The 2025 MAMA Awards Nominees Revealed: Jennie, G-Dragon Lead Star-Studded Lineup as Hong Kong Prepares for Global Music Celebration
The 2025 MAMA Awards have officially unveiled their nominees, setting the stage for a monumental celebration of K-pop and global music excellence. This year’s highly anticipated 2025 MAMA Awards is scheduled to take place at the impressive Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on November 28 and 29, 2025, marking a significant return to the city that has hosted the MAMA Awards more than any other location. The 2025 MAMA Awards promises to be a spectacular event, a true global music celebration.
The eligibility period for music releases considered for the 2025 awards spanned from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. Winners will be determined through a comprehensive evaluation process that combines jury assessment, sales data, streaming figures, and crucial fan participation. The detailed breakdown for most categories includes a 40% judging evaluation, 30% streaming and downloads (split between Korean and global markets), and 30% physical album sales. For Song of the Year and genre-specific categories, the weighting shifts to 40% judging and 60% streaming/downloads. Album of the Year is exclusively for albums exceeding one million copies sold, with a 40% judging and 60% physical album sales criteria for the 2025 MAMA Awards.
Top 2025 MAMA Awards Nominees and Categories Shine Light on K-Pop’s Elite
This year’s nominations highlight a fierce competition across major categories such as Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year at the 2025 MAMA Awards. BLACKPINK’s Jennie and aespa are leading the charge, each securing nine nominations, underscoring their significant impact on the music scene. G-Dragon also features prominently with multiple nods, signaling a strong return for the iconic artist. Other prominent K-pop artists and groups receiving numerous nominations for the 2025 MAMA Awards include SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, IVE, ENHYPEN, BABYMONSTER, and BOYNEXTDOOR, showcasing the diverse talent pool in contention for these prestigious K-pop awards.
A symbolic showdown is also brewing between generational titans Jennie and G-DRAGON, with both artists leading in several key categories and representing different eras of K-pop’s evolution at the 2025 MAMA Awards. The Jennie nominations and G-Dragon nominations for the 2025 MAMA Awards are particularly noteworthy. This music award show is highly anticipated.
Fan Engagement and Voting Details for the 2025 MAMA Awards
Fan voting plays a pivotal role in the “Fans’ Choice” categories, offering a direct avenue for audiences worldwide to influence the 2025 MAMA Awards. Voting commenced in October, with specific rounds for “Fans’ Choice Male” and “Fans’ Choice Female” categories. The first round of voting ran through October 26, with a second round and the “VISA Fans’ Choice of the Year” voting opening on October 30. Fans can cast their votes through the global K-pop content platform Mnet Plus app and on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #2025MAMAVOTE. The “SUPER FAN” initiative, which allows selected fans to influence nominations and receive exclusive event perks, also continued this year for the 2025 MAMA Awards, emphasizing the awards’ commitment to fan engagement at this music award show.
Diverse Performance Lineup to Ignite the 2025 MAMA Awards Stage
The 2025 MAMA Awards will feature a spectacular two-day lineup of performers at the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Stadium. The first day, November 28, will showcase acts including ALPHA DRIVE ONE, BABYMONSTER, BOYNEXTDOOR, BUMSUP, ENHYPEN, Hearts2Hearts, IVE, MEOVV, Super Junior, and TWS. The second day, November 29, will feature performances from ALLDAY PROJECT, CORTIS, KickFlip, izna, RIIZE, Stray Kids, and ZEROBASEONE. This diverse roster promises high-impact choreography and visually stunning presentations, embodying the event’s central theme of “heung” – the distinctly Korean spirit of fun and excitement at this music award show.
Categories Highlighting K-pop Hip Hop and Collaboration at the 2025 MAMA Awards
The awards ceremony recognizes excellence across a wide spectrum of musical genres and performances. Notably, the “Best Rap & Hip Hop Performance” category features strong contenders such as HAON for “Skrr (Feat. Giselle of aespa),” Dynamicduo & GUMMY for “Take Care,” BIG Naughty for “MUSIC (Feat. Lee Chanhyuk),” pH-1 for “Life Is A Movie (Feat. Jung Zi So),” and TABLO & RM for “Stop The Rain”. This nomination highlights the vibrant K-pop hip hop scene within K-pop, a key aspect of the 2025 MAMA Awards.
Furthermore, categories like “Best Collaboration” showcase impressive pairings, including JENNIE & Doechii for “ExtraL,” G-DRAGON for “TOO BAD (feat. Anderson .Paak),” and ROSÉ & Bruno Mars for “APT.”. These collaborations highlight the cross-genre appeal and artistry within the music industry, a hallmark of the 2025 MAMA Awards. These nominations are a significant part of the 2025 MAMA Awards.
Event Background and Significance of the 2025 MAMA Awards
The MAMA Awards, first launched in 1999 as Korea’s first music video ceremony, has evolved into one of the K-pop industry’s most prestigious global music award shows. Its expansion across various Asian countries and cities, including its history in Hong Kong from 2012-2018, underscores its commitment to global reach. The choice of the new Kai Tak Stadium, with a capacity of 50,000, signifies a significant scale-up for the 2025 MAMA Awards event, promising an unparalleled experience for attendees and viewers worldwide. CJ ENM, the organizing body, aims to showcase K-pop’s global competitiveness and stature through innovative stages and dynamic performances centered around the theme “Uh-heung,” reflecting a spirit of joy and excitement for this global music celebration.
The 2025 MAMA Awards not only celebrate artistic achievements but also serve as a crucial platform for cultural exchange and a testament to the ever-growing influence of K-pop on the global music landscape, making it a premier music award show and a leading Hong Kong music awards event. The 2025 MAMA Awards are a key event on the global music calendar.
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