BTS’ goals are fans, not Grammys in Arirang Era, reveals RM: 'Don’t want to be desperately eager'
What is one trophy when you already have more than 500 awards to your name?
How has BTS never won a Grammy despite being nominated several times for it?
It’s a question many ARMYs continue to ask. Others, however, have made peace with the idea that despite the group’s astronomical success, it may take time for the Western music establishment to fully recognise them with that particular honour. And truthfully, BTS don’t exactly need a Grammy, what is one trophy when you already have more than 500 awards to your name?
BTS, themselves, have been rather nonchalant about the Grammys after the initial disappointment. In 2021, after being snubbed for Dynamite, Suga had expressed his desire to one day win the Grammy.
In 2022, they gave an exhilarating performance on their chart-topping hit Butter at the awards ceremony, receiving a standing ovation in return. Yet once again, the Grammy eluded them. Nevertheless, while the term ‘Scammys’ went around, with many fans upset at the loss, some fans noted that the 2022 Grammy Awards drew 9.6 million viewers in the final Live, Same Day ratings released Tuesday by Nielsen, which include out-of-home viewing, a 2.1 per cent increase over the 2021 broadcast, and it was all attributed to BTS.
However, BTS's expectations appeared tempered. As RM later told a sea of fans during their Las Vegas concert: “We didn’t come here for the Grammys. We came here for the ARMYs.”
That was 2022, and it’s now 2026, the band is reunited after military service and is ready for their next album and world tour, Arirang. In an interview with GQ, RM reflected on whether the Grammys are still an end goal for the group.
“I don’t know, because time has passed,” he said. “There are a lot of K-pop-related nominees you see in the general field and, really, I want to send big applause for them.”
He added, “I mean, we’ll try. Maybe we’ll submit our album to the Grammys again. But I don’t know, we don’t want to be desperately eager for it. We don’t want to keep saying, ‘Ah, man, we want the Grammys.’ It doesn’t mean that we don’t want it, but we’ll try. And if not, then OK.”
As RM explained, a Grammy was just one of the goals they hadn’t achieved. Now, their priorities feel clearer. “The Grammys was one of the goals that we didn’t really get in the past,” he said, “but I think now, the most important thing is just that we are here, back together again. We’re going to see the fans all over the world.”
