard and loved simply as a music rather than being categorized by region or language.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you to Army and everyone who is always with us.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, clearly this message, this statement, is in response to the new category that was created and announced in June for best Asian pop music performance.
[SPEAKER_00]: what really stood out to us about this message, not just that they all posted the same thing at the same time, but they posted it fully in Korean, you know, to say like this is who we are, most of the members did just a black screen, but RM posted it with a photo of his 2.0 outfit, and it feels purposeful about how they're coming out brand new, just with this like reference to their 2.0 music video, which of course,
[SPEAKER_00]: pays homage to the iconic Korean film old boy the whole time and just like really making that statement like we are iconic like we do have a huge following like you know maybe you're not giving us the right time of day now but just you know we will go down in history and people look back and be like wow that group.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I just think that it's very purposeful that he posted that picture.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's totally purposeful that he posted that picture.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like you were saying, this is their 2.0.
[SPEAKER_01]: This is their brand new version of themselves and their passels.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think we're...
[SPEAKER_01]: catering a little bit more towards getting that Grammy and trying to throw it up mold a little bit and I just can appreciate that he's using the 2.0 song reference here of like this is the new version of ourselves and we're not going to cater to you and this is who we are
[SPEAKER_01]: And we stand by it and so yeah, and I think what's funny, too, is it's like the silly kind of costume part of Two-in-one music video where they're wearing like wigs and sunglasses and looking kind of like ridiculous and There's a level of just Is satire the right way to put it?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think so too Like mockery and I do think there's some mockery in it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and he's holding a newspaper too, which is like here's some big news for you
[SPEAKER_01]: I, yeah, I didn't do that about that.
[SPEAKER_01]: It is some hot news.
[SPEAKER_01]: That's for sure.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, like you said all of the members really had just like black screens and they posted the exact same message, but Teyong did have a different screen for his and his was actually with the statement he had a picture of his like master rank and league of legends.
[SPEAKER_01]: And to me, I thought this was particularly funny because
[SPEAKER_01]: If I were the Grammys, this would annoy the shit out of me, and you're not like, he basically, I mean, he could have just a black screen, whatever, but he's, I think he wanted more putting more emphasis on like, look at my ranking and leg of legends like this matter, I want you to see this and care about this more than my statement about the Grammys, which is necessarily true, but he's like, it just seems like he doesn't care.
[SPEAKER_01]: This matter is more to me than the Grammys does, yes, yes, and I just think it's fantastic.
[SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, going back to what you were saying of how they went about delivering this message, where it came from them.
[SPEAKER_01]: It didn't come from the company.
[SPEAKER_01]: It was all the same message.
[SPEAKER_01]: We kind of have seen multiple translations.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think Kaylee found a translation that was maybe a little bit more accurate of.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's not just them saying we decided not to submit for this year's armies, but a lot of them say like
[SPEAKER_01]: I wish I wish that our music or wish for our music to be heard and loved simply as music so the use of I makes it definitely more personable and They all agreed upon this and that they all put it out in the same way same message just shows the unification of the group right now in this decision
[SPEAKER_00]: Right, and I love that they on their individual pages posted it instead of it being like the BTS Big Hit official page posting it or like high releasing a statement or you know just like they could have just released like a press note to media and then media could have run with it, but the fact that the members did it themselves like shows that they're in control of the decisions of what they do and how they do it.
[SPEAKER_00]: and it's even more powerful that it's coming from each individual member, but it's a united front.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I think it makes such a impactful statement here.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and they did it on their story, too, which is a lot for 24 hours.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[SPEAKER_00]: I love it.
[SPEAKER_00]: I love it so much.
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I can't say that either of us predicted that this was going to happen, but I do remember in June when it was announced
[SPEAKER_00]: The Grammys created this category, this new category for best Asian pop music performance.
[SPEAKER_00]: I remember like rolling my eyes so hard and like saying to Jeremy, like they're trying to pigeonhole BTS into this category.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like BTS are back this year.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like I just remember ranting to him about it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like they've been gone in military service and on hiatus for like the past four years.
[SPEAKER_00]: They had all this time that they could have already created and had this category, but no, they wait for the year that BTS comes back and like are dominating the music industry, as far as sales and tour and streaming like they're the number one in all of those categories.
[SPEAKER_00]: And this is the year that the Grammys create this new category to literally put them into.
[SPEAKER_00]: And so I just remember being annoyed about that and just like seeing the writing on the wall basically, which is why I'm proud of BTS for taking this route and deciding not to submit, but it made us think about other controversy that has come up with the Grammys in regards to creating more categories.
[SPEAKER_00]: And the Grammys will say that it's like a way to celebrate more music, which on one hand, I very much understand.
[SPEAKER_00]: But on another hand, it's like separating them out to make it harder for them to get like the bigger, more main awards.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's marginalizing, exactly.
[SPEAKER_00]: So let's talk a little bit about the history of the urban rap and R&B categories because when these categories have been created like urban music, best urban music, album, best rap, album, best R&B.
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, as those categories were created, they also got the same type of pushback from fans and from artists themselves saying like,
[SPEAKER_00]: Hey, like, you know, I appreciate being nominated or like, we're glad that our favorite artist is like up for a Grammy, but why couldn't they be considered for album of the year or song of the year, you know, artists of the year and so a good example of this is Tyler the creator, he won best rap album for I gore or Igor in 2020.
[SPEAKER_00]: And he had a lot of feelings about this, and while he admitted that he was very grateful for the win, he went on to say, and I just love this quote from him, because I think it really hits the nail on the head.
