The 2026 MAMA Awards nominations are officially out, setting up a competitive race between K-pop’s biggest global stars and the next generation of rising acts. BTS, BLACKPINK, Stray Kids, aespa, TXT and ATEEZ are among the major names featured across the categories, while rookies including CORTIS and ALPHA DRIVE ONE are also entering the awards conversation.
Announced on October 12, the nominations set the stage for the ceremony on November 20–21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan. Organized by CJ ENM’s Mnet and presented by Visa, this year’s event will stream worldwide through Mnet Plus. Fans’ Choice voting is open from October 12 to October 22 on Mnet Plus and X, giving fans an early opportunity to support their favorite artists.
In the Best Male Artist category, the nominees are EXO’s D.O., TXT’s Yeonjun, BIGBANG’s Taeyang, NCT’s Taeyong and DAY6’s Young K. The Best Female Artist race features I-DLE’s Soyeon, Red Velvet’s Irene, Taeyeon, MAMAMOO’s Hwasa and Yena, bringing together established soloists with artists from different corners of the Korean music scene.
The Best Male Group lineup includes BTS, TXT, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, CORTIS, ENHYPEN, NCT WISH and Stray Kids. In Best Female Group, ILLIT, aespa, BABYMONSTER, BLACKPINK, Hearts2Hearts, IVE, LE SSERAFIM and NMIXX will compete for recognition.
Album of the Year is another major battleground. The nominees include BTS’s ARIRANG, TXT’s 7TH YEAR: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns, aespa’s Lemonade, BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE, Stray Kids’ THIS & THAT, ENHYPEN’s THE SIN: VANISH, ATEEZ’s GOLDEN HOUR: Part.5, EXO’s REVERXE, IVE’s REVIVE+, CORTIS’s GREENGREEN and ALPHA DRIVE ONE’s EUPHORIA. Releases from NCT DREAM, NCT WISH, RIIZE, TWS, PLAVE and &TEAM are also represented in the album field.
Additional categories cover rap and hip-hop, collaborations, original soundtracks, music videos, band performances and choreography.
The ceremony will span two days, November 20 and 21, with live worldwide streaming planned through Mnet Plus alongside broadcasts on Mnet channels and other regional platforms. The expanded MAMA FAN FESTA will also run from November 9 through 21, bringing additional online and in-person experiences to Osaka and giving fans more ways to participate beyond the main show.
First launched in 1999 as Korea’s first music video awards ceremony, the event has grown into an international celebration of Korean and global music. Its history of hosting ceremonies across multiple countries reflects the genre’s expanding reach, while the Osaka edition continues that international approach.
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2026 MAMA Awards Nominations
Best New Artist
EVAN
Hiipe Princess
ALPHA DRIVE ONE
AND2BLE
hrtz.wav
LNGSHOT
MODYSSEY
OURBIRTHDAY
TUIDE
UNCHILD
Best Male Artist
DOH KYUNGSOO
YEONJUN
TAEYANG
TAEYONG
Young K
Best Female Artist
SOYEON
IRENE
TAEYEON
HWASA
YENA
Best Male Group
BTS
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
ATEEZ
BIGBANG
CORTIS
ENHYPEN
NCT WISH
Stray Kids
Best Female Group
ILLIT
aespa
BABYMONSTER
BLACKPINK
Hearts2Hearts
IVE
LE SSERAFIM
NMIXX
Best Dance Performance – Male Solo
“Ice Cream” by YEONJUN
“TOUGH LOVE” by ONEW
“FLOAT” by TAEMIN
“LIVE FAST DIE SLOW” by TAEYANG
