The 2026 MAMA Awards have announced their nominees, and fans can already vote. Here’s a quick guide to the highlights, the dates you need, and how the winners get chosen.
2026 MAMA Awards
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Ceremony | Kyocera Dome Osaka, November 20–21 (per CJ ENM’s announcement) |
| Eligibility | Music released Oct 1, 2025 – Sept 30, 2026 |
| Fans’ Choice Round 1 | Through October 22, 11:59 p.m. KST |
| Fans’ Choice Round 2 | October 28, 6 p.m. KST – November 18, 11:59 p.m. KST |
| Where to vote | Mnet Plus (90% weight) and X (10% weight) |
Who’s Nominated?
The lists are packed. A few headline categories:
- Best New Artist: ALPHA DRIVE ONE, AND2BLE, EVAN, H//PE Princess, hrtz.wav, LNGSHOT, MODYSSEY, OURBIRTHDAY, TUIDE and UNCHILD.
- Best Male Group: ATEEZ, BIGBANG, BTS, CORTIS, ENHYPEN, NCT WISH, Stray Kids and TXT.
- Best Female Group: aespa, BABYMONSTER, BLACKPINK, Hearts2Hearts, ILLIT, IVE, LE SSERAFIM and NMIXX.
- Album of the Year: 18 albums that sold over a million copies, including BTS’s ARIRANG and BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE, plus releases from EXO, Stray Kids, TXT and PLAVE.
Fans of Korean dramas should note that the Best OST category includes “Love Language” from Can This Love Be Translated?, sung by MeloMance’s Kim Min Seok. Read our take on that show in our Can This Love Be Translated review.
How Winners Are Chosen?
Each award has its own formula, so your vote matters most in Fans’ Choice:
- Artist of the Year and artist awards: 40% jury, 30% streaming and downloads, 30% physical album sales.
- Song of the Year and genre awards: 50% jury, 50% streaming and downloads.
- Album of the Year: 40% jury, 60% physical album sales.
- Best Music Video and Best Choreography: 100% jury.
- Fans’ Choice of the Year: 90% Mnet Plus, 10% X, plus an extra 10% from live Mnet Plus votes.
How Fans’ Choice Voting Works?
Round 1 is a pre-vote for the Fans’ Choice Male and Female categories. The top 20 in each category move on to Round 2, which runs from October 28 through November 18. With the first round closing October 22, you have about ten days left to back your favourites.
Both categories have huge lists. They range from big names like BTS, BLACKPINK and SEVENTEEN to rookies like KiiiKiii and ALLDAY PROJECT, so every fandom has a chance.
What to Watch?
Expect tight races. Several acts appear in multiple categories, like ATEEZ and CORTIS in both group and dance awards, and IVE and ILLIT in choreography. Because jury scores and sales count heavily for the big prizes, fan votes will matter most for the Fans’ Choice trophies.
Want the full event rundown? Check our guide to the 2026 MAMA Awards in Osaka, and read up on the show’s history on Wikipedia’s MAMA Awards page.
FAQs
Q1. How do I vote in the 2026 MAMA Awards Fans’ Choice?
Vote through Mnet Plus, which carries 90% of the weight, or on X for the remaining 10%. Round 1 ends October 22.
Q2. When and where are the 2026 MAMA Awards?
They’re set for Kyocera Dome Osaka on November 20–21, according to CJ ENM’s announcement.
