Why does the @RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), which hands out gold & platinum awards, categorize @BTS_twt as "WORLD MUSIC"?

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Following my thread about Nielsen ( https://twitter.com/bybrianbyrne/status/1283763420475592704), lots of ARMYs asked why @BTS_twt's gold & platinum awards are listed as "WORLD MUSIC."

Example:

Meanwhile, Blackpink is listed as "POP" under its gold award for DDU-DU DDU-DU and Psy is listed as "None" for his two platinum certifications for Gangnam Style (single and video single.)

The RIAA told me: "The RIAA itself does not choose any of the categorizations for the gold and platinum awards program. The label or artist when applying selects the genre of themselves."

Plus, as @btbtbtsssssss_ recently noted, the RIAA states the following on its website:

This clears up why @BTS_twt is categorized differently than Blackpink or Psy. Blackpink is with YG Entertainment/Interscope Records, which obviously felt the group is better categorized as "POP."

Psy, meanwhile, got his certifications in 2013, two years before the RIAA even asked entrants to provide one of the below genres. For this reason, it makes sense that the genre for his awards is listed as "None."

As for why Big Hit categorized @BTS_twt as "WORLD MUSIC"… To be honest, I still don't know.

I asked Big Hit and they told me: "I think RIAA will be able to provide the best answers in regards to that!"

But I wouldn't worry about the RIAA's classification, including in regards to the GRAMMYs. The @RecordingAcad has its own screening committees whose job it is to ensure music is entered into the right categories.

Per the GRAMMYs site:

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