2025 Music Awards Japan K-pop Nominees: Jungkook, aespa, ILLIT, SEVENTEEN, NewJeans, and More

The nominees for the 2025 Music Awards Japan have been revealed, with a standout list of K-pop artists. Top talents including Jungkook, aespa, ILLIT, SEVENTEEN, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and others are among those nominated for their outstanding music.

The Music Awards Japan will take place at ROHM Theatre Kyoto in Kyoto, Japan on May 21-22, 2025. This prestigious event, hosted by CEIPA (a coalition of five major Japanese music industry organizations), recognizes the year’s most outstanding genre, work, and artist. The awards are also supported by the government.

On March 14, the organizers announced its nominees across 62 categories. Over 3,000 entries were submitted, with top nominations including:

• Song of the Year: 256 songs
• Artist of the Year: 167 artists
• Album of the Year: 171 albums
• New Artist of the Year: 61 artists
• Top Global Hit from Japan: 100 songs
• Best Song Asia: 24 songs

2025 Music Awards Japan K-pop Nominees

Here is a complete list of K-pop nominees for Music Awards Japan 2025

Song of the Year

• Rosé and Bruno Mars – “APT.”
• SEVENTEEN – “MAESTRO”
• SEVENTEEN – “Shohikigen”
• ILLIT – “Magnetic”
• ILLIT – “Cherish (My Love)”
• aespa – “Whiplash”
• aespa – “Supernova”
• aespa – “Hot Mess”
• aespa – “Armageddon”
• aespa Karina – “Up” (Solo)
• NewJeans – “Supernatural”
• NewJeans – “How Sweet”
• NewJeans – “Bubble Gum”
• NewJeans – “OMG”
• NewJeans – “Ditto”
• Jin – “Running Wild”
• Jimin – “Who”
• Jungkook – “Seven” ft. Latto
• G-Dragon – “HOME SWEET HOME” (ft. BIGBANG)
• TWICE – “I GOT YOU”
• TWICE – “Strategy”
• TWICE – “ONE SPARK”
• Nayeon – “ABCD”
• MISAMO – “NEW LOOK”
• LE SSERAFIM – “Perfect Night”
• LE SSERAFIM – “Crazy”
• LE SSERAFIM – “EASY”
• LE SSERAFIM – “Smart”
• BABYMONSTER – “DRIP”
• BABYMONSTER – “SHEESH”
• NiziU – “SWEET NONFICTION”
• TREASURE – “KING KONG”
• ZEROBASEONE – “Yura Yura – Flower of Destiny”
• TXT – “We’ll Never Change”
• RIIZE – “Lucky”
• NCT WISH – “WISH”
• ATEEZ – “Birthday”
• ATEEZ – “NOT OKAY”
• ATEEZ x BE: FIRST – “Hush-Hush”

Best Song Asia

1. aespa – “Supernova”
2. PLAVE – “WAY 4 LUV”
3. Lim Young Woong – “Warmth”

Album of the Year

• BTS – “Proof”
• SEVENTEEN – “17 IS RIGHT HERE”
• SEVENTEEN – “Spill The Feels”
• SEVENTEEN – “SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN”
• SEVENTEEN – “Always Yours”
• ENHYPEN – “ROMANCE : UNTOLD”
• ENHYPEN – “ROMANCE : UNTOLD -daydream-”
• TXT – “The Star Chapter – SANCTUARY”
• TXT – “minisode3: TOMORROW”
• TWICE – “STRATEGY”
• TWICE – “DIVE”
• TWICE – “with YOU-th”
• Nayeon – “NA”
• Jungkook – “GOLDEN”
• Jin – “Happy”
• Jimin – “MUSE”
• V – “Layover”
• aespa – “Drama”
• aespa – “Whiplash”
• aespa – “Armageddon”
• BABYMONSTER – “BABYMONS7ER”
• BABYMONSTER – “DRIP”
• LE SSERAFIM – “UNFORGIVEN”
• LE SSERAFIM – “EASY”
• LE SSERAFIM – “CRAZY”
• Stray Kids – SKZHOP HIPTAPE “合 (HOP)”
• Stray Kids – “GIANT”
• Stray Kids – “ATE”
• Stray Kids – “ROCKSTAR”
• Stray Kids – “5-STAR”
• IVE – “IVE SWITCH”
• IVE – “ALIVE”
• IVE – “I’VE IVE”
• BOYNEXTDOOR – “HOW?”
• BOYNEXTDOOR – “19.99”
• TREASURE – “Reboot”
• TREASURE – “Reboot – JP Special Selection”
• (G)I-DLE – “2”
• &TEAM – “Yukiakari”
• RIIZE – “RIIZING”
• NewJeans – “Get Up”
• NCT WISH – “WISHFUL”
• BIGBANG – “THE BEST OF BIGBANG (2006-2014)
• TWS – “Sparkling Blue”
• NCT DREAM – “DREAM( )SCAPE”

Artist of the Year

• BTS
• SEVENTEEN
• NewJeans
• LE SSERAFIM
• ILLIT
• aespa
• Stray Kids
• SEVENTEEN
• MISAMO
• TWICE
• &TEAM
• Jungkook
• Jimin
• Jin
• BABYMONSTER
• BIGBANG
• G-Dragon
• TWS
• ZEROBASEONE
• NCT WISH
• BOYNEXTDOOR
• ATEEZ
• NEXZ
• NCT DREAM
• WayV
• Karina from aespa
• TREASURE
• IVE
• Nayeon
• (G)I-DLE
• TXT
• ENHYPEN
• NiziU
• Kep1er