[SPEAKER_00]: He said, it sucks that whenever we and I mean guys that look like me do anything that's genre-bending, or that's anything, they always put in a rap or urban category.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't like that urban word.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just a politically correct way to say they end word to me.
[SPEAKER_00]: When I hear that, I'm just like, why can't we be in pop?
[SPEAKER_00]: Half of me feels like the wrap nomination was just a backhanded compliment.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, it's like my little cousin wants to put the game.
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, let's give him the unplug controller so he can shut up and feel good about it.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's what it felt like a bit.
[SPEAKER_00]: and I just think that's so true.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's like, sure, like, yeah, well, you know, we'll throw you a bone.
[SPEAKER_00]: We'll like give you a seat at the table.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's going to be down there at the end of the table and like you're going to get served last and you're going to get like, you know, like not as good of a treatment, but like, sure, like, we'll let you, we'll let you come to our party, you know?
[SPEAKER_00]: the solely what it feels like.
[SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't feel like full participation.
[SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't feel like they're being, yeah, like being nominated, yeah, grateful for it, whatever.
[SPEAKER_01]: But like why are we not being nominated in the pop category as well, right?
[SPEAKER_01]: All right.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's like literally being segregated.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's yeah, especially when he felt his album fit a pop category better or like being John or bending like so just because he's black you're going to put him in the rap album You know, yes, probably the creator does create rap music, but a lot of his music bleeds into multiple different genres just like BTS
[SPEAKER_00]: And when creators are like being put into one, you know, it's not like a one-size-fits-all, but the way that the Grammy's allows people to be nominated feels very pigeonholing, you know?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it does.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I honestly can appreciate his analogy to of the like unplugged controller because I think just really paints a very clear picture of how it is unfair and that he's just not being treated the same by being put into their pigeonholed into this kind of story.
[SPEAKER_01]: Totally.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so we not only see it with the Grammys, but there's also a history of the Oscars doing something like this as well, maybe not to this degree, but it's been circulating about the creation of the best animation film or best animation movie.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a good parallel because it just kind of shows this common trend among like U.S. award shows where the Oscars are a more prestigious film award show and they created an animated category out of fear of shrek winning best film.
[SPEAKER_01]: Because how could this silly animated film about an ogre win best film?
[SPEAKER_01]: But it has a cultural impact.
[SPEAKER_01]: that they couldn't ignore its impact in the numbers and the box office and all of that.
[SPEAKER_01]: So they ended up creating an animated, best animated film.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, I feel like it doesn't.
[SPEAKER_01]: Segregate is much in the sense of, you know, like best urban artists, you know, that's like very right.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's not as clear.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yes, but same kind of thing.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think the Grammys are known for snubbing artists and having their favorites and their favorites are usually.
[SPEAKER_01]: white artists.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so thinking about just like the history of award shows in America and stuff, it made me think a lot about the AMAs this year.
[SPEAKER_01]: And we covered the AMAs back in May when they attended BTS attended the AMAs.
[SPEAKER_01]: And they were, again, not only they're in person, but they ended up winning artists of the year.
[SPEAKER_01]: And they had their who-again performance from their concert play as one of the performances for the show.
[SPEAKER_01]: And we thought it was so interesting that BTS attended the AMA simply because this award show is smaller in comparison to some of the other award shows and major artists like Ariana Grande Taylor Swift and BTS typically don't go to these award shows.
[SPEAKER_01]: However, like BTS with this time and now hearing all this news with the Grammys, I'm like, you know what?
[SPEAKER_01]: I bet that they knew back then that they weren't going to submit for a Grammy.
[SPEAKER_01]: I bet they already knew it.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so they thought, you know, let's not only just deny the Grammys, but let's go attend the American musical words.
[SPEAKER_01]: grant them our presence over the Grammys.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I just think that that is such a power move.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I really think that that could have been a part of why they went to the AMAs.
[SPEAKER_01]: In our episode, when we covered it, I'm like, man, do they just do it for the nostalgia?
[SPEAKER_01]: Because I have the nostalgia.
[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, man, I
[SPEAKER_01]: became a brand new army right when they were going to the amaze and that was like their first invitation to an American music award show and it was a big deal and they performed DNA, like it was so exciting and I was just thinking oh they're on American soil like I just was so over them I mean I threw a party we've talked about it but yeah so I was like super excited that they that they were the amaze but I did think like
[SPEAKER_01]: Ah, they're kind of above this, or they've been invited.
[SPEAKER_01]: They've won so many awards there.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, eventually artists aren't able to make it.
[SPEAKER_01]: And they went.
[SPEAKER_01]: And now I just really think that they're like, you know what?
[SPEAKER_01]: This quote on smaller, less important award show, who granted them that title I don't know.
[SPEAKER_01]: But we're going to go ahead and attend and grant them our presence.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I feel like they're giving the AMAZE even more of a boost
[SPEAKER_01]: and they treat their artist equally.
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, anyways, I thought it was a part of moving.
[SPEAKER_01]: I just made me think and reflect on that.
[SPEAKER_00]: No, totally, because the one thing that I thought about that too when they attended was like, wow, I'm surprised that they went because they're kind of like squeezing it into their scuggedle right here.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like they had just finished up their shows and Vegas and like, you know, they had to go on to their next city very soon, like I just was surprised that they were,
[SPEAKER_00]: packing in their schedule like that because it does seem like on this tour they've been giving themselves breaks and giving themselves down time.
