BTS wins 2nd consecutive Grammy nomination but not in major category

Coldplay and BTS perform during the 49th Annual American Music Awards at Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California, U.S., November 21, 2021. Picture taken November 21, 2021. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

South Korean megastar BTS earned a Grammy nomination for the second consecutive year Tuesday (U.S. time) but failed to get a nod in any of the four major categories.

The septet was nominated for the best pop duo or group performance for their megahit “Butter,” during the official Grammys nomination ceremony livestreamed by the U.S. Recording Academy.

2021 marks the second consecutive year BTS has been nominated in the pop genre category after garnering their first-ever Grammy nomination last year for “Dynamite.”

The group, however, did not score any nomination for the awards show’s top four “general field” categories.

Music industry experts and news outlets had predicted the K-pop giant might be nominated in at least one of the general field categories — record of the year, song of the year, album of the year and best new artist — in addition to a nomination in the best pop duo or group performance.

“Butter” was recognized alongside Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’s “I Get a Kick Out of You,” Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco’s “Lonely,” Coldplay’s “Higher Power” and Doja Cat and SZA’s “Kiss Me More.”

Released in May, “Butter” secured the No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 10 nonconsecutive weeks. It is now the “longest-running No. 1 song of 2021″ on the chart, according to Billboard.

The band then landed two other chart-toppers, “Permission to Dance” and “My Universe,” a collaborative single with British rock band Coldplay.

Tuesday’s feat came just days after BTS raked in three awards, including the top honor of the artist of the year, for “Butter” at the American Music Awards held in Los Angeles Sunday.

BTS, if it wins a Grammy, will make history by becoming the first K-pop artist to sweep all three major U.S. awards, which include the American Music Awards and the Billboard Music Awards.

At the Billboard show in May, BTS took home four awards, including top selling song (for “Dynamite”).

No Asian artist has won an award in the Grammys’ general field categories except Yoko Ono, who accepted the album of the year for her and her husband John Lennon’s “Double Fantasy” in 1982.

Many BTS fans took to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the Grammys, saying they cannot believe the K-pop megastar got only one nomination despite 2021 having been the most successful year for the group yet.

Twitter has been flooded with posts of “#Scammys” and “#BTS already won” hashtags from devoted fans worldwide since nominees were announced.

Noting BTS topped the Billboard 100 main singles chart for a combined 12 weeks this year, one overseas fan asked about the basis for the Recording Academy’s judgement if this did not qualify the group as a nominee for a main award.

“I wasn’t disappointed or surprised at all. Although they try to take it down, BTS has already won,” another fan wrote.

The 64th Grammy Awards is set for Jan. 31 in Los Angeles following a final-round of voting between Dec. 6 and Jan. 5.