5 times BTS created history at the Grammy Awards

BTS has been nominated a total of five times at the Grammy Awards as of November 15, 2022. Often considered a mecca for musicians worldwide, the Recording Academy announced the nominations that promise stiff competition between Western artists like Harry Styles, Adele, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Lizzo.

After years of sending songs with Korean lyrics as submissions, BTS finally seemed to get payback after two Korean-language songs were nominated for the coveted trophy. This is not the first time that the septet has made an impact at the Grammys, having flirted with the award ceremony since 2019, when they first presented a trophy.

5 BTS firsts at the Grammys that seem unreal: Multiple nominations, smooth performances, and more

While this year's nominations have gotten everyone's attention, this is not BTS' first time breaking records regarding the award ceremony. From a heist-style performance to a collaboration stage with industry bigwigs, the Dynamite group has created history several times.

Here are five occasions where BTS has shown their dominance in the Western music industry at the Grammys.

1) First Korean act to get a nomination for Best Recording Package in 2019

Fans have often commented on how understated yet alluring the album covers of the LOVE YOURSELF series are. The Recording Academy seemed to agree, as BTS got their first-ever Grammy nomination in the Best Recording Package category for LOVE YOURSELF 轉 TEAR. This became the second time that a person of Korean descent (the designer, HuskyFox) was nominated in any category after Sumi Jo in 1992.

2) First K-pop group to present an award in 2019 and perform in 2020

BTS' first-ever appearance at the Grammys in 2019 had the group present the award for Best R&B album, dressed in tuxedos. The Korean sensation promised to come back, and they kept their word. In 2020, they were invited to perform Seoul Town Road with Lil Nas X, a remix that featured leader RM.

The short performance was impactful, with the group supporting RM and Lil Nas X, announcing that their presence at the Grammys was not a one-off and that this was just the beginning.

3) First Korean act nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance in 2020

Dynamite brought in many firsts for BTS - the first time topping the Billboard Hot 100, the first English single, the first song to cross a hundred million views in a day, and their first Grammy nomination.

Although they eventually did not win the award, the nomination was a career highlight for the group. While the pandemic prevented them from attending the ceremony in person, the K-pop phenomenon sent in a blockbuster performance on a helipad that astounded everyone and got Jin named the "orange suit guy" due to his visuals.

4) First act to ever get nominated on a song with Korean lyrics

While this year marks BTS' third nomination in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, it is the first time a song with Korean lyrics has ever been considered for the category. Since lyrics are considered BTS' forte, this is a huge achievement, particularly for the rappers who served as songwriters on My Universe with Coldplay.

With the new rules in place this year, Kim Nam-joon, Min Yoon-gi, and Jung Ho-seok are credited as lyricists in Coldplay's Music of the Spheres, which has been nominated for Album of the Year. This makes the trio Grammy-nominated songwriters - an accomplishment seen of utmost importance because their contribution was in their native language rather than English.

5) First nomination by a Korean act for Best Music Video

Yet to Come is a song that was ten years in the making. With multiple references from BTS' previously released music videos, including their debut song No More Dream, it was a fitting conclusion to chapter one of their careers. Despite the video seeming like it was made purely for fans, this Grammy nomination highlights the sheer genius and universality of the message that the band has always strived to deliver.

The latest nominations have made BTS the most-nominated Korean artist in the history of the Grammys, putting them ahead of classical musician Sumi Jo. While their upcoming military enlistment looms in the air, it is unlikely that all seven members will be able to give another blockbuster performance at the ceremony. Nonetheless, this year's heist-themed Butter performance cemented their position as industry insiders, deserving of all the accolades coming their way.

About the author

Sasha is a Kpop and Kdrama writer at SK POP. Deeply enthusiastic about the Korean entertainment sphere, she strives to offer well-rounded insights on developments in the field that necessitate closer inspection. From reporting on how K-pop distributors are run by cult-leaders to unpacking what inspires fan activities like sending protest trucks to K-pop agencies, Sasha has delved into various aspects of K-pop and its local and global influences.

With a Bachelor's in Mass Media and a Master's in English, her educational background helped her develop skills in research, content writing, creative writing, and long-form journalism.

Her professional journey has instilled in her the importance of fact-checking, and she believes in assessing contrasting perspectives and accurately reporting on them. Cognizant of how translations can be easily misconstrued, Sasha likes to verify with multiple sources to confirm any news, especially ones that address an artist’s personal life.

Despite being wary of idolizing any person, Sasha finds BTS' RM, aka Kim Nam-joon, to be the most inspiring personality in her field of interest. Another artist she admires is Freddie Mercury, the frontman of Queen, whose legacy and flamboyance she envies.

Outside of work, Sasha likes to sing off-key to her favorite pop-songs from the 2010s and experiment with toppings for instant ramen.

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Edited by Priya Majumdar