Blackpink Soloists Ineligible for Grammy’s Best New Artist Category
Los Angeles,CA – Solo efforts from members of the K-pop group Blackpink will not be considered for the Grammy Award’s Best New Artist category,despite individual successes and rising profiles. The Recording Academy’s eligibility rules disqualify artists who have previously been submitted for the award, either as solo acts or as part of a group.
The disqualification stems from Blackpink’s established status within the music industry and prior Grammy submissions as a collective. According to Recording Academy guidelines, members of a group are considered part of that collective entity, meaning any previous submissions made under the Blackpink name apply to each member individually. This prevents solo work from being considered “new” for the purpose of the award.
The rulebook specifies that an artist cannot have been submitted for Best New Artist more than three times previously, whether as a new artist or as a solo artist emerging from a group. While the exact number of Blackpink or its members’ past submissions is unclear, the group’s long-standing presence and prior consideration for awards preclude individual members from eligibility.
Rosé is the only Blackpink member to have received Grammy nominations to date, earning multiple nods at the 2026 Grammys for her collaboration with Bruno Mars on “APT,” including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Grupo Performance. Despite this recognition, the rule prevents her, and other members, from being considered for best New Artist.
The Grammys have historically been slow to fully embrace the K-pop genre. BTS, another leading K-pop group, has primarily been recognized in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category and has yet to secure a win.This year, “Golden” from Kpop Demon Hunters marked a breakthrough for the genre, receiving multiple nominations, including Song of the Year.