MMA 2026 Nominees: BTS, IVE, I.O.I and CORTIS Among TOP10 Winners Competing for Artist of the Year

The 2026 Melon Music Awards has named its TOP10 winners, setting up an Artist of the Year contest between ten acts spanning several generations of Korean pop. AKMU, BTS, CORTIS, Hearts2Hearts, I.O.I, ILLIT, IVE, KiiiKiii, NCT WISH and PLAVE have secured TOP10 honors and become nominees for the ceremony's Artist of the Year grand prize. The announcement followed the first voting round, which ended October 29. Soompi Ive perform during the "K-pop Super Live" concert, following the 2023 World Scout Jamboree closing ceremony at the World Cup Stadium in Seoul on August 11, 2023. Korea Pool/AFP via Getty Images The October 30 category announcements also put several of those artists in contention for additional major awards. Album of the Year nominees include BTS's ARIRANG, IVE's REVIVE+, I.O.I's I.O.I : LOOP and aespa's LEMONADE. Among the Song of the Year contenders are BTS's "SWIM," CORTIS's "REDRED" and ILLIT's "It's Me." These are selected nominees from the two categories, rather than their complete lineups. SoompiThe New Artist of the Year field consists of ALPHA DRIVE ONE, HADES, LNGSHOT, SYSTEM SEOUL and TUIDE. Meanwhile, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Charlie Puth, KATSEYE and Tame I...