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah I could totally see them attending the AMAs as like one part in a soldier but also that they knew that they weren't going to submit to the Grammys and we wanted to show like this is the award show that like we really feel that we want to give our time and like our
[SPEAKER_00]: attention to and like how many BTS fans tuned into the AMA's because BTS were there or watched parts of it post, you know, show online.
[SPEAKER_00]: And honestly, like you were talking about with the Oscars, you know, how it's like a prestigious film award show.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that's kind of how we see like the AMA's versus the Grammys.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like the Grammys scene or the most prestigious music award show.
[SPEAKER_00]: the way that the Grammys are voted for is by a recording academy of like 15,000 people, which is, to me, a very small number of people, if you compare that to like the US population, who are actually consuming the music that we're listening to here in the States and in North America,
[SPEAKER_00]: And often what the Grammy recording Academy votes for doesn't truly reflect what is the truest popular music in the States.
[SPEAKER_00]: Whereas the AMA is because they are fan voted usually when you see the winners of the AMA is you're like you agree with them like they totally make sense because you're like yeah I know that artists I know that artists they've been having an amazing year that song is incredible like
[SPEAKER_00]: It makes sense why they got that because we agree with, you know, that, you know, it feels like this is the popular music right now.
[SPEAKER_00]: This is the music that was deserving of it as opposed to sometimes like really niche artists or winners, not to say that niche artists don't deserve like recognition, you know, a larger scale too.
[SPEAKER_00]: But when it comes to these bigger categories, we want to see the artists that are truly representative this year in 2026 of
[SPEAKER_00]: artists of the year, song of the year album of the year and not to see them expected to be like put into this like sub genre sub category off to the side to be able to like save space for a bigger artist or American artist a white American artist or something I also want to talk about the creation of the Latin Grammys they were created in the year 2000 and to give you just some reference
[SPEAKER_00]: And I don't know if you know like Selena, Kintinia, you know, she was like rising in the 90s.
[SPEAKER_00]: And so there was chat of creating, she was like topping the charts in the States as a young artist.
[SPEAKER_00]: And there was talk ever since like 1989, 1990 of creating a Latin Grammys to separate Latin artists away from white American artists to put them in their whole different award show.
[SPEAKER_01]: different award shows but yeah bizarre to me about it yeah yeah not even different category a whole different award.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah right so as Latin artists like Shakira Carlos Santana Luis Miguel Mark Anthony and so many more were continuing to climb the charts in the states the Grammys sought a way to keep their awards quote unquote safe and make a separate place for Latin artists.
[SPEAKER_00]: So
[SPEAKER_00]: Like I have you know you can hold two things like it is amazing that Latin artists can shine through Latin Grammys and the Latin Grammys like stretch all the way through Central and South America to celebrate artists from all over you know the Spanish-speaking world.
[SPEAKER_00]: But at the same time it now makes it so hard for them to be recognized at the original Grammys and to make it to that stage.
[SPEAKER_00]: because they're like, well, you just go over there, you know?
[SPEAKER_00]: That's why like last year when Bad Bunny was at the Grammys and like one awards there with his album, it was such a big deal because he was the first Spanish-speaking artist to do that ever and you know like it's super rare that Spanish-speaking artist is like getting a Grammy because of the Latin Grammys.
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's again just
[SPEAKER_00]: people when they want to preserve like the whiteness of their own award show.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely.
[SPEAKER_01]: And going off of just like that whiteness, it raises a lot of questions for people now of why not a best British pop performance or best European pop performance or pop song or pop album.
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, if you're going to make the argument, it's an American award show.
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, there are many, many white non-American artists who are winning these top four major categories, like album of the year.
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, it just is rooted in white supremacy.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's it's pretty overt and and kind of crazy Just to see yeah, today like like why is this so happening?
[SPEAKER_01]: And like how you possibly Ignore it and I do think that like bad bunny winning was huge.
[SPEAKER_01]: That was amazing.
[SPEAKER_01]: Incredible.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah Progress whatever you want to call it, but I feel like yeah like
[SPEAKER_01]: I just BTS have been so wronged previously by the Grammys and we'll get into this a lot more but we just really don't think that they have caught up to the cultural impact and I don't think that they can appropriately recognize them and that creation of this best Asian pop performance was clearly created for them.
[SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I have no doubt that they were going to grant them that award for whatever swim or something, but I just they deserve to be in the category of best album of the year with Audit on.
[SPEAKER_01]: That's right.
[SPEAKER_01]: Our meant to be.
[SPEAKER_01]: And then it's like they know it, but they just can't do it.
[SPEAKER_01]: Right.
[SPEAKER_01]: And they have they got to work through that.
[SPEAKER_01]: And someone's got to tell them that they can't be doing that.
[SPEAKER_01]: They got to do better.
[SPEAKER_01]: So anyways.
[SPEAKER_01]: This is where things get really interesting, is after all of this, not even 24 hours went by after their Instagram posts that the Grammy's responded.
[SPEAKER_01]: So the CEO Harvey Mason Jr. posted his response to his Instagram or to the Grammy's Instagram.
[SPEAKER_01]: saying, quote, I'm saddened to hear that BTS has chosen not to participate in the Grammy Awards process this year, but as a music creator, I understand and respect their decision.
[SPEAKER_01]: And we just know that this response, I mean, it just shows they've never responded to an artist like this before or not submitting.
[SPEAKER_01]: But it just really shows how much they were hoping for those views from Army, and honestly really shows how much they wanted BTS to be there.
