The nominees have been announced for the 16th Korean Music Awards with nominees ranging from K-pop heavyweights to independent artists.
The KMAs differ from most South Korean music awards in that the winners are chosen by a panel of judges that includes music critics, radio show producers, academics and other industry professionals. The criteria is more based around the judges' recommendations than sales.
BTS are one of the K-pop acts dominating the nominations this year, as nominees in all three daesang categories, as well as in the pop categories. Other K-pop names include Red Velvet and BoA, as well as Uhm Jung Hwa and Heize.
Check out the full list of nominees below!
Album of the Year
Mid-Air Thief: Crumbling
Life and Time: Age
BTS: Love Yourself: Answer
Say Sue Me: Where We Were Together
Jang Pil Soon: soony eight
Huckleberry Finn: Aurora People
Song of the Year
Mommy Son: “Shonen Jump” (Feat. Bae Ki Sung)
BTS: “Fake Love”
BTS: “IDOL”
Say Sue Me: “Old Town”
Kiha & The Faces: “That’s Just What You Think”
HYUKOH: “LOVE YA!”
Artist of the Year
Kim Sawol
BTS
Say Sue Me
Sunji Lee
Jang Pil Soon
Rookie of the Year
HAON
Jclef
Mothervibes
Motte
AIRY
Wussami
Best Pop Album
BoA: WOMAN
BTS: Love Yourself: Answer
Uhm Jung Hwa: The Cloud Dream of the Nine
Lee Moon Sae: BETWEEN US
Lee Jin Ah: Jinah Restaurant Full Course
Jang Pil Soon: soony eight
Best Pop Song
ADOY: “Wonder”
Red Velvet: “Bad Boy”
BTS: “Fake Love”
BTS: “IDOL”
Heize: “Jenga” (Feat. Gaeko)
Best Rock Album
Life and Time: Age
SUPERSTRING : Architecture
Asian Chairshot: IGNITE
H a lot: H a lot
Plugged Classic: Sabai
Best Rock Song
Life and Time: “Jamsugyo”
Asian Chairshot: “Round and Round”
H a lot: “If You Ask Me”
H a lot: “Prom”
Hangsuk & Boogiemonster: “I’m Fat”
Best Modern Rock Album
ADOY: LOVE
DECADENT: DECADENT
Say Sue Me: Where We Were Together
Jaurim: Jaurim
Huckleberry Finn: Aurora People
Best Modern Rock Song
Night Off: “Review”
Say Sue Me: “Old Town”
Kiha & The Faces: “That’s Just What You Think”
Huckleberry Finn: “Who Is It”
HYUKOH: “LOVE YA!”
Best Metal and Hardcore Album
DARK MIRROR OV TRAGEDY: THE LORD OV SHADOWS
Day of Mourning: This Too Will Pass
Noeasy: Triangle
MEMNOCH: COMMAND HALLUCINATION
Best Dance and Electronic Album
Two Tone Shape: Shapes
Mid-Air Thief: Crumbling
Lofibaby: N
Byul.org: Nobody’s Gold
YESEO: Damn Rules
KIRARA: Sarah
Best Dance and Electronic Song
Pure 100%: “Apollo”
Two Tone Shape: “Color Penetration”
Aseul: “Seoul Girl”
YESEO: “Honey, Don’t Kill My Vibe”
KIRARA: “Worries”
Best Rap and Hip Hop Album
JUSTHIS & Paloalto: 4 the Youth
XXX: LANGUAGE
Bassagong: TANG-A
ILLINIT: Cosmos
JaeDal: Period
Best Rap and Hip Hop Song
HAON: “Boong Boong” (Feat. Sik-K)
JUSTHIS & Paloalto: “Switch”
XXX: “Ganju Gok”
Mommy Son: “Shonen Jump” (Feat. Bae Ki Sung)
Hwaji: “Nappe”
Best R&B and Soul Album
Horim: METROCITY
Jclef: flaw, flaw
Naul: Sound Doctrine
SUMIN: Your Home
Hippy was Gipsy: Language
Best R&B and Soul Song
Jclef: "One Hour Before the Earth’s Destruction”
SUMIN: "Your Home” (Feat. Xin Seha)
George: “gohaegoback”
Hoody: “Sunshine” (Feat. Crush)
Hippy was Gipsy: “Bed”
Best Folk Album
Kang Asol: The Day of Love
Kim Dong San: Seoul Suwon Story
Kim Sawol: Romance
Kim Haewon: Sea and Myself
YUHA: Young People
Hwang Puha: Self-Portrait
Best Folk Song
Kang Asol: “Island”
Kim Sawol: “Someone”
YUHA: “The Worker”
Jang Pil Soon: “Night Sea”
Hwang Puha: “Self Portrait”
Best Jazz Album
Yoo Sun Nam: Strange, But Beautiful You
Youngjoo Song: Late Fall
Bongwool Lee: My Singing Fingers
Sunji Lee: SONG OF APRIL
Sumin Jung: Neo-liberalism
Best Crossover Album
near east quartet: near east quartet
Kim Sora: A Sign of Rain
Park Ju Won: The Last Rumba
Park Jiha: Philos
Shin Hyunpil, Ko Heean: Dear Chopin
Best Jazz and Crossover Performance
near east quartet: “near east quartet”
Ko Heean Trio: “Dancing Without Moving”
SooJin Suh: “Strange Liberation”
Youngjoo Song: “Late Fall”
Jungsu Choi Tiny Orkester: “Tschuss Jazz Era”
Also, the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Yang Hee Eun.
The 16th Korean Music Awards take place on February 26 at 7pm KST.
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