Grammys 2026: Will K-pop bag its first win this year?

Kpop in Grammys

• K-pop artists earn first major Grammy nominations for 2026 awards
• Rosé's APT. and Katseye nominated in top categories, marking a historic moment
• Critics note nominations favor English-language, Western-influenced K-pop acts

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For years, K-pop has been a dominant force in global pop culture, commanding sold-out stadiums, record-breaking streams and fiercely loyal fandoms. Yet at the Grammy Awards, the genre has largely remained on the sidelines. That narrative may finally shift at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

For the first time, songs connected to K-pop artists or the K-pop system have received nominations in the big categories — Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist. This could potentially open the door to a historic win.

BLACKPINK’s Rosé has become the first K-pop artist nominated for Record of the Year, thanks to her global smash APT., a collaboration with Bruno Mars. The track also appears in Song of the Year, where it competes against Golden, performed by fictional girl group HUNTR/X from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters. Meanwhile, Katseye, a HYBE-created global girl group trained using the K-pop idol system, has landed a Best New Artist nomination.

As reported by AP, assistant professor of Korean Studies at Arizona State University, Areum Jeong, states that these nominations reflect a “de-territorialized, hybrid idea of K-pop” rather than traditional Korean pop music. While Rosé was trained under the K-pop system and APT. draws lightly from Korean cultural motifs, Jeong argues that the song feels more like Western pop than a localised K-pop production. The same, she says, applies to Katseye, which is marketed primarily to Western audiences.

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Critics point out that language remains a barrier. Jeong argues that the Grammys’ historical resistance to non-English music helps explain why acts like BTS, Seventeen and Stray Kids were overlooked, while English-forward releases are now gaining traction.

Music journalist Tamar Herman adds another layer, suggesting that the recognition may also reflect a relatively weak year for US pop hits. “K-pop has been excellent for a long time. This moment says as much about shifting global taste and cultural power as it does about the genre itself,” she was quoted as saying.

Also Read: Grammys 2026: Fela Kuti makes history as he becomes first African to be honoured with posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award

So will K-pop finally win its first Grammy? That depends on how one defines K-pop, and whether victory comes from Rosé, Katseye, or even a fictional group born on Netflix.