[SPEAKER_01]: Very clear that they are the best.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's obvious everyone knows after, if you don't fucking know that BTS is the biggest group in the entire world right now, you are literally living under Iraq.
[SPEAKER_01]: So for the grimmies, which is supposed to be this prestigious award show for musicians.
[SPEAKER_01]: doesn't have the biggest group in the world at their show, like, yeah, they're freaking hurting from this.
[SPEAKER_01]: And, you know, I can say that his response here was respectful, but we'll keep going into more of what he said, but I just feel like there's a lot of, you know, it's a little hypocritical.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and honestly, like, the Grammy's views over the past few years have been on a consistent decline.
[SPEAKER_00]: So I bet they were really hoping for those views from Army to tune in, because we would have all been watching, of course, if he's just with there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so he goes on to say, I do want to clarify something that seems to be getting lost in the conversation.
[SPEAKER_00]: The Asian pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity, and extraordinary growth
[SPEAKER_00]: Which, again, is like, why did you never create a best European pop genre then?
[SPEAKER_00]: Because you could say the same thing for, you know, Dueliba in Ed Sheeran and Adele, like, why was it never an issue before then, you know?
[SPEAKER_00]: He goes on to say, the spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists.
[SPEAKER_00]: More categories mean more artists work is recognized.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's never to divide, but to expand who is recognized by our 15,000 Grammy voters.
[SPEAKER_00]: to me honestly like his getting lost in the conversation comes off a little bit condescending and a little bit like defensive like this is definitely I feel like him making this whole statement it was like to save face for the Grammys and to try to like like obviously BTS just like dropped a bomb on like the media with posting this statement and he feels like you know he's on his heels right he has to respond.
[SPEAKER_00]: all of the PR teams like freaking out making phone calls right after they just posted a little Instagram story like I love it and how many how many people worked on this statement you know oh yeah um so I mean we've already kind of talked about our interpretation of why this category was created but I just feel like well he's really getting at here is he's pretending that separate categories can still mean equal
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't even think it's equitable to have all these separate categories like you're not showing equality or equality by creating more and more categories because you're not truly lifting up those artists if you're not going to consider them equally for the main like top four categories.
[SPEAKER_00]: So here's some reference that I want to give to why we are so certain that BTS would have just be put in this category and they would have not been considered for like artists of the year album of the year song of the year, etc.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like we mentioned, Bad Bunny last year, one album of the year in song of the year, this year in 2026 and this year in June they announced that they created the quote best Latin song category in response.
[SPEAKER_00]: So instead of like if he were to do that again, instead of winning song of the year, he would probably have just won best Latin song instead of song of the year.
[SPEAKER_00]: They're like, oh no, Spanish speaking song, can't do that in 2025, Beyonce won album of the year, which surprisingly was her first award in this category, despite her long and incredible career of many, many amazing albums.
[SPEAKER_00]: She famously lost album of the year to Adele and even Adele stood up on the stage and was like, I'm so sorry, Beyonce, I love you with all my heart you deserve this album.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, so she won album of the year with and best country album with cowboy Carter.
[SPEAKER_00]: And what did they do?
[SPEAKER_00]: The Grammys for the 2026 Grammys this year they created a two categories for best country album, the best traditional country album for the white people and then best contemporary country album for everybody else because they didn't like that a black woman won that category like let's just be
[SPEAKER_01]: straight up with a, you know, the separation of traditional country album and contemporary one, like it's the direct response of a black woman having one.
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, best album, like, that I think, yeah, they were just so upset with that.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I agree this is literally is a country album.
[SPEAKER_00]: She's in Texas, like, this is her heritage as much as it's anyone else's.
[SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[SPEAKER_01]: And all of the artists that are also featured on this on that album are all country artists, like it's a wild.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's like the word contemporary here might as well be urban.
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, it's the same thing that Tyler creator was talking about.
[SPEAKER_00]: In 2024, the Grammy's introduced a new category on the show called Best African Music Performance, which is essentially what they're doing near the BTS Best Asian Music Performance, which Tyler won at that time with her hit song Water.
[SPEAKER_00]: Although, Tyler was like a major breakout artist that year she was everywhere, her song was all over the internet.
[SPEAKER_00]: and like she was breaking records and I feel like if that category didn't exist, she would have been a contender for best new artists, which she didn't win, but if it wasn't her being pigeonholed into best African music performance, she probably would have had one of the more prestigious awards at the Grammy.
[SPEAKER_00]: And that at that time, when it was announced, that was met with the same pushback that we as BTS Army are giving right now about this new category.
[SPEAKER_00]: So kind of like we've already touched on, you know, BTS just returned from the military.
[SPEAKER_00]: And, you know, they're the most popular artists in the world right now, most album sales, most streams, etc.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like they could have come back and absolutely swept to the Grammys for artists of their album of the year,
[SPEAKER_00]: But it seems like to me just because of this history I just talked about it seems like the Grammys saw this anticipated it and Wanted to prevent that from happening when it comes to BTS.
[SPEAKER_00]: They did not want this Asian pop group to come and win in those categories Yeah, they wanted to put them to the side
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: And they had time, he was saying with all of their military service, they had time to think about this and they were proactive, basically, in creating this category, this new category.
[SPEAKER_01]: And it was, it was made for BTS.
[SPEAKER_01]: That's absolutely what it was.
[SPEAKER_01]: They're like, oh, you know what?
[SPEAKER_01]: This will be the year that we finally give BTS a Grammy award, but you know
[SPEAKER_01]: what a council, whatever they're called recording academy, the recording academy that no one's upset.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's it's a trying to appease that.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like the white supremacy, systemic racism that permeates this country.
