MelOn Music Awards 2021: Air date, nomination, winners and all about K-pop award show
It looks like the award show season of the K-pop industry is getting closer and closer. After the lineup and nominations of AAA and MAMA 2021 were announced, we now have MMA releasing details of their show. The MelOn Music Awards aka MMA is an award show, as well as a music festival hosted by the music platform MelOn. Known to have the toughest music chart, any artist who makes it is considered to have commercial success. Similarly, their award show has also become one of repute with fans hoping that their favorites get nominated and win an MMA.
The 2021 MelOn Music Awards was launched in 2005 and was initially an online event. It went offline with a live audience from 2009 and was held in the likes of the Olympic Hall and Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul. MMA has gone on to honor the likes of Girls’ Generation, Highlight (Beast), EXO and BTS. They also introduced a Top 10 Artist Award to honor 10 K-pop influential acts of that year. They are also known for their inclusiveness of indie soloists and underground hip-hop artists along with mainstream K-pop groups. Well, here’s everything we know so far about MMA 2021.
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Air date and time
MelOn Music Awards 2021 will be aired on December 4 at 6 pm KST (5 am ET).
Where to watch
MMA 2021 will be streamed online on Kakao TV, MelOn’s website and app, and 1theK’s YouTube channel.
Performance Lineup
A part of the performance lineup has been announced.
Soloists - IU, Heize, Lee Mujin, and Lim Young Woong
Groups - MSG Wannabe M.O.M, The Boyz, TXT, Enhypen, Brave Girls, STAYC
K-pop nominations and winners
The winners are in bold.
Best Female Group:
OH MY GIRL
Aespa
STAYC
TWICE
Brave Girls
Best Male Group:
BTS
NCT DREAM
SEVENTEEN
SHINee
Homies
Best Female Solo:
IU
Girls' Generation's TAEYEON
Blackpink's ROSÉ
Heize
KyoungSeo
Best Male Solo:
Lee Mujin
Lim Young Woong
10cm
ASH ISLAND
lIlBOI
New Artist Of The Year:
Aespa
STAYC
ENHYPEN
Lee Mujin
KyoungSeo
Jeon Gunho
Hot Trending Award:
Brave Girls
Best Collaboration:
'My Universe' - Coldplay ft BTS
Best Music Style:
Homies
Music Video of the Year:
'0x1=LOVESONG' - TXT
Best Project Music Award:
MSG Wannabe (M.O.M)
Best OST:
'Rain and You' ('Hospital Playlist' season 2) - Lee Mujin
Songwriter Award:
IU
Best Performance:
The Boyz
Global Rising Artist:
Enhypen
1theK Original Content Award:
STAYC
Performance Director Award:
Son Sung Deuk
Best Session Instrumental:
Kim Dong-min (guitar), Go Tae-yeong (bass), Gureum (keyboard)
Legendary Performance Award:
BTS' 'Idol' stage at MMA 2018
Top 10 (Bonsang):
BTS
NCT DREAM
IU
EXO's BAEKHYUN
Aespa
Blackpink's ROSÉ
JOY
OH MY GIRL
TAEYEON
STAYC
SHINee
TWICE
Brave Girls
AKMU
Yerin Baek
ASH ISLAND
Heize
Lim Young Woong
MSG Wannabe (M.O.M)
10cm
Lee Seung Gi
Lee Mujin
Jung Eunji and Yang Yoseop
lIlBoI
Hospital Playlist
Huh Gak
Homies
KyoungSeo
Mirani, Munchman, Kundi Panda and MUSHVENOM
Lee Yejoon
Netizen's Choice Popularity Award:
BTS
IU
Aespa
OH MY GIRL
Red Velvet
Yang Yoseop and Jung Eunji
Girls' Generation's TAEYEON
Blackpink's ROSÉ
Brave Girls
(G)I-DLE
Record of the Year (Daesang):
Aespa
Artist of the Year (Daesang):
IU
Song Of The Year (Daesang):
'Butter' - BTS
'Celebrity' - IU
'Next Level' - Aespa
'Dun Dun Dance' - Oh My Girl
'On The Ground' - Blackpink’s ROSÉ
'Traffic Light' - Lee Mujin
'VVS' - Mushvenom and Mirani ft JUSTHIS (prod. GroovyRoom)
'HAPPEN' - Heize
'Shiny Star' (2020) - KyoungSeo
'I Will Be Your Shining Star' - Song I Han
Album Of The Year (Daesang):
'BE' - BTS
'Hot Sauce' - NCT Dream
'LILAC' - IU
'Dear OH MY GIRL' - Oh My Girl
'Don’t Call Me' - SHINee
'Hello' - Red Velvet’s Joy
'Summer Queen' - Brave Girls
'NEXT EPISODE' - AKMU
'HAPPEN' - Heize
'tellusboutyourself' - Yerin Baek
MelOn has introduced a new award category titled the ‘Legend Stage’ which honors artists for having a legendary performance in MMA history. It is fan-votes based and the nominees include the likes of second-gen icons Girls’ Generation, 2PM, 2NE1, as well as current favorites like BTS, EXO and Blackpink. Here’s the full list.
Award criteria and how to vote
MelOn has also released the criteria for winning an award. Korean fans or those with a verified MelOn account can vote for their favorite nominees on the MelOn app. For the 'Legends Stage', anyone can vote on MelOn's website if they have a Kakao or MelOn account.
Artist Of The Year: 60% digital + 20% judge + 20% vote
Album Of The Year: 60% digital + 20% judge + 20% vote
Song Of The Year: 60% digital + 20% judge + 20% vote
Record Of The Year: 100% judge
Top 10 (Bonsang): 80% digital + 20% vote
Rookie Of The Year: 60% digital + 20% judge + 20% vote