(C) Indiatimes

Los Angeles, CA — The nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, announced early Friday morning (KST), have ignited widespread excitement within the K-pop industry, with Blackpink's Rosé, the soundtrack from the Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' and the global girl group Katseye securing final nominations in major categories. This development significantly raises anticipation for K-pop’s first-ever Grammy Award win.

The Recording Academy's live announcement unveiled a major leap for K-pop, which has struggled to secure a win at the American music industry's most prestigious ceremony despite its global dominance.

Blackpink member Rosé's collaborative track with Bruno Mars, "APT."—released last October to explosive global reception—garnered three final nominations. The song is a contender for two of the four coveted 'General Field' awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Additionally, "APT." is nominated in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, showcasing its impressive impact.

Further underscoring K-pop’s rising profile is the 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' original soundtrack. The song "Golden," performed by the fictional K-pop group Huntrix, is nominated for Song of the Year alongside Rosé's hit. "Golden" is also vying for four other awards, including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Remixed Recording, and Best Song Written for Visual Media. The entire OST album is nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, putting the project in the running for five total awards.

In a landmark moment for new talent, Katseye, a global girl group launched by HYBE, secured a final nomination for Best New Artist, one of the four main Grammy categories. Katseye also landed a nomination for their track "Gabriela" in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category.

The strong showing from K-pop in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category is particularly noteworthy, with three of the five final nominees belonging to the genre (Rosé, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' and Katseye), excluding only Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande's "Defying Gravity" and SZA & Kendrick Lamar's "30 For 30." This unprecedented saturation in a major genre category suggests a strong probability for a historic K-pop win.

The 68th Grammy Awards consider music released between late August 2024 and late August 2025. The final nominees were determined after a first round of voting conducted in October.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on February 1, 2026 (local time), at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

While K-pop pioneers like BTS achieved consecutive nominations in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category from 2021 to 2023, the genre has yet to claim its first Grammy trophy. Historically, only a few Korean artists, such as soprano Jo Sumi and sound engineer Hwang Byeong-joon, have won classical and technical awards. However, with Rosé, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' and Katseye all securing high-profile nominations, the industry’s anticipation for a breakthrough K-pop victory has never been higher.