[SPEAKER_00]: Exactly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: So.
[SPEAKER_01]: Just I love that we kind of got into just like the history of how other artists have been wronged and that it was clearly leading to this category was made for BTS and that the likelihood of them being nominated for artists of the year is very, very low and if they were nominated they would not have won it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, yeah, let's go into the next part of this quote because it talks about the rules about how you can be nominated.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so he wanted to say, quote, I also want to be very clear, submitting music in a genre category such as Asian pop or jazz or country does not exclude an artist from also submitting and being considered in the general field categories, including record of the year album of the year and song of the year.
[SPEAKER_01]: He continued saying, quote, those categories remain open to an eligible recording regardless of genre.
[SPEAKER_01]: Recognition in a genre category and recognition in the general field are not mutually exclusive and artists can absolutely pursue both.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so this quote of the rules is misleading.
[SPEAKER_01]: While any artist can submit for any category, the Grammy rules on the website state that the recording academy ultimately gets to choose which categories and artists will be put up for.
[SPEAKER_01]: So, well, BTS could have submitted for multiple with the creation of this specific, you know, best Asian performance category.
[SPEAKER_01]: It seems like they thought that they'd be
[SPEAKER_01]: you know, like they really truly wouldn't be able to be eligible for artists of the year or the last year.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, I mean, the reason why I think that so strongly is because they had all this time that BTS have been away to make that category and they haven't and the year that BTS are back, they make that category.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like to me, that's literally to make sure that they don't
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I don't know if it's like the optimist in me or why, but like part of me, just can't help it to go into the waters, of course, of like, you know, maybe it is really was the year for BTS to win a major category and opening the doors for like other Asian artists to be in this pop performance.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like that, like this additional category was made for
[SPEAKER_01]: but that's just not true.
[SPEAKER_01]: We've been wronged by them so many times you think that I would learn at this point.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, honestly, like I would be happy if this category were created for K-pop groups and other Asian artists that are up in rising.
[SPEAKER_00]: But the problem is that BTS are past that.
[SPEAKER_00]: They're not up in rising.
[SPEAKER_00]: No.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like you already said, they're the biggest band in the world, like they deserve to be recognized on that large scale for like the top four categories and not put, you know, siphoned off into one of these side categories.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I feel like there's, you and I we talked a lot about this last night, just there's so many reasons why BTS are not getting the recognition that they
[SPEAKER_00]: And what their impact really is, and we feel like there's so many reasons, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: Think about the fandom.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's largely made up of girls and women.
[SPEAKER_00]: And so we're just not recognizing our music taste or not seen as important as like a male music taste when a artist has like a largely primarily female group.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just seeing like, oh, that's just fan girls or whatever.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like very easily pushed to the side.
[SPEAKER_01]: credits them, like there's some reason for the academy, it will just credit the legitimacy of them being eligible for this award because, oh, they're fan bases women, fan girls.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, they're just crazy, feral fan girls.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's like, it's a boy group, you know, like, are they even really that talented?
[SPEAKER_01]: They probably, I would guarantee you probably half of the people on the board think that they lip-sing.
[SPEAKER_01]: because they've actually been or seen a performance done by BTS.
[SPEAKER_01]: Right, because they don't, they just assume, because they're like, oh, it's a boy group.
[SPEAKER_01]: Right.
[SPEAKER_01]: Or it's seven members.
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, how can seven people possibly all be that talented in seeing that well and write their own music?
[SPEAKER_01]: And be just that talented, like it's impossible.
[SPEAKER_01]: Why are there seven of them?
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, it's all, they're Korean, you know, like it's, it's just so... Oh, they're Asian, oh, they're not Asian.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: It just is like, in their mind, they just cannot credit them for being a legitimate artist, and it just bothers me so much.
[SPEAKER_00]: Just looking and listening to their album objectively without thinking about all of those things, but I feel like they bring those things into it, and they also fail to recognize that BTS create their own music.
[SPEAKER_00]: and that they write and produce and are very hands on with their album creation, which I understand in the past with like a lot of boy groups like, when you think about like American boy groups like, insane, girl backstreet boys or whatever, no, they probably weren't doing all of that, you know?
[SPEAKER_00]: And like one direction was never nominated for a Grammy for a lot of the same reasons, you know?
[SPEAKER_00]: But BTS is truly different in that and I think people don't give them the chance because they don't know that information.
[SPEAKER_01]: All those prejudice opinions get in the way and cloud them being able to accept them and see that.
[SPEAKER_01]: So, anyways, I was kind of a little tangent there, but while they released this statement, like, yes, it came off professional, yes, it did not seem like overtly emotional or anything like that.
[SPEAKER_01]: However, the Grammys took down both the dynamite and butter performances on their page,
[SPEAKER_01]: which I think says a lot like BTS aren't like oh we're boycating them oh fuck the Grammys like they literally just said we want our music to be celebrated without being put into a specific drama just enjoy it for what it is and the Grammys can act like they're like oh yeah we respect their decision as artists as a musician myself I can respect them but then they go
[SPEAKER_01]: Grammy performances of butter and dynamite off of their page.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that says it all.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so really good thing that Bontan TV also has credits of these videos.
[SPEAKER_01]: So you can still find those Grammy performances on Bontan TV.
[SPEAKER_01]: So there you go.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: You can still enjoy it.
[SPEAKER_01]: Because they're great performances.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, don't need him for, or, you know, don't need to watch it on the Grammys page.
