BTS received five nominations for the 2026 MAMA Awards, which were announced on Monday (Oct. 12), the same day that first-round voting began for the 2027 Grammy Awards, which, for the first time, contains a dedicated Asian pop category, best Asian pop music performance.
BTS is nominated for artist of the year at the MAMA Awards,as well as best male group, album of the year for ARIRANG, best vocal performance group for “SWIM” and best music video for “2.0.” In addition, group member J-Hope received two nods for his feature on LE SSERAFIM’s “SPAGHETTI,” nominated in both best collaboration and best dance performance female group.
Another leading K-pop group, BIGBANG, received four nominations plus four more for solo projects by group members Taeyang and G-Dragon. BIGBANG is up for artist of the year and best male group, plus best music video and best dance performance male group for “BiiiG.” Taeyang received three nods as a soloist: artist of the year, best male artist and best dance performance male solo for his single “LIVE FAST DIE SLOW.” G-Dragon earned a nod with his feature on aespa’s “WDA (Whole Different Animal)” in the best collaboration category. G-Dragon won artist of the year at the 2025 ceremony.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER received three nods – artist of the year, best male group and album of the year for 7th year: a moment of stillness in the thorns. In addition, group member Yeonjun received three solo nominations: artist of the year, best male artist and best dance performance male solo for “Ice Cream.”
Seven acts received five nominations each: MAMAMOO (counting four nods for its youngest member, Hwasa), aespa, ATEEZ, IVE, LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT and CORTIS.
The first round of fan voting is already underway. The awards ceremony is set to take place over two nights, Nov. 20-21, at the Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan. The awards will also stream live worldwide on CJ ENM’s Mnet Plus platform. Music released between Oct. 1, 2025 and Sept. 30, 2026 is eligible for this year’s awards.
Other top winners at last year’s ceremony, in addition to G-Dragon, were ROSÉ & Bruno Mars’s “APT.” (song of the year), Stray Kids’ KARMA (album of the year) and ENHYPEN (fans’choice of the year).
Here’s the full list of nominees for the 2026 MAMA Awards, except for song of the year, which will be announced soon.
Best Male Artist
Doh Kyung Soo (D.O. of EXO)
Taeyang of BIGBANG
Taeyong of NCT
Yeonjun of TOMORROW X TOGETHER
Young K of DAY6
Best Female Artist
Hwasa of MAMAMOO
Irene of Red Velvet
Soyeon of i-dle
Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation
YENA
Best Male Group
ATEEZ
BIGBANG
BTS
CORTIS
ENHYPEN
NCT WISH
Stray Kids
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
Best Female Group
aespa
BABYMONSTER
BLACKPINK
Hearts2Hearts
ILLIT
IVE
LE SSERAFIM
NMIXX
Best New Artist
ALPHA DRIVE ONE
AND2BLE
EVAN
H//PE Princess
hrtz.wav
LNGSHOT
MODYSSEY
OURBIRTHDAY
TUIDE
UNCHILD
Best Vocal Performance Solo
Hwasa of MAMAMOO – “Good Goodbye”
IU – “Unknown Planet”
Jennie of BLACKPINK – “Less than a Lover”
Roy Kim – “No Words Can Say”
WOODZ – “CINEMA”
Best Vocal Performance Group
AKMU – “Paradise of Rumors”
BTS – “SWIM”
Davichi – “TIME CAPSULE”
DxS (SEVENTEEN) – “Blue”
MAMAMOO – “4 Flowers”
Best Rap & Hip Hop Performance
BIG Naughty – “Nostalgia”
HAON – “Yarrr”
NOWIMYOUNG – “KOLOK COLOK”
TREASURE – “IF I”
ZICO & Lilas of YOASOBI – “DUET”
Best Original Soundtrack
Kim Min Seok of MeloMance – “Love Language” (Can This Love Be Translated? OST)
Migak Boys – “My Flavor” (The Legend of Kitchen Soldier OST)
Sung Si Kyung – “Anytime anyhow” (Surely Tomorrow OST)
Suzy – “A Day” (EXchange 4 OST)
Young K of DAY6 – “Season of Us” (My Royal Nemesis OST)
Best Music Video
BIGBANG – “BiiiG”
BTS – “2.0”
Hwasa of MAMAMOO – “Good Goodbye”
i-dle – “Mono (Feat. skaiwater)”
MEOVV – “DDI RO RI”
Best Collaboration
aespa – “WDA (Whole Different Animal) [feat. G-Dragon of BIGBANG]”
Dayoung of WJSN & Jay Park – “FLIRTY”
LE SSERAFIM – “SPAGHETTI (feat. j-hope of BTS)”
LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT & KATSEYE – “ICONIC BY MISTAKE”
Parc Jae Jung & Sullyoon of NMIXX – “Always”
Best Band Performance
Silica Gel – “BIG VOID”
JANNABI – “Just Kids”
LUCY – “All Ages”
QWER – “CEREMONY”
Xdinary Heroes – “Voyager”
Best Choreography
ATEEZ – “BAD”
CORTIS – “REDRED”
ILLIT – “It’s Me”
IVE – “BANG BANG”
YENA – “Catch Catch”
Best Dance Performance Male Solo
ONEW of SHINee – “TOUGH LOVE”
Taemin of SHINee – “FLOAT”
Taeyang of BIGBANG – “LIVE FAST DIE SLOW”
Taeyong of NCT – “WYLD”
Yeonjun of TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Ice Cream”
Best Dance Performance Female Solo
BIBI – “BUMPA”
Dayoung of WJSN – “What’s a girl to do”
Soyeon of i-dle – “I’m gonna TOESA”
YENA – “Catch Catch”
Yuna of ITZY – “Ice Cream”
Best Dance Performance Male Group
ATEEZ – “BAD”
BIGBANG – “BiiiG”
BOYNEXTDOOR – “Hollywood Action”
CORTIS – “REDRED”
RIIZE – “Do your dance”
Stray Kids – “This & That”
TWS – “OVERDRIVE”
ZEROBASEONE – “TOP 5”
Best Dance Performance Female Group
aespa – “LEMONADE”
Hearts2Hearts – “RUDE!”
