“2021 MAMA” (2021 Mnet ASIAN MUSIC AWARDS) declared that it will pursue major changes in the evaluating sector and methods starting this year.
Mnet said, “From 2021 MAMA, we will conduct the evaluation with ▲ artists and works that contributed to the development of K-POP this year, selected by various indicators and professional judges, and ▲artists who led this year’s K-POP trend, selected by global KPOP fans.”
According to Mnet, three of the four Daesangs, singer of the year, song, album, and singer/genre Bonsangs will be evaluated based on K-POP experts’ evaluation and digital/album sales, depicting the musical value and artistry of the productions.
One of the four Daesangs, “Worldwide Icon of the Year” and Bonsang “Worldwide Fans’ Choice TOP10, will determine candidates and final winners through popularity evaluations that fully reflect the voices of global K-POP fans. By introducing a new evaluating method suitable for the evaluating sector, it aims to balance popularity, musical value, and artistry to secure fairness and solidify its position as a global awards ceremony that has led the K-POP trend.
Mnet said, “From this year, we will add and use data from Apple Music, a global music platform serviced in 167 countries around the world, to further solidify the influence of MAMA,” adding, “We used Gaon Chart music data in the evaluation until last year, but we will introduce additional global indicators such as digital and album sales to show K-POP’s global influence.”
In addition, the global KPOP professional judging council consisting of music industry professionals will also be reinforced to reflect the tendencies and trends of global K-POP fans in the evaluation. The collected data and process inspection, as well as screening and aggregation, will be conducted at “Samil PwC,” an external institution,” Mnet explained.
The global vote will be held twice, with a pre-Vote round to select candidates for the Worldwide Fans’ Choice TOP10 and a Vote round to confirm the Worldwide Fans’ Choice TOP10. The pre-Vote will be held on the official website of 2021 MAMA, Apple Music (playlist vote), and Twitter, after the 2021 MAMA nomination broadcast at 18:00 (KST) on November 4th.
In addition, starting this year, the “specialized category,” which awards music experts in Asia every year, will expand its Daesangs to music experts in each field that contributed to the development of K-POP. This also means that it will reflect the high status of K-POP, which has grown in influence globally.
“MAMA, which has served as KPOP’s global music hub for the past 12 years, has changed its award category and method to reflect trends in the global music market,” said Kim Hyun-soo, head of CJ ENM’s music content division, “In order to ensure fairness through the global awards ceremony, the company plans to make gradual changes starting this year.”
Meanwhile, the 2021 MAMA nomination broadcast will air on Mnet at 11 p.m. on November 3rd and 5 p.m. on November 4th (rerun).
