BTS, BIGBANG lead nominations for 2026 MAMA Awards

BTS and BIGBANG are among the leading contenders at the 2026 MAMA Awards, with TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) and several other K-pop acts also securing multiple nominations ahead of next month’s ceremony in Japan.

The nominations were announced yesterday (October 12), alongside the opening of the first round of fan voting.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

BTS received five nominations, including Artist of the Year, Best Male Group and Album of the Year for “ARIRANG”. The group is also nominated for Best Vocal Performance Group for “SWIM” and Best Music Video for “2.0”.

Meanwhile, J-Hope earned two nominations for his contribution to LE SSERAFIM’s “SPAGHETTI”, which is nominated for Best Collaboration and Best Dance Performance Female Group.

BIGBANG secured four nominations, with members Taeyang and G-Dragon also receiving recognition for their solo work. The group is nominated for Artist of the Year, Best Male Group, Best Music Video and Best Dance Performance Male Group for “BiiiG”.

Taeyang received three solo nominations: Artist of the Year, Best Male Artist and Best Dance Performance Male Solo for “LIVE FAST DIE SLOW”. G-Dragon earned a Best Collaboration nomination for his contribution to aespa’s “WDA (Whole Different Animal)”. He previously won Artist of the Year at the 2025 MAMA Awards.

TXT received three group nominations, including Artist of the Year, Best Male Group and Album of the Year for “7th Year: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns”.

Member Yeonjun also secured three individual nominations: Artist of the Year, Best Male Artist and Best Dance Performance Male Solo for “Ice Cream”.

Seven other acts received five nominations each: MAMAMOO, aespa, ATEEZ, IVE, LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT and CORTIS. MAMAMOO member Hwasa accounted for four of the group’s five nominations.

The 2026 MAMA Awards will take place on November 20 and 21 at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Japan. The ceremony will also be streamed internationally through CJ ENM’s Mnet Plus platform.

Music released between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026, is eligible for this year’s awards.

The nominations come amid K-pop’s growing international presence. The 2027 Grammy Awards have also introduced a dedicated Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, marking a development in the Recording Academy’s recognition of Asian pop music.