K-pop hopes to make history as first-round Grammy voting closes

K pop in Grammys

The race for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards has officially entered its next phase, and excitement is building — especially among K-pop fans — as first-round voting concluded on Wednesday.

With the final nominations set to be revealed on 7 November, the global music community is watching closely to see whether this could finally be K-pop’s breakthrough year.

Since their inception in 1959, the Grammy Awards, hosted by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, have stood as the pinnacle of musical achievement — their golden gramophone symbolising global excellence.

Yet despite K-pop’s cultural dominance, no act from the genre has ever taken home the coveted trophy.

This year, however, optimism runs higher than ever. Some of K-pop's most impactful and financially successful releases to date were released during the 68th Grammys eligibility period, which ran from August 31, 2024, to August 30, 2025.

Among the strongest contenders are BLACKPINK’s Rosé and Bruno Mars with their viral hit “APT.”, and “Golden” — the standout single from Netflix’s animated feature KPop Demon Hunters.

Both tracks are being considered for two of the Grammys’ most prestigious general categories: Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Their respective albums, “Rosie” and “KPop Demon Hunters”, are also in the running for Album of the Year.

Meanwhile, “APT.” is vying for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video, while “Golden” is submitted across multiple fields including Best Song Written for Visual Media.

The success of “Golden”, which topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and the U.K. Official Singles Chart for several weeks, has strengthened hopes that 2026 could finally be the year K-pop breaks through the Grammys’ glass ceiling.

Other notable K-pop submissions include BLACKPINK’s “JUMP”, Jennie’s “Like JENNIE”, Lisa’s “Born Again”, Jin’s “Don’t Say You Love Me”, RM’s “Never Play” (featuring Megan Thee Stallion), and TXT’s “Beautiful Strangers.”

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Despite K-pop’s global reach, only two South Korean artists have ever won a Grammy: soprano Sumi Jo and recording engineer Hwang Byeong-joon. Even BTS, with their record-breaking international success, were nominated multiple times but never clinched a win.

Last year’s complete shutout of K-pop acts led to renewed criticism of the Recording Academy, accused by fans of overlooking a genre that has redefined pop culture.

With first-round voting now closed, all eyes turn to 7 November, when the final nominees are announced.

The 68th Grammy Awards will take place on 1 February 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles — and perhaps, for K-pop, it could mark the long-awaited moment of recognition.