[SPEAKER_00]: We can watch it on BTS's own YouTube page.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, this thought that was like super petty.
[SPEAKER_00]: And like, honestly, like hilarious and embarrassing for the Grammys to do that.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, that's not something that they regularly do.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is a child there.
[SPEAKER_01]: Talk about a teenage girl.
[SPEAKER_00]: really, like, very, very much.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just like, all right.
[SPEAKER_00]: I guess you are her, you know.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: So let's just quickly talk about some of the other artists who've had things to say about the Grammys.
[SPEAKER_01]: I've seen so much of an image.
[SPEAKER_01]: Eminem's interview from September of 2018 that he interviewed with a sway Calloway.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's been circulating so much because he really just hits the nail in the head in this interview of the Grammys process.
[SPEAKER_01]: And keep in mind this is September of 2018.
[SPEAKER_01]: So this is when BTS had released love yourself hers.
[SPEAKER_01]: So like
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's, we're talking about the grand scale of where BTS is now, they were so much smaller back in 2018 to where they are now success wise.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so, you know, you could think that in this interview, Eminem is like talking about BTS, but he's not like he's just talking about major artists who have been snubbed at the Grammys.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so in this interview, he stated that the voting system is not real and that the organizer give awards to their, quote, darlings rather than recognizing massive cultural impact or sales.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I just love that he said massive cultural impact because truly like the creation of this whole like Asian pop performance, I think could have been created just out of just the
[SPEAKER_01]: within the light of BTS, I feel like, you know, because of the way, you know, so just the culture impact, right?
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, it, K-pop now is like not niche, it's mainstream, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: And so, it's crazy to use a girl, you're going to never thought that.
[SPEAKER_01]: Right.
[SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, just like the impact of their sales, too.
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, the world, too, or hello, like they are just huge.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so,
[SPEAKER_01]: Eminem, he expressed frustration that the Grammys hint to major artists that they might win album of the year just to get them to show up as a selling point only to snub them.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I just love that he points us out because it's happened to be T.S.
[SPEAKER_01]: like.
[SPEAKER_01]: 2, 3 times this point, you know.
[SPEAKER_01]: He goes into say quote, they're so fucking toned up and reference to the Grammys.
[SPEAKER_01]: He says they're so fucking toned up to what is actually going on.
[SPEAKER_01]: But they're not in the sense of, oh, we're going to get Beyonce here.
[SPEAKER_01]: We're going to get Jay here.
[SPEAKER_01]: We're going to say all these names are going to be here and make them believe that they're going to win if they're nominated for something.
[SPEAKER_01]: But then not actually grant them that nominated.
[SPEAKER_01]: The Grammy.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's just, it's a theme for them.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I just am so grateful that BTS are not giving them the opportunity to do that.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: And not submitting themselves to that.
[SPEAKER_00]: Because I remember after like the 2022 Grammys, we were crushed.
[SPEAKER_00]: That BTS didn't win.
[SPEAKER_00]: We were, I mean, that episode that we were doing.
[SPEAKER_01]: One of the most angry moments in my life.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: And because honestly leading up to the Grammys,
[SPEAKER_00]: The way that the grimmies were promoting BTS and teasing them being there and talking about them being nominated, we really felt like it was their time and that they were going to win and I bet BTS is crushed as we were.
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I bet they felt it tenfold.
[SPEAKER_00]: I bet they felt exactly like what Eminem is describing here, like where
[SPEAKER_00]: They make them believe they get the artists there make them believe that they're going to win just to snub them on like national television on a global scale Like not only is it embarrassing, but it's just misleading.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's hurtful and like honestly, it's just not right like what just to get the shot Just to get the shot of people looking disappointed on TV, you know
[SPEAKER_00]: This is not okay.
[SPEAKER_00]: And for him to also talk about that, like, rather than recognizing the massive cultural impact or sales, you know, that's what we're talking about with BTS being, you know, they are the cultural movement, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: And they do have, they're the most streamed artists.
[SPEAKER_00]: They're the artists with the most sales right now.
[SPEAKER_01]: But I want to support Hot 100.
[SPEAKER_01]: Continue to want.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Aliens is number one on iTunes worldwide right now, like,
[SPEAKER_01]: We're not even gonna hit track, a random song off the album.
[SPEAKER_01]: Literally.
[SPEAKER_01]: But not a million.
[SPEAKER_01]: Not a million.
[SPEAKER_00]: Not a million.
[SPEAKER_00]: choosing their like what he said their darlings, right?
[SPEAKER_00]: It's all politics in the background and I also really want to think about like who are the people that are sponsoring the Grammys who are like the people that have commercials during the Grammys and what's their investment?
[SPEAKER_00]: Who do they want to see win and how does that affect who's winning?
[SPEAKER_00]: Especially to like continuing maintain this order of like white supremacy that like is being pushed you know through the creation of all of these other categories.
[SPEAKER_01]: I love the use of cedar prestige because absolutely.
[SPEAKER_01]: That's like what it is.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel about it.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: On the flip side of this kind of conch like not contrary, but on the other side of Tyler the creators talk about the Grammy that he won where he thought he should have been considered for Best Pop.
[SPEAKER_00]: Justin Bieber in the for the 2021 Grammy is submitted his album changes for an RMB category.
[SPEAKER_00]: Even though yes, we know Bieber is being traditionally a pop artist,
[SPEAKER_00]: This put into a pop category by the recording academy for that reason.