“WYLD” by TAEYONG
Best Dance Performance – Female Solo
“What’s a girl to do” by DAYOUNG
“BUMPA” by BIBI
“I’m gonna TOESA” by SOYEON
“Ice Cream” by YUNA
“Catch Catch” by YENA
Best Dance Performance – Male Group
“BAD” by ATEEZ
“BiiiG” by BIGBANG
“Hollywood Action” by BOYNEXTDOOR
“REDRED” by CORTIS
“Do your dance” by RIIZE
“This & That” by Stray Kids
“OVERDRIVE” by TWS
“TOP 5” by ZEROBASEONE
Best Dance Performance – Female Group
“Suddenly” by I.O.I
“It’s Me” by ILLIT
“LEMONADE” by aespa
“RUDE!” by Hearts2Hearts
“BANG BANG” by IVE
“404 (New Era)” by KiiiKiii
“SPAGHETTI” by LE SSERAFIM feat. j-hope of BTS
“Blue Valentine” by NMIXX
Best Vocal Performance – Solo
“No Words Can Say” by Roy Kim
“Unknown Planet” by IU
“Less than a lover” by JENNIE
“Good Goodbye” by HWASA
“CINEMA” by WOODZ
Best Vocal Performance – Group
“TIME CAPSULE” by DAVICHI
“Blue” by DxS (SEVENTEEN)
“4 Flowers” by MAMAMOO
“SWIM” by BTS
“Paradise of Rumors” by AKMU
Best Band Performance
“BIG VOID” by Silica Gel
“Just Kids” by JANNABI
“All Ages” by LUCY
“CEREMONY” by QWER
“Voyager” by Xdinary Heroes
Best Rap & Hip Hop Performance
“Yarrr” by HAON
“Nostalgia” by BIG Naughty
“KOLOK COLOK” by NOWIMYOUNG
“IF I” by TREASURE
“DUET” by ZICO, Lilas
Best Collaboration
“Flirty” by DAYOUNG, Jay Park
“Always” by NMIXX’s Sullyoon, Parc Jaejung
“WDA (Whole Different Animal)” by aespa, G-DRAGON
“SPAGHETTI” by LE SSERAFIM, j-hope
“ICONIC BY MISTAKE” by KATSEYE, ILLIT, LE SSERAFIM
Best OST
Best Music Video
“2.0” by BTS
“Good Goodbye” by HWASA
“BiiiG” by BIGBANG
“Mono” by i-dle feat. skaiwater
“DDI RO RI” by MEOVV
Best Choreography
“It’s Me” by ILLIT
“BAD” by ATEEZ
“REDRED” by CORTIS
“BANG BANG” by IVE
“Catch Cacth” by YENA
Album of the Year
“Mark on Me” by &TEAM
“ARIRANG” by BTS
“7TH YEAR: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns” by TOMORROW X TOGETHER
“LEMONADE” by aespa
“EUPHORIA” by ALPHA DRIVE ONE
“GOLDEN HOUR: Part.5” by ATEEZ
“DEADLINE” by BLACKPINK
“The Action” by BOYNEXTDOOR
“GREENGREEN” by CORTIS
“THE SIN: VANISH” by ENHYPEN
“REVERXE” by EXO
“REVIVE+” by IVE
“Beat It Up” by NCT DREAM
“Ode to Love” by NCT WISH
“Caligo Pt.2” by PLAVE
“II” by RIIZE
“THIS & THAT” by Stray Kids
“NO TRAGEDY” by TWS
Song of the Year
Artist of the Year
Fans’ Choice – Male
&TEAM
82Major
8turn
Jay Park
ParkJihoon
SEVENTEEN
AHOF
EVAN
Jannabi
TXT
Hui
Aen
ALPHA DRIVE ONE
ATEEZ
Axmxp
B1a4
BIGBANG
BOYNEXTDOOR
CLOSE YOUR EYES
Cnblue
CORTIS
Cravity
Day6
Evnne
EXO
Flareu
Hrtzwav
Kickflip
Lngshot
NCT 127
NCT Dream
NCT Wish
Nexz
Nouera
PLAVE
RIIZE
SHINee
Stray Kids
Super Junior
Treasure
TWS
WOODZ
Xlov
Xodiac
ZEROBASEONE
Zico
Fans’ Choice – Female
Davichi
Dayoung
Mamamoo
Mimi
Bibi
IOI
Illit
Yuju
Yoonmirae
Yoona
Lee Youngji
Ejel
Chuu
Kep1er
Taeyeon
Hanroro
Aespa
AKMU
ALLDAY PROJECT
Apink
Apoki
Billlie
BLACKPINK
Csr
Dodree
Fifty Fifty
Fromis 9
Hearts2Hearts
i-dle
ITZY
IVE
Izna
KiiiKiii
KISS OF LIFE
LE SSERAFIM
MEOVV
NMIXX
Red Velvet
RESCENE
Tuide
TWICE
Unis
Vvup
Xin
Yena
Favorite Female Group
Favorite Male Group
Telasa Favorite Global Artist
Favorite Global Performer
Global Trend Song
Fans’ Choice of the Year
Inspiring Achievement
Favorite Rising Artist
Super Stage Artist
Olive Young K-Beauty Artist
Music Visionary of the Year
Favorite Asian Artist
Breakthrough Artist
Worldwide Kconers’ Choice
Photo: MAMA Awards
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