BTS wins three awards at Melon Music Awards 2026, including Album of the Year

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
November 15, 2026

Photo courtesy: BTS Trend Songs⁷

K-pop superstars BTS secured three major honors at the Melon Music Awards (MMA) 2026, including the prestigious Album of the Year grand prize for their fifth studio album, ARIRANG.

The seven-member group emerged as one of the biggest winners during the ceremony’s opening day at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on November 14.

BTS received Album of the Year, one of the ceremony’s highest honors, alongside Stage of the Year for their ARIRANG World Tour and a Global TOP10 award.

The group was unable to attend the ceremony because of its ongoing world tour.

The Album of the Year recognition marked another milestone for BTS following the release of ARIRANG in March 2026, their first full-length studio album since the members completed their mandatory military service.

The album featured 14 tracks, including the lead single “SWIM,” which topped Melon’s TOP100 chart within an hour of its release.

All 14 songs entered the chart, reflecting the group’s strong domestic streaming performance following their return to group activities.

The Stage of the Year award also recognized BTS’s international concert tour, which brought the group’s performances to audiences across multiple countries.

Beyond their album and concert achievements, BTS earned a Global TOP10 award, recognizing their continued popularity and international presence.

The group’s latest victories add to their extensive history at the Melon Music Awards, where they have received numerous grand prizes throughout their career.

The Melon Music Awards, organized by South Korean music streaming platform Melon, recognizes artists based on music performance, public voting and evaluations under the criteria established for each award.

The ceremony adopted a two-day format for the first time in 2026, with additional performances and major awards scheduled for November 15.

The remaining grand prizes include Artist of the Year, Best Song of the Year and Record of the Year.