[SPEAKER_00]: He did not submit to that category, but the recording academy shows no actually we're going to put you white male Justin Bieber from Canada, we are pop.
[SPEAKER_00]: His response to that was, to the Grammys, I am flattered to be acknowledged and appreciated for my artistry.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm very meticulous and intentional about my music.
[SPEAKER_00]: With that being said, I set out to make an R&B album.
[SPEAKER_00]: Changes was and is an R&B album.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is not being acknowledged as an R&B album, which is very strange to me.
[SPEAKER_00]: I grew up in my ring R&B music and wished to make a project that would embody that sound.
[SPEAKER_00]: So even he's like, why am I being put in a category that really does not fit with this music that I'm submitting?
[SPEAKER_00]: So the Grammys just seem to really, it's almost like they're type casting.
[SPEAKER_00]: They're type casting people for the categories that they, when they look at them and think about them and stereotype them, they think that they fit this category better than what the actual artists are saying, this is what my music is.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, what profile they fit is how they're categorizing them.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yes.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that says a lot that even Justin Bieber who has been awarded Grammys to be able to say, hey, like I made an R&B album and you aren't acknowledging it as that.
[SPEAKER_01]: When I did it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Justin Bieber who just performed after BTS, let's see if a World Cup halftime show?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: Right.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's been circulating again, but Forbes wrote an article years ago when BTS had been snubbed at the Grammys.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I just have to say it again because I think it really sums up where BTS are in terms of their stance with the Grammys and where the Grammys are at this point, Forbes said quote, but as BTS continues smashing records and the Grammys continue to lose relevance who really needs who.
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's very clear that the Grammys need BTS and BTS do not need them at all.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I, like we said earlier, like they could have put out a statement that BTS won't submit, but it was BTS and I did end up saying that while BTS is choosing not to submit, that they will allow their other artists to submit.
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'll be kind of curious to see, I'm not going to watch it, but I'm kind of curious to see what this new category
[SPEAKER_01]: who all is going to support it.
[SPEAKER_01]: Who ends up taking it?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I like what you said earlier about like how it can be a way to shine light on rising artists from Asia that like, you know, to really show them the recognition that they deserve also because sometimes because BTS are such a big name, like it is harder to give that recognition to the other artists that are also very, very talented and deserving.
[SPEAKER_00]: So like, yes, amazing to lift those artists up and like for high to say like, we'll still submit these artists, but like BTS are just beyond a category like that at this point, you know.
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, that's an interesting decision from them.
[SPEAKER_00]: But I think that also shows that this was purely BTS's decision.
[SPEAKER_00]: Like this wasn't something that like, big hit decided for them.
[SPEAKER_00]: The fact that high was like, hey, by the way, we're still going to submit music, like even though,
[SPEAKER_01]: are being a group of other groups on the radar, for sure, to me, it's a win for hype.
[SPEAKER_01]: They're like, you know, what BTS, they don't need to win a Grammy.
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, they're already so successful.
[SPEAKER_01]: How much more greedy can you be in terms of their success?
[SPEAKER_01]: The another their goal.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think we can respect that they have a lot of say in what they get to do.
[SPEAKER_01]: that, you know, maybe hype is disappointed that BTS might never get a Grammy, however this category being made is going to put their other groups more on the map and on the radar, yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: And honestly, I just don't feel like, I mean, obviously because BTS said they weren't submitting.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just not a goal for them anymore.
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe it was in 2022, but I really think their goals as a group have completely shifted.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now in this 2.0 era, you know?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: So let's let's just get into all of this.
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's just summarize kind of why we support BTS in the decision.
[SPEAKER_01]: I love that they clearly took the power into their own hands, putting up a statement and having the power to not submit to the Grammys is more impactful and a larger validation of their success than actually winning a Grammy.
[SPEAKER_01]: They're...
[SPEAKER_01]: not only are they saying that they don't need the Grammy for validation, but also that they're that they're bigger than the Grammys, and that they got everybody talking about their decisions, such as like, in PR, CNN, BBC, Billboard Forbes, like, all of these media outlets, had so much to say about the little Instagram story that I think they would ever have to say about who ends up actually winning artists of the year at the Grammys, you know, so I think that's enough.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I was shocked when I saw, like, multiple CNN national news coverage, like not just articles, but like fully on air talking about this, you know, like it's about an Instagram story.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's Instagram story, like it was so informal and so passive that, like,
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, I agree.
[SPEAKER_01]: I was shocked to see like CNN BBC MPR like it's just it's just incredible and yeah I just admire them for protecting their piece like if you ever want to know it protecting your piece is this is a prime example of it
[SPEAKER_00]: Totally.
[SPEAKER_01]: Love this album.
[SPEAKER_01]: There aren't clearly their group dynamic and functioning is The best it's been in a long time and I truly believe that whenever they were striving for this Grammy
[SPEAKER_01]: originally is when they started to kind of lose themselves.
[SPEAKER_01]: We've heard our him talk about this with like dynamite.
[SPEAKER_01]: He still felt like the group was in his hands.
[SPEAKER_01]: But you know, the English singles were really catering towards the Western listener and like the people sitting on the Academy Award.
[SPEAKER_01]: board.
[SPEAKER_01]: I keep they have a recording academy.
[SPEAKER_01]: The recording academy.
[SPEAKER_01]: Sorry, I don't know why I cannot get that.
[SPEAKER_01]: But like they were trying to cater to it and they lost themselves in that.
[SPEAKER_01]: They lost who they were.