I.O.I – “Suddenly”
ILLIT – “It’s Me”
IVE – “BANG BANG”
KiiiKiii – “404 (New Era)”
LE SSERAFIM – “SPAGHETTI (feat. j-hope of BTS)”
NMIXX – “Blue Valentine”
Artist of the Year
Aespa
ALPHA DRIVE ONE
AND2BLE
ATEEZ
BABYMONSTER
BIGBANG
BLACKPINK
BTS
CORTIS
Doh Kyung Soo (D.O. of EXO)
ENHYPEN
EVAN
H//PE Princess
Hearts2Hearts
hrtz.wav
Hwasa of MAMAMOO
ILLIT
Irene of Red Velvet
IVE
LE SSERAFIM
LNGSHOT
MODYSSEY
NCT WISH
NMIXX
OURBIRTHDAY
Soyeon of i-dle
Stray Kids
Taeyang of BIGBANG
Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation
Taeyong of NCT
TUIDE
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
UNCHILD
YENA
Yeonjun of TOMORROW X TOGETHER
Young K of DAY6
Album of the Year
(Only Albums that sold more than 1 Million copies are eligible)
&TEAM – Mark on Me
aespa – LEMONADE
ALPHA DRIVE ONE – EUPHORIA
ATEEZ – GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5
BLACKPINK – DEADLINE
BOYNEXTDOOR – The Action
BTS – ARIRANG
CORTIS – GREENGREEN
ENHYPEN – THE SIN : VANISH
EXO – REVERXE
IVE – REVIVE+
NCT DREAM – Beat It Up
NCT WISH – Ode to Love
PLAVE – Caligo Pt.2
RIIZE – II
Stray Kids – THIS & THAT
TWS – NO TRAGEDY
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – 7TH YEAR: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns
Fans’ Choice Male
&TEAM
82MAJOR
8TURN
AEN
AHOF
ALPHA DRIVE ONE
AND2BLE
ATEEZ
AxMxP
B1A4
BIGBANG
BOYNEXTDOOR
BTS
CLOSE YOUR EYES
CNBLUE
CORTIS
CRAVITY
DAY6
ENHYPEN
EVAN
EVNNE
EXO
FLARE U
hrtz.wav
HUI
IDID
JANNABI
Jay Park
KickFlip
LNGSHOT
NCT 127
NCT DREAM
NCT WISH
NEXZ
NouerA
Park Ji Hoon
PLAVE
RIIZE
SEVENTEEN
SHINee
Stray Kids
Super Junior
TREASURE
TWS
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
WOODZ
XLOV
XODIAC
ZEROBASEONE
ZICO
Fans’ Choice Female
aespa
AKMU
ALLDAY PROJECT
Apink
APOKI
ARTMS
AtHeart
Baby DONT Cry
BABYMONSTER
BIBI
Billlie
BLACKPINK
Chuu
CSR
DAVICHI
Dayoung of WJSN
dodree
EJel
FIFTY FIFTY
fromis_9
HANRORO
Hearts2Hearts
i-dle
I.O.I
ILLIT
ITZY
IVE
izna
Kep1er
KiiiKiii
KISS OF LIFE
LE SSERAFIM
Lee Young Ji
MAMAMOO
MEOVV
Mimi of Oh My Girl
NMIXX
Red Velvet
RESCENE
Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation
TUIDE
TWICE
UNIS
VVUP
X:IN
Yena
Yoon Mi Rae
Yoona of Girls’ Generation
Younha
Yuju