BTS Fans Have Some VERY Mixed Feelings About Their AMA Nom
So BTS is nominated for an award at this year's American Music Awards, and well...their fans have some mixed feelings about it.
As announced on Wednesday (Sept. 12), the K-pop group is up for Favorite Social Artist alongside Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, and Shawn Mendes. It's not their first nomination at a U.S.-based show: They've won Top Social Artist at the Billboard Music Awards for the last two years in a row, took home Best Fan Army and Best Boy Band at the iHeart Music Awards in March, and nabbed Choice International Artist and Choice Fandom at the Teen Choice Awards last month. But something many of those honors have in common is that they're centered around BTS' fandom rather than their music. And while the band's ARMY has and continues to be an integral part of their success, many of them believe it's time BTS begins getting credit for not just their clout, but their work and artistry, too.
"ok i'm proud of them but can they get nominated for their talent and music not their huge fanbase, ama's are honestly using bts and us for clout this is so annoying," tweeted one fan.
Others, meanwhile, pointed out that BTS are still technically in the early stages of their career, and being acknowledged at all is a huge feat.
"I would like the whiners to go out and find a non-white, non-English-speaking boy group from Asia who, within a year of coming up on the AMA's radar, got a nomination. ANY nomination," wrote one follower. "Y'all want the moon and the stars overnight. This isn't K-pop land."
Added another: "EXACTLY! last yr all they got was a BBMA nom. This yr they got BBMAs, PCA and now AMA. BTS barely had their US debut not even a yr ago. We doing great."
Will BTS take home the win? Tune into the 2018 AMAs Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. E.T. on ABC to find out.