As the first round of voting for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards concludes, anticipation is running high in the global music industry. Many are wondering whether K-pop, the ever-growing international music powerhouse long overlooked by the Recording Academy, will finally break its losing streak and score its first Grammy win.
Organized by the US Recording Academy since 1959, the Grammys remain the most prestigious honor in the American music industry, symbolized by the iconic golden gramophone trophy. To date, no K-pop artist has ever taken home one of these coveted awards.
However, this year’s outlook is more optimistic than ever. The eligibility period for 68th Grammys runs from August 31, 2024 to August 30, 2025, a time span that has seen some of K-pop’s most successful global releases.
Among the most notable contenders is BLACKPINK’s Rosé with its great success APP.with Bruno Mars, e Goldenthe most important song of Netflix’s animated films KPop Demon Hunters. Both were reportedly nominated for two of the Grammys’ most prestigious overall categories: Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Their respective albums, Rosie AND KPop Demon Huntersthey’re also up for Album of the Year.
APP. was also submitted for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video, while Golden is competing in multiple fields, including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Remixed Recording, Best Music Video and Best Song Written for Visual Media.
While APP. made headlines around the world at the end of last year, The Golden One the meteoric success, boosted by the popularity of the animated film, boosted hopes for K-pop’s long-awaited Grammy win. The song has dominated both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart for weeks, cementing its position as a strong contender for this year’s awards.
In addition to these favorites, many other K-pop stars have joined the race in multiple Grammy categories. In Record of the Year, entries reportedly include JUMP by BLACKPINK, Like JENNIE from Jennie, Born again from Lisa, Don’t say you love me by Jin from BTS, Never play by RM and Megan Thee Stallion, Sweet dreams by J-Hope, Thunder by SEVENTEEN, Beautiful strangers of TXT, Gabriella by KATSEYE, Strategy from TWICE, e Walking on water by Stray Kids.
In Album of the Year, works featured include Jennie’s RUBYBy Lisa Alter EgoJin EchoSEVENTEEN EXPERIENCE THE FEELINGSTXT The Star Chapter: TOGETHERTWICE Strategyand Stray Kids’ JUMP. Meanwhile, up-and-coming acts KATSEYE, aespa and Ateez are reportedly in the running for best new artist.
For Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, a category in which BTS has been nominated for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023, competing songs are said to include XOXZ of IVE, HEAT by LE SSERAFIM, In your fantasy by Ateez, e Fly up by RIIZE.
So far, only two South Korean musicians have won a Grammy: soprano Sumi Jo and classical sound engineer Hwang Byeong-joon. Despite numerous nominations in the early 2020s, K-pop artists such as BTS never managed to win the award.
Last year, the absence of any K-pop representation in the Grammy nominations sparked widespread disappointment, even as BTS members released successful solo albums during their break from military service. THE snubbed reignited debates over whether the Recording Academy was deliberately neglecting the genre despite its undeniable global impact.
Now, with first-round voting complete, Korean industry observers are watching closely to see if the upcoming 68th Grammy Awards will finally mark a turning point for K-pop. The Recording Academy will announce the final nominations on November 7, 2025, with final voting taking place from December 12, 2025 to January 5, 2026. 68th edition of the Grammy Awards will be held on February 1, 2026 in Los Angeles.
With big stars, blockbuster releases and unprecedented global influence, K-pop is closer than ever to scoring a historic first Grammy win.
Sources: K14
