BTS leads the 2026 MAMA Awards nominations with five nods, while BigBang follows with four group nominations and additional recognition for members Taeyang and G-Dragon. The shortlist was announced on Monday ahead of the ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on 20 and 21 November in Osaka, Japan.
The nominations put two of K-pop’s most prominent groups at the centre of this year’s awards, with recognition spanning Artist of the Year, group categories, albums, music videos, dance performances and collaborations.
BTS earns five nominations at the 2026 MAMA Awards
BTS has received five nominations, including Artist of the Year and Best Male Group. The group is also shortlisted for Album of the Year for Arirang, Best Vocal Performance Group for Swim and Best Music Video for 2.0.
The nominations cover several areas of the group’s work, from album recognition to vocal performance and music video production.
BTS member J-Hope has also secured two nominations through his feature on Le Sserafim’s Spaghetti. The collaboration is nominated for Best Collaboration, while the track also features in the Best Dance Performance Female Group category.
BigBang and its members collect multiple nominations
BigBang has secured four nominations across the main group categories. The group is shortlisted for Artist of the Year and Best Male Group, alongside nominations for Best Music Video and Best Dance Performance Male Group for BiiiG.
The recognition extends to the group’s solo careers, with Taeyang receiving three nominations and G-Dragon earning another nod.
Taeyang is nominated for Artist of the Year and Best Male Artist. His single Live Fast Die Slow is also shortlisted for Best Dance Performance Male Solo.
G-Dragon, who won Artist of the Year at the 2025 MAMA Awards, has received a Best Collaboration nomination for his feature on Aespa’s WDA (Whole Different Animal).
Together, the group and solo nominations underline the continued presence of BigBang’s members across different areas of K-pop.
Tomorrow X Together receives three nominations
Tomorrow X Together has earned three nominations at the 2026 MAMA Awards, adding another major K-pop act to this year’s shortlist.
The announcement places BTS, BigBang and Tomorrow X Together among the leading names highlighted in the initial nominations, although the full competitive picture depends on the complete category listings.
2026 MAMA Awards dates and location
The 2026 MAMA Awards will take place across two nights on 20 and 21 November in Osaka, Japan.
Formerly known as the Mnet Asian Music Awards, the ceremony is one of Asia’s prominent annual music awards events. It recognises artists and releases across a range of categories, including group and solo performances, albums, music videos and collaborations.
The nominations announcement also coincided with the opening of first-round voting for the 2027 Grammy Awards. The source report notes that the upcoming Grammy Awards cycle will feature a dedicated Asian pop category for the first time.
The development places the MAMA nominations within a wider period of recognition for Asian pop music, although the two awards ceremonies operate separately.
