Rosé with Bruno Mars’ Apartment and Golden from K-pop Dem Hunters lead multiple nominations; CatsAi lands rookie nod

Nominees for the 68th Grammy Awards were announced, and K-pop acts scored a notable breakthrough across major categories. Rosé of Blackpink, collaborating with Bruno Mars on the hit Apartment, earned nominations for Song of the Year and Record of the Year, among others. The Netflix documentary soundtrack K-pop Dem Hunters and its track Golden received nominations across five categories, including Song of the Year. Hybe’s new girl group CatsAi was named a contender for Best New Artist.

This year’s nominations mark a historic moment, with K-pop acts appearing in the General Fields for Song of the Year, Record, Album, and Best New Artist for the first time. The shift signals growing recognition of K-pop as a major force in mainstream pop music, reflecting broader changes in how the genre is valued in the industry.

In addition to the nominations, the Recording Academy has expanded its membership, welcoming thousands of new members with greater age diversity and broader representation of people of color and women. Industry observers view the move as part of an ongoing effort to make the voting body more global and inclusive, mirroring K-pop’s worldwide reach.

Overall, the Grammys’ nominations underscore K-pop’s rising presence on the global stage, highlighting historic milestones for the genre and signaling a more expansive, internationally oriented music landscape.