The 2026 MAMA Awards nominees are out. The ceremony runs November 20–21, 2026 at Kyocera Dome Osaka, Japan, under the theme "MOVE THE STARS, A MUSIC INTERSTELLAR." BIGBANG leads all acts with the most nominations, and Fans' Choice Round 1 voting opened today. Here's every nominee by category, how the voting rounds work, and a step-by-step guide to cast your vote before the October 22 deadline.

When Are the 2026 MAMA Awards?

The ceremony runs across 2 nights, both at the same venue in Japan.

The eligibility window covers music released between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026.

How to Watch the 2026 MAMA Awards

The nominee reveal aired on Mnet and Mnet Plus on October 12 at 6 PM KST. No official broadcast plan for the November ceremony has been announced yet. Check @MnetMAMA on X for updates as the date gets closer.

Mnet Plus is also the main voting platform for Fans' Choice, so downloading the app now means you're set for both voting and watching.

2026 MAMA Awards Nominees: Every Major Category

These are the nominees announced October 12 across the major categories. Two categories, Best Music Video and Best Choreography, are decided entirely by jury evaluation. Fans cannot vote in either.

Best Male Group

(More: Stray Kids' Rock in Rio headline set.)

Best Female Group

(More: LE SSERAFIM at iHeartRadio Music Festival 2026.)

Best Male Artist

Best Female Artist

Best New Artist

10 nominees, including:

Fans' Choice Voting: Step-by-Step Guide for Round 1

Round 1 is open right now. Here's how the 2 rounds work, and how to make sure your vote actually counts.

Voting Schedule

How Votes Are Counted

The Fans' Choice result is split: 90% Mnet Plus votes and 10% X (Twitter) votes. Round 2 adds an additional 10% live Mnet Plus vote on top of that breakdown.

How to Vote on Mnet Plus

  1. Download or open the Mnet Plus app.
  2. Go to the 2026 MAMA Awards Fans' Choice section.
  3. For the Fans' Choice Male category, select up to 3 groups.
  4. Fill in both the Male and Female categories. Your vote won't go through unless both are completed.
  5. Submit before October 22, 2026 at 11:59 PM KST.

How to Vote on X

The X vote counts for 10% of the final Fans' Choice result. Watch the official @MnetMAMA account for the correct voting hashtags. Only votes using those exact official hashtags count toward your artist's total.

BIGBANG Leads All Acts With the Most Nominations

BIGBANG has more total nominations this year than any other act. BTS follows with 7 nominations across multiple categories.

Both groups are in the running for Best Male Group. Taeyang from BIGBANG is also nominated for Best Male Artist, meaning BIGBANG has a shot at wins in both the group and solo categories on the same night.

Yeonjun from Tomorrow X Together is in a similar position. Tomorrow X Together competes in Best Male Group, and Yeonjun is nominated individually for Best Male Artist. If you're supporting TXT, you can vote for the group in Best Male Group and for Yeonjun in Best Male Artist.

Predictions: Who Will Win at MAMA 2026?

Best Male Group

Will win: BIGBANG or BTS. Both lead in total nominations, and both have massive fandoms that drive Fans' Choice totals.
Could surprise: Stray Kids or ATEEZ. Both have had strong global years in the eligibility window. This is a guess, not a prediction based on confirmed data.

Best Female Group

Will win: Too early to call. Eight strong acts are in this category, and Fans' Choice voting just opened. Wait for Round 1 numbers before drawing conclusions.
Could surprise: Any of the 8 nominees. ILLIT, IVE, and Hearts2Hearts have all built momentum in the eligibility window. These are guesses only.

Best New Artist

Will win: No clear frontrunner yet. With 10 nominees and Round 1 only just opening, it's genuinely too early to guess. Check back once Round 1 voting closes on October 22.

Listen to BIGBANG on VibeSynced

BIGBANG's catalog stretches from high-energy arena anthems to smoky late-night R&B to cinematic ballads. Tap one to jump straight into the app with that particle already running.

Best match

Vortex

A swirling particle tunnel built for high-energy K-pop moments and the kind of drops BIGBANG fills arenas with.

Play in VIBESYNCED

Or try

  • CityA neon nighttime cityscape that fits the late-night R&B and hip-hop side of their sound.
  • GalaxyA slow, cinematic particle vortex for BIGBANG's heavier ballads and slower, more atmospheric tracks.

2026 MAMA Awards FAQ

Where Are the 2026 MAMA Awards Being Held?

The 2026 MAMA Awards take place at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka, Japan, on November 20 and 21, 2026.

When Does 2026 MAMA Fans' Choice Round 1 Voting Close?

Round 1 closes on October 22, 2026 at 11:59 PM KST. The top 20 artists per category advance to Round 2, which runs October 28 through November 18.

How Are Fans' Choice Votes Counted at MAMA 2026?

90% of the Fans' Choice score comes from Mnet Plus votes and 10% from X (Twitter) votes. Round 2 adds a live Mnet Plus vote worth an additional 10%.

Which MAMA 2026 Categories Have No Fan Vote?

Best Music Video and Best Choreography are decided entirely by jury evaluation, with no public voting component.

Set the mood for MAMA 2026 on VibeSynced

Launch App