Here are all the big names on the 22nd Annual Korean Music Awards
Here are all the big names on the 22nd Annual Korean Music Awards (Photo Credit – Instagram)

It is an absolute joy for K-pop lovers, as the Korean Music Awards has announced the nomination list for this year’s ceremony. Unlike the other South Korean music awards, this one doesn’t use the typical ‘sales figure’ criterion to choose their artists or albums. Korean Music Awards focuses on musical achievement as the primary deal. It also centers around albums and songs of great importance.

Big band names like BLACKPINK and Aespa have been nominated. On the other hand, artists like BIBI, IU, and Lee Sung-Hyun have also earned recognition in the list. Check out the nomination list of the 22nd Annual Korean Music Awards 2025 below:

Album of the Year

  • Aespa – “Armageddon”
  • Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – “Hail to the Music”
  • Hyukoh, Sunset Rollercoaster – “AAA”
  • Silica Gel – “POWER ANDRE 99”
  • SUMIN, Slom – “MINISERIES 2”

Artist of the Year

  • Aespa
  • Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble
  • Lee Seung Yoon
  • Rosé (BLACKPINK)
  • Silica Gel

Song of the Year

  • Aespa – “Supernova”
  • BIBI – “Bam Yang Gang”
  • Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – “Independent”
  • Rosé (BLACKPINK), Bruno Mars – “APT.”
  • SUMIN, Slom – “WHY, WHY, WHY”

Rookie of the Year (new artists)

  • Hyelyn Joo
  • ILLIT
  • meeroo choi
  • SamSan
  • Sanmanhan
  • TWS

Best K-Pop Album

  • Aespa – “Armageddon”
  • (G)I-DLE – “2”
  • RIIZE – “RIIZING”
  • tripleS – “ASSEMBLE24”
  • Yves (LOONA) – “I Did”

Best K-Pop Song

  • Aespa – “Supernova”
  • ILLIT – “Magnetic”
  • Rosé (BLACKPINK), Bruno Mars – “APT.”
  • tripleS – “Girls Never Die”
  • TWS – “plot twist”

Best Pop Album

  • John Park – “PSST!”
  • Kim Yoon Ah (Jaurim) – “Sensual Novel”
  • Rooftop Moonlight – “40”
  • Savina & Drones – “Lasha”
  • Sunwoo Jung-a – “Beyond”

Best Pop Song

  • BIBI – “Bam Yang Gang”
  • IU – “Love wins all”
  • Lee Young Ji – “Small girl” (featuring EXO’s Doh Kyung Soo [D.O.])
  • Rooftop Moonlight – “Diving”
  • Sunwoo Jung-a – “STAR CANDY”

Best Rock Album

  • Kim Soo Chul – “45th Anniversary Where Are You”
  • Lee Seung Yoon – “YEOK SEONG”
  • MONO4OLY – “ORDINARY CHAOS”
  • SEOUL BUSAN INCHEON – “Wrecking Havoc”
  • Soumbalgwang – “Fire & Light”

Best Rock Song

  • Bongjeingan – “Know You Did”
  • Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – “Independent”
  • Kim Soo Chul – “Where Are You”
  • Lee Seung Yoon – “Anthems of Defiance”
  • MONO4OLY – “Fake Empire”

Best Modern Rock Album

  • Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – “Hail to the Music”
  • Hyukoh, Sunset Rollercoaster – “AAA”
  • Leaves Black – “Flight”
  • Meaningful Stone – “Angel Interview”
  • Silica Gel – “POWER ANDRE 99”

Best Modern Rock Song

  • Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – “Days Happier Than Today Will Be Few in My
  • Remaining Life”
  • HANRORO – “H O M E”
  • Hyukoh, Sunset Rollercoaster – “Young Man”
  • Lee Seung Yoon – “Waterfall”
  • wave to earth – “annie”

Best R&B and Soul Song

  • Hyelyn Joo – “Crazy”
  • John Park – “Like A Dream”
  • Jung In, Mild Beats – “Blame”
  • SOLE – “Still LOVE”
  • SUMIN, Slom – “WHY, WHY, WHY”

Best R&B and Soul Album

  • BRWN – “Monsoon”
  • JINBO the SuperFreak, Hersh, PoPoMo – “PoPoMo”
  • Jung In, Mild Beats – “Jung In & Mild Beats”
  • SOLE – “Time Machine”
  • SUMIN, Slom – “MINISERIES 2”

Best Rap and Hip Hop Album

  • B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki – “Free Hukky Shibaseki & the God Sun Symphony Group : Odyssey.1”
  • EK – “ESCAPE”
  • Garion – “Garion 3”
  • KWAII – “DISTORTED”
  • O’KOYE – “Whether The Weather Changes Or Not”

Best Rap and Hip Hop Song

  • B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki – “INDO”
  • Fleeky Bang – “Fire” (featuring CHANGMO)
  • G-Dragon (BIGBANG) – “POWER”
  • KWAII – “PRIDE”
  • QM – “Got yourself a gun” (featuring Block B’s Zico)

Best Electronic Song

  • HAEPAARY – “The Night”
  • HWI – “Your My Past Lives”
  • HYPNOSIS THERAPY – “BLAZE”
  • Mount XLR – “Oving”
  • swimrabbit – “EVOLUTION” (featuring HUNJIYA)

Best Electronic Album

  • GAZAEBAL – “Texture Music: 2011 – 2020”
  • HWI – “humanly possible”
  • HYPNOSIS THERAPY – “RAW SURVIVAL”
  • NET GALA – “GALAPAGGOT”
  • Sound Supply_Service – “SCA2”

Best Folk Album

  • Kang Asol – “From Where No One Is, To Where Everyone Is”
  • Kim Sawol – “Default”
  • Moher – “Kaleidoscope”
  • Sanmanhan – “Sanmanhan”
  • Xeuda – “How can I tell you love”

Best Folk Song

  • Kang Asol – “Anyone But Me”
  • meeroo choi – “Dap”
  • Moher – “Baksugijeong”
  • Sanmanhan – “When It Becomes A Song”
  • Xeuda – “How can I tell you love”

Best Metal & Hardcore Album

  • Fecundation – “Moribund”
  • The Holy Mountain – “The Holy Mountain”
  • Materials Pound – “Bulb”
  • SAHON – “Blood Shall Be Paid”
  • Seaweed Mustache – “2”

Best Jazz & Crossover Album

  • BANDO – “Shape of the Land”
  • Dulabam – “Dulabam”
  • Hae In Cho – “Sight Beyond Sight”
  • Hwang Minwang – “Jang:dan” (with Satoshi Takeishi)
  • Jihye Kim – “PADO”
  • Jihye Lee Orchestra – “Infinite Connections”
  • Juhwan Kim – “AFTER MIDNIGHT : Still in the Moonlight”
  • Kim Min Hee – “Confessin’”
  • Liberosis – “Re-mind”
  • Nam Yeji – “Old Songs, Tmmm”
  • Nubim – “Crossroads: Live in Amsterdam”
  • Pudditorium – “Prologue : Hope”
  • Sunji Lee – “Eternal”
  • Teho – “Pierrot le Fumeur”
  • Youn Sun Nah – “Elles”
  • Yun Seok Cheol Trio – “My summer’s not over yet”

This is the full nomination list. The Korean Music Awards has been scheduled to stream live on February 27, 2025, at 8 p.m. KST. Are you excited to know who will win these titles at the ceremony? Stay tuned for more updates about it.

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