Best K-pop Song in Japan

• BTS – “Dynamite”
• BTS – “Butter”
• BTS – “Permission to Dance”
• ILLIT – “Magnetic”
• ILLIT – “Cherish (My Love)”
• ILLIT – “Lucky Girl Syndrome”
• ILLIT – “Tick-Tack”
• aespa – “Whiplash”
• aespa – “Supernova”
• aespa – “Hot Mess”
• aespa Karina – “Up”
• ATEEZ – “NOT OKAY”
• Jeonghan x Wonwoo – “Last Night”
• NewJeans – “Supernatural”
• NewJeans – “Right Now”
• NewJeans – “How Sweet”
• NewJeans – “Bubble Gum”
• NewJeans – “OMG”
• NewJeans – “Ditto”
• NewJeans – “ETA”
• NewJeans – “Hype Boy”
• NewJeans – “Super Shy”
• LE SSERAFIM – “Perfect Night”
• LE SSERAFIM – “Crazy”
• LE SSERAFIM – “EASY”
• LE SSERAFIM – “ANTIFRAGILE”
• LE SSERAFIM – “Smart”
• LE SSERAFIM – “UNFORGIVEN (ft. Nile Rodgers)
• LE SSERAFIM – “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s wife”
• SEVENTEEN – “Shohikigen”
• SEVENTEEN – “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” (ft. DJ Khaled)
• SEVENTEEN – “Super”
• SEVENTEEN – “Maestro”
• BABYMONSTER – “DRIP”
• BABYMONSTER – “SHEESH”
• BABYMONSTER – “Forever”
• TREASURE – “KING KONG”
• Rosé – “toxic till the end”
• Rosé – “number one girl”
• Jungkook – “Seven” with Latto
• Jungkook – “3D” with Jack Harlow
• Jungkook – “Standing Next To You”
• Jungkook – “Never Let Go”
• Jin – “I’LL Be There”
• Jin – “Running Wild”
• Jimin – “Who”
• Jimin – “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” (ft. Loco)
• V – “Winter Ahead” with Park Hyo Shin
• V – “FRI(END)S”
• KISS OF LIFE – “Sticky”
• Gyubin – “Really Like You”
• KATSEYE – “Touch”
• TXT – “We’ll Never Change”
• TXT – “Deja Vu”
• TXT – “Over The Moon”
• TWICE – “ONE SPARK”
• TWICE – “I GOT YOU”
• TWICE – “Strategy”
• TWICE – “DIVE”
• TWICE – “Strategy (feat. Megan Thee Stallion)
• TWICE – “Feel Special”
• Nayeon – “ABCD”
• G-Dragon – “HOME SWEET HOME with BIGBANG
• G-Dragon – “Power”
• NCT WISH – “WISH”
• NCT WISH – “Songbird”
• NCT DREAM – “Moonlight”
• BOYNEXTDOOR – “One and Only”
• BOYNEXTDOOR – “If I SAY, I LOVE YOU”
• ZEROBASEONE – “Yura Yura – Flower of Destiny”
• ZEROBASEONE – “GOOD SO BAD”
• RIIZE – “Lucky”
• RIIZE – “Boom Boom Bass”
• RIIZE – “Impossible”
• RIIZE – “Siren”
• Zico – “SPOT!” with Jennie
• ENHYPEN – “XO (Only If You Say Yes)”
• ENHYPEN – “No Doubt”
• Stray Kids – “LALALALA”
• Stray Kids – “CHK CHK BOOM”
• Stray Kids – “Lose My Breath” (ft. Charlie Puth)
• Stray Kids – “Why?”
• (G)I-DLE – “Super Lady”
• (G)I-DLE – “Queencard”
• Jennie – “Mantra”
• BSS – “CBZ (Prime Time)”
• IVE – “Heya”
• IVE – “I AM”
• IVE – “Rebel Heart”
• IVE – “Baddie”
• MISAMO – “Identity”
• BIGBANG – “Fantastic Boy”
• TWS – “plot twist”
• TWS – “Last Festival”
• ITZY – “Algorhythm”
• CRAVITY – “SHOW OFF”
• YENA – “NEMONEMO”
• TREASURE – “LAST NIGHT”
• Taeyeon – “To. X”

Best Music Video

• (G)IDLE – “Super Lady”
• ATEEZ x BE: FIRST – “Hush-Hush”

Best Cross-Border Collaboration Song

• Royal- ATEEZ and Be:First

Best Dance Performance

• MISAMO – “Identity”
• MISAMO – “New Look”
• ATEEZ & Be:First – “Hush-Hush”

Best Japanese Song

• MISAMO – “New Look”
• ATEEZ & Be:First – “Hush-Hush”
• ATEEZ – “Royal”
• ATEEZ – “Birthday”

Best Japanese Dance Pop Song

• MISAMO – “New Look”
• ATEEZ & Be:First – “Hush-Hush”
• ATEEZ – “Royal”
• ATEEZ – “Birthday”

Best of Listeners’ Choice International Song

• Rosé – “APT.” with Bruno Mars
• RM & Megan Thee Stallion – “Neva Play”
• TWICE & Megan Thee Stallion – “Mamushi (Remix)
• ILLIT – “Magnetic”
• aespa – “Whiplash”
• aespa – “Supernova”
• NewJeans – “How Sweet”
• NewJeans – “Supernatural”
• LE SSERAFIM – “Perfect Night”
• LE SSERAFIM – “CRAZY”
• LE SSERAFIM – “EASY”
• BABYMONSTER – “DRIP”
• SEVENTEEN – “Shohikigen”
• PLAVE – “WAY 4 LUV”
• Lim Young Woong – “Warmth”

The winners of the Music Awards Japan will be selected through a two-round voting process. Fans will cast their votes from March 13-31 and April 17-30. The winners will be chosen based on their streaming performance, creativity, and overall impact on the music industry. The awards ceremony will take place in May, and will be broadcast live on NHK and streamed globally on YouTube.