Rose's 'Apartment' and 'Golden' earn major Grammy nods

Rosé of BLACKPINK, whose hit “Apartment (APT.)” sparked a global sensation, and “Golden,” the theme song from the animated series “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” were named finalists in the general fields at the Grammy Awards, considered the highest honors in American popular music. Notably, “Apartment” received nominations in two of the three top Grammy categories.

According to the Recording Academy on Jan. 7 local time, “Apartment,” performed by Rosé and Bruno Mars, received nominations for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 68th Grammy Awards, scheduled for next February. Song of the Year and Record of the Year are considered the Grammys’ most prestigious awards, along with Album of the Year.

The original soundtrack “Golden” from the Netflix animation also earned five nominations, including Song of the Year. With these nods, “Apartment” and “Golden” will compete directly in both Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Cats Eye, the girl group jointly produced by HYBE and Geffen Records, also entered the general-category field with nominations for Best New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The Korean original musical “Maybe Happy Ending,” which won six Tony-related awards in the United States, received a nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.

Founded in 1959, the Grammys are considered one of the four major U.S. music award ceremonies, along with the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards. The Grammys place a strong emphasis on musical artistry, and even a nomination is widely regarded as an honor. BTS received nominations in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023, although the group did not win.

American media are also paying close attention to K-pop’s expanded presence at the Grammys. The Los Angeles Times reported that K-pop has finally received nominations in major categories and said voters appear to be recognizing the genre for its artistic merit rather than as a passing trend. Forbes wrote that the nominations for “Apartment” and “Golden” are historic but unsurprising, calling the songs among the most deserving of Grammy consideration.

Pop music critic Jeong Min-jae said K-pop’s success so far has been driven largely by fandom, but this year’s nominations mark progress because they reflect broader domestic popularity and engagement. He added that because both songs rely heavily on English lyrics and follow a pop-oriented style, the Grammys’ acceptance of K-pop still appears limited. The 68th Grammy Awards are scheduled for Feb. 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.


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