BTS with seven nominations will not attend this year's Billboard Music Awards

Boy band BTS [HYBE]

BTS will not attend the Billboard Music Awards ceremony on May 15, according to industry insiders on Monday.

The ceremony is set to take place in Las Vegas. The boy band is projected to win in several categories, as it has taken home awards for the past five years since receiving Top Social Artist in 2017.

This year, BTS is nominated for Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Billboard Global Artist (Excluding U.S.), Top Selling Song, Top Billboard Global Song (Excluding U.S.) and Top Rock Song.

Two of the boy band’s songs, “Butter” (2021) and “Permission To Dance” (2021) are nominated for the Top Selling Song category — totaling seven nominations, the highest number yet for BTS at the Billboard Music Awards.

“Butter” is considered highly likely to win, as the smash hit was the longest-reigning No. 1 song of 2021 on the chart, claiming the top spot for a total of 10 weeks, and became the song to receive the most No. 1s by an Asian artist in Billboard history.

If the BTS wins, the band will reportedly deliver an acceptance speech via video.

BTS will release its new album “Proof” on June 10.

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]