BTS makes history, becomes the first Korean act to get a Grammy nomination

There is a saying in the BTS fandom, “what Suga wants, Suga gets”. And if it is a Grammy nomination that Suga, the fiery yet cute rapper of the global pop sensation group, he is totally getting one. 

BTS makes it

The seven-member South Korean boy band on Tuesday made history by securing a nomination in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category with their chart topping single ‘Dynamite’ for the upcoming 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

Since their 2013 debut, the band -- whose full name is Bangtan Sonyeondan (Bulletproof Boy Scouts) -- has ridden a global K-Pop wave with catchy, upbeat music along with lyrics and social campaigns aimed at empowering young people. The band has already bagged honours from the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music Awards and the MTV Europe Music Awards. 

The team

BTS - comprising RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook - became the first Korean act to perform at the Grammys this year by being part of  Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ stage. The less-than-a-minute long performance paired with the killer looks the seven pulled on the red carpet made them talk of the town at the 2020 Grammys. 

Coming back to Suga’s wishlist, he had in the past expressed their desires to win a Daesang Award (the grand prize in a Korean music awards show), entering the Billboard charts, performing at the Grammys and topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart. All these wishes were already checked by now, leaving one - the dream of winning a Grammy Award, the most prestigious honour in pop music. This would be the perfect time to fulfill that wish, as it could be the best present (apart from tangerines) the band can give to the rapper, who is currently recuperating after a shoulder surgery.

During the launch of their latest album ‘BE’, the leader of the group, RM had revealed they were looking forward to the nomination. The  26-year-old said it would be a lie, if he said he was not nervous.

The songs

Songs released from September 1, 2019, to August 31, 2020 are eligible for the 63rd Grammy Awards nominations.

Their latest hit 'Dynamite', their first song entirely in English, had topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in September. 

Last week, the band dropped a self-produced album ‘BE’ with a lead single ‘Life Goes On’. 

The band members were greatly involved in the process of making the album. Jimin took on the role of the project manager for the album, Jungkook directed the music video for the lead single, and V was given the responsibility of visual director.

They played a virtual concert last month, drawing more than 990,000 viewers from 191 countries, and fetching some 50 billion won ($45 million) in ticket sales. 

The band had to call off their tour of nearly 40 concerts in Asia, Europe and the United States, which had been due to begin in April, as the coronavirus spread around

The eldest of the members, 27-year-old Jin is required to sign up for mandatory military service by the end of next year, and he recently said all the band's members intended to serve. If the military enlistment happens in 2021, it would take a handful of years for the band to be back in it’s full form. Winning a Grammy before that is something the fandom has been longing for.