[SPEAKER_01]: They changed their identity to try to to fix the mold that the grimmies have created for that specific, you know, artists of the year, whatever.
[SPEAKER_01]: And the truth was as they were never going to fit it.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think they learned that, and they understood that, and they said, you know what, or if we're going to come back after military service, then we're going to come back as who we are, as a great stick with it, and they have.
[SPEAKER_01]: They made their best album, I think, today totally.
[SPEAKER_01]: It's been hugely successful, and they are not going to
[SPEAKER_01]: But it's susceptible into the hands of like the Grammys validation.
[SPEAKER_00]: They don't need to be... To be mishandled by people who can't understand it.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_00]: Totally.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it literally has put that album in a bulletproof box.
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh yeah.
[SPEAKER_01]: That was kind of a fucking hit.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh my gosh.
[SPEAKER_00]: I love that.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's cheesy.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, but no, like they I just love this arrow for them.
[SPEAKER_00]: I absolutely love everything about Arirang the entire album is so fucking incredible and it deserves all of the recognition in the world, but I absolutely love that BTS is like we don't need it.
[SPEAKER_00]: We don't need it.
[SPEAKER_00]: We don't and also that album breaks the mold in so many different ways Like the types of songs that are on it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Some of them like who'll again first time listening to who'll again We just felt like it was so off the wall Yeah, I mean we were just staring into the like we loved it But we were like what was that?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, but then like by the time you get to the end of the album like please and into the sun and like it's just totally a different vibe like like animals a normal and I mean It's just such a masterpiece that they created and they truly
[SPEAKER_00]: Like I think they are so, so proud of what they're doing right now, they know that they don't need the validation and I just love that their focus has shifted to like we don't need a Grammy, we aren't pursuing it, we don't want it and I also agree with you like,
[SPEAKER_00]: it comes from how hard it was when they were pursuing the Grammy what it did to the group.
[SPEAKER_00]: The authenticity to that took away from them from their, you know, like when we listened to, I'm sorry, but permission to dance and we felt like this is not them.
[SPEAKER_00]: This is not BTS music.
[SPEAKER_00]: It really did not feel like them and that was a song that they were like, oh we could get a Grammy with this song.
[SPEAKER_00]: No, you know, um, because it wasn't authentic and it just, you know, was not good.
[SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't why, you know, they are known for.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just so curious on how much debate went on between them behind the scenes of like if they wanted to submit or, you know, if it would mean that they're like bending or subjecting the album to the opinions of the academy, like,
[SPEAKER_00]: How they decided and discussed because clearly they all came to the agreement together We see that based on how they all posted on their individual Instagrams But you know, just like we saw the debate during the BTS documentary on Netflix about like putting the Auditon chorus into body to body
[SPEAKER_00]: And how much conversation that was, like it just really makes me imagine what this conversation was like, I wouldn't be surprised if there were some members that were like, let's submit, let's do it, you know, like we can still get our Grammy, but clearly like eventually they were all convinced and somebody must have had really good points about reasons why not to submit.
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know, I would just be very, very curious about what that conversation was like.
[SPEAKER_01]: I'll be curious if we ever get to hear more about that conversation or get to witness it.
[SPEAKER_01]: If it isn't a documentary somewhere or maybe not until decades down the road where they kind of come out with an additional documentary where they really discussed how this decision was made.
[SPEAKER_01]: But what we do know is that Army isn't complete support of the decision by BTS and
[SPEAKER_01]: We can see that confirmation with alien charting at number one on iTunes worldwide like we're talking about like aliens.
[SPEAKER_01]: The lyrics of that song speak directly to what is going on with the Grammys and how they treated BTS in the past.
[SPEAKER_01]: And so yeah, I think that army is just so on board with it and we're so happy and so proud.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I just could not be more proud.
[SPEAKER_01]: Like everything they do, I just am like wow, I am standing the right group.
[SPEAKER_01]: for sure anyways we've seen armies I think to kind of in here at MetLife there were armies with signs saying like fuck the Grammys things like that but there was one army that went viral at MetLife where on the front it said like moocho hard like something in Korean BTS but like right when the camera went on to him he immediately flipped the sign and it said fuck the Grammys on the back side
[SPEAKER_01]: Like a little bit in switch and it's just perfect and iconic and kind of like iconic.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely.
[SPEAKER_01]: So one said the Trojan horse, the same, which everyone you see in the Odyssey, Kale and I loved the Odyssey, so you know we kind of loved that comment, but yeah, I just, I'm so happy for them.
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm so proud of them.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I
[SPEAKER_01]: The Grammys is a scam.
[SPEAKER_00]: No, no.
[SPEAKER_00]: Sudo prestigious award show, you know.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so port the amaz and honestly, port the amaz.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we'll support BTS forever.
[SPEAKER_00]: And just, yeah, I'm so proud of them as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: I love them so much.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think that this was an incredible monumental move for them to make.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I just continue to be excited to see what they'll do in the future.
[SPEAKER_00]: when right episode this was fun yeah this is fun to talk about that it was one topic we could talk about it for over an hour yeah we're literally when we were putting this episode together we talked for like two hours about it so I'm amazed that we got it done in one we just had better organized thoughts at this point less less angry ranting I think about the grimace yeah
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, but if you enjoyed this episode, right, totally.
[SPEAKER_00]: Or if you have any other thoughts about BTS denying the Grammys or about the Grammys in general, like let us know, post your comments to our Instagram posts when it goes up or you can always let us know on the Spotify comments as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: And as always, you can find links for all of the things in the description.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for listening and thanks for standing BTS.