As the first-round voting for the 68th Grammy Awards concludes, anticipation is soaring across the global music industry. Many wonder whether K-pop the ever-growing international music powerhouse long overlooked by the Recording Academy can finally break its losing streak and capture its first Grammy win.
Organized by the U.S. 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 the 68th Grammys runs from August 31, 2024, to August 30, 2025 a timeframe that has seen some of K-pop’s most globally successful releases.
Among the most notable contenders are BLACKPINK’s Rosé with her smash hit APT., featuring Bruno Mars, and Golden, the standout song from Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters. Both are reportedly submitted for two of the Grammy’s most prestigious general categories: Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Their respective albums, Rosie and KPop Demon Hunters, are also in contention for Album of the Year.
APT. has also been 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.
Although APT. made a global splash late last year, Golden’s meteoric success boosted by the popularity of the animated film has amplified hopes for K-pop’s long-awaited Grammy win. The track dominated both the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and the UK Official Singles Chart for weeks, solidifying its position as a strong contender for this year’s awards.
Beyond these frontrunners, many other K-pop stars have joined the race across multiple Grammy categories. In Record of the Year, entries reportedly include JUMP by BLACKPINK, Like JENNIE by Jennie, Born Again by Lisa, Don’t Say You Love Me by BTS’s Jin, Never Play by RM and Megan Thee Stallion, Sweet Dreams by j-hope, Thunder by SEVENTEEN, Beautiful Strangers by TXT, Gabriela by KATSEYE, Strategy by TWICE, and Walking On Water by Stray Kids.
In Album of the Year, the submitted works include Jennie’s RUBY, Lisa’s Alter Ego, Jin’s Echo, SEVENTEEN’s SPILL THE FEELS, TXT’s The Star Chapter: TOGETHER, TWICE’s Strategy, and Stray Kids’ HOP. Meanwhile, emerging groups KATSEYE, aespa, and Ateez are reportedly vying for Best New Artist.
For Best Pop Duo/Group Performance a category BTS was nominated in for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023 the competing tracks are said to include XOXZ by IVE, HOT by LE SSERAFIM, In Your Fantasy by Ateez, and Fly Up by RIIZE.
So far, only two South Korean musicians have ever won a Grammy: soprano Sumi Jo and classical recording engineer Hwang Byeong-joon. Despite multiple nominations in the early 2020s, K-pop acts like BTS never managed to clinch the award.
Last year, the absence of any K-pop representation in the Grammy nominations sparked widespread disappointment even though BTS members released successful solo albums during their military service hiatus. The snub reignited debates over whether the Recording Academy was deliberately overlooking the genre despite its undeniable global impact.
Now, with first-round voting complete, Korean industry watchers are closely observing to see whether the upcoming 68th Grammy Awards will finally mark a turning point for K-pop. The Recording Academy is set to announce the final nominations on November 7, 2025, with final-round voting taking place from December 12, 2025, to January 5, 2026. The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 1, 2026, in Los Angeles.
With major stars, blockbuster releases, and unprecedented global influence, K-pop stands closer than ever to achieving a historic first Grammy win.
Sources: K14
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