BTS 2021 Grammy Nomination

 

Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominees: BTS Talk Excitement For 2021 GRAMMY Awards Show & Representing Koreans & K-Pop On The Global Stage

2020 was another massive year for BTS. The South Korean septet (RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook) were already a worldwide phenomenon before their first GRAMMY nomination: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show for their chart-topping single, "Dynamite." Still, it was that song's unprecedented success that prompted the wider music world to pay attention. Not only is the nomination a big first for them, but it’s also the first GRAMMY nomination for a K-pop act.

They released their album, BE, in November 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its single, "Life Goes On," became the first non-English song to debut(opens in a new tab) atop the Billboard Hot 100. After the release of BE, BTS became the fastest group(opens in a new tab) to earn three No. 1 songs in three months since the Bee Gees more than 42 years ago. To top it all off, BTS are the quickest group since The Beatles to have five No. 1 albums(opens in a new tab) and the first group to have two chart-topping albums in the country in 2020 (with Map of the Soul: 7).

BTS, who TIME named their 2020 Entertainer of the Year(opens in a new tab), is a group familiar with firsts. Watching their disruption of the American pop music industry over the years has been a treat. Each year, they've grown more significant before our eyes. In 2017, they became the first Korean pop act(opens in a new tab) to perform at an American awards show at the AMAs. 2018 saw the group win Top Social Artist(opens in a new tab) for the second time (this is now a common occurrence) at the Billboard Music Awards while also giving a speech at the United Nations (opens in a new tab).

In 2019, they made history as the first Korean group to present at the GRAMMYs, where H.E.R. received the award for Best R&B Album. The following year, at the 2020 GRAMMY Awards show, they became the first Korean act to perform on the GRAMMY stage when they joined Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" remix multiverse. They'll be returning to the GRAMMY stage this year as performers, this time with the added title of nominees.

Their universal, poignant messages go beyond the arts. They just renewed their LOVE YOURSELF campaign with UNICEF(opens in a new tab), whom they've partnered with since 2017 when LOVE YOURSELF 承 'Her,' was released. This association makes an upbeat song like "Dynamite," and the whole album BE, authentic to BTS's brand of practicing what they preach. BTS fans, a.k.a. ARMY, have grown tremendously and have been passionately supporting the superstars for years since the band first expressed an interest in a GRAMMY win.

Their nomination for Best Pop/Duo Group Performance is not just historic, but proof that sincerity, hard work and a dedicated fanbase are a recipe for success. The septet has won so many accolades and broken so many barriers it's gotten nearly impossible to count, but what's more impressive is they've remained humble throughout.