Blackpink’s Rosé is under fire from music fans after her recent Grammy campaign materials claimed she achieved the “biggest streaming debut by any Korean artist in the U.S.”—a statement that has sparked intense debate online. Supporters of BTS have pointed to official Billboard data showing the boy group’s albums have significantly higher streaming numbers, leading to accusations of misrepresentation in Rosé’s For Your Consideration (FYC) package submitted to Grammy voters.
The Controversial Grammy Campaign
Rosé’s team recently sent FYC boxes to Recording Academy voters to promote her solo album Rosie and her collaboration with Bruno Mars, APT. These packages included a t-shirt and promotional materials highlighting her achievements. One claim stated that her album had the biggest streaming debut for any Korean artist on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. However, this assertion was quickly challenged by fans who compared it to BTS’s historic streaming numbers.
Official Billboard data shows that BTS’s 2020 album Map of the Soul: 7 debuted with over 74 million on-demand streams, while their 2022 anthology album Proof reached 52.84 million streams in its first week. Rosé’s Rosie recorded 43.85 million streams in its debut week, meaning it falls short of BTS’s group achievements.
“I know Grammys dgaf about real achievement because it’s all about the label and industry support but outright lying is embarrassing af,” one netizen wrote on social media.
How the Numbers Compare
Billboard measures streaming performance using SEA (streaming equivalent album) units. Rosé’s album generated 31,000 SEA units from its 43.85 million streams. In comparison, BTS’s Map of the Soul: 7 achieved 48,000 SEA units (≈74.79 million streams), Proof reached 36,000 SEA units (≈52.84 million streams), and BE recorded 30,000 SEA units (≈48.56 million streams). Even excluding Proof as an anthology album, BTS’s group releases surpass Rosé’s streaming numbers.
However, some have noted that if the claim is limited to solo Korean artists, Rosé’s debut outperforms BTS member Jungkook’s Golden, which recorded 29,800 SEA units (≈41.59 million streams). The wording in Rosé’s campaign materials says “any Korean artist,” which typically includes groups, leading to accusations of ambiguity or exaggeration.
Grammy Rules and Ethical Concerns
The Recording Academy has strict guidelines for FYC campaigns. These rules prohibit exaggerating achievements, using Grammy logos without authorization, and highlighting chart figures or commercial success in ways that could mislead voters. Critics argue that Rosé’s campaign may have breached these guidelines by overstating her streaming accomplishments.
“Communications cannot exaggerate or overstate the merits of the music, an achievement,” one social media user quoted from Grammy rules.
Additionally, the inclusion of a t-shirt in Rosé’s FYC package has raised questions, as the Academy prohibits gifts like branded merchandise or concert tickets. Some fans have called for her disqualification from Grammy consideration, though no official action has been announced.
Fan Reactions and Social Media Response
The controversy has dominated K-pop discussions on social media, with BTS fans (ARMY) expressing anger and disappointment. Many accuse Rosé’s label, Atlantic Records, of misrepresenting data to gain an unfair advantage in Grammy voting. Hashtags calling for accountability have trended worldwide.
“Nah this women actually proved that it’s not just her fans but she herself too fakes achievements. ‘The biggest debut by any k-act in US’ record belongs to bts & BTS only. Numbers don’t lie. Faking achievements to get Grammy recognition is unacceptable. This needs to be noticed,” wrote another fan.
Despite the backlash, some supporters argue that the claim could be technically accurate if interpreted narrowly—for example, if “debut” refers to an artist’s first chartable release or if only solo artists are considered. However, the widespread interpretation has favored BTS’s group records.
The Bigger Picture: K-pop at the Grammys
This incident highlights the competitive nature of K-pop fandoms and the significance of Grammy recognition for Korean artists. BTS has yet to win a Grammy despite multiple nominations, and Rosé’s solo campaign has intensified discussions about Western validation and ethical campaigning in the music industry.
Rosé’s collaboration with Bruno Mars, APT., has been commercially successful, winning Song of the Year at the 2025 MTV VMAs and topping charts globally. However, the Grammy controversy threatens to overshadow her artistic achievements.
The 68th Grammy Awards are scheduled for February 1, 2026, with nominations set to be announced in November 2025. The Recording Academy has not commented on the controversy surrounding Rosé’s FYC campaign.
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