SKY-HI and BE:FIRST Gain Grammy Voting Rights as Recording Academy Members
The selection gives BMSG-affiliated artists a direct vote in Grammy nominations and winners, a practical step toward the label's stated goal of securing a place for J-POP in the international music industry.
Reporting from 2 sources: KAI-YOU, ASCII.jp.
The Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammy Awards, selected SKY-HI and the six members of BE:FIRST as new members for 2026. They now have voting rights for the 69th Grammy Awards in February 2027 and eligibility to attend the ceremony. The selection is separate from any nomination. The move comes as BMSG, the label that manages both, pushes for global expansion.
The Recording Academy is a U.S. organization of active music creators and industry professionals. Membership is based on activity records, credits, and peer recommendations. SKY-HI and the six BE:FIRST members-SOTA, SHUNTO, MANATO, RYUHEI, JUNON, and LEO-will now join the first round of voting that determines nominees and the final vote that decides winners. The 69th Grammy Awards are set for February 7, 2027, in Los Angeles. SKY-HI said the challenge is still halfway. BMSG, which declared a second founding period in June 2026, aims to hold its festival overseas by 2030 and to create a shelf for J-POP in the world.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.