The Melon Music Awards 2026 (MMA 2026) is shaping up to be a major celebration of K-pop, with the first two performer lineups already announced.
The 18th Melon Music Awards will take place on November 14 and 15 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, marking the first time the ceremony will be held across two days. This year's main theme is “K-POP CONNECT: The New Pulse.”
So far, the lineup includes a mix of established acts, rising groups, and newer artists who have made an impact on the 2026 music scene.
The first lineup features PLAVE, RIIZE, NCT WISH, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, and LNGSHOT. The five boy groups were selected following notable performances on Melon's charts throughout the year.
PLAVE is joining the lineup after a strong year with their mini album Caligo Pt.2. Its title track “Born Savage” reached No. 2 on Melon's TOP100 and No. 1 on the HOT100, while all five tracks from the album entered the TOP100.
RIIZE also had a strong 2026, with their mini album II becoming their fourth million-selling release. The album's tracks entered Melon's TOP100, while RIIZE also topped the Global-K Chart.
NCT WISH earned their own milestone with their first full-length album Ode to Love. The album helped the group achieve their highest Melon chart results to date, while first-week sales surpassed 1.825 million copies.
Rookie groups ALPHA DRIVE ONE and LNGSHOT round out the first lineup. ALPHA DRIVE ONE's debut mini album EUPHORIA saw all of its tracks enter Melon's TOP100, while LNGSHOT made their debut earlier this year with SHOT CALLERS.
The second lineup brings four female artists to the MMA 2026 stage: YENA, ILLIT, RESCENE, and Hearts2Hearts.
The announcement expands the lineup beyond the first wave of performers and adds more variety to this year's ceremony.
With both established names and newer groups represented, fans can look forward to seeing different styles and performances across the two-day event.
MMA 2026 is already building an exciting performer lineup with PLAVE, RIIZE, NCT WISH, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, LNGSHOT, YENA, ILLIT, RESCENE, and Hearts2Hearts confirmed so far.
With its first-ever two-day format, new award categories, and more artists still expected to be announced, there is plenty for K-pop fans to look forward to.
Stay tuned as the Melon Music Awards 2026 lineup continues to grow!
