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Empowering STAYPart 3

Arm Yourselves, Help Empower STAYs Everywhere!

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PART 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Circle Chart

  2. Melon Chart

  3. Flo Chart

  4. Genie Music Chart

  5. Hanteo Chart

  6. Bugs Chart

  7. Vibe Chart (by Naver)

  8. Korea K-pop Hot 100

  9. Music Program Overview

 10. Major Music Shows - Korea

 11. American Music Award Shows

  12. Other Music Award Shows

 13. Certifications

 14. Sources for Part 3

A Closer Look at Korean Music Charts

Circle Chart
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Overview

In 2010, the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) launched what it aimed to be an official domestic chart of Korea, just like America’s Billboard or Japan’s Oricon. It was originally known as the Gaon Chart but changed the name to the Circle Chart in 2022, when it reorganized and included information globally from YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, and Apple Music. The chart has grown to be a major influence for the K-pop industry not only in Korea but globally.

KMCA operates 12 major charts that comprise the Circle Chart, as well as provides certification for songs and albums for streaming and sales. There was previously a Circle Chart Music Awards show starting in 2012, but KMCA in 2024 postponed the show indefinitely to reconsider the ceremony’s direction out of concern for the “recent proliferation of K-pop award ceremonies (translated).”

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Criteria

The Circle Chart uses data from streaming, downloads, sales, and mobile providers that is then calculated and weighed to determine each chart’s calculation. “The Gaon Chart calculates the value of each service and multiplies it by the number of ties for each service to standardize it (translated).” In general, albums have the highest weight, then downloads, and finally streams.

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The Circle Chart is seen as a comprehensive chart aggregating data both domestically in South Korea as well as global consumption of K-pop that encompasses:

  • Streams: Streams are tabulated from both global streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music, as well as domestic streaming platforms like Melon, Genie, FLO, Bugs, and Vibe. Muted streams on any platform do not count and are not classified as streams.  

  • Downloads: Downloads, also known as digital chart data, are provided to Circle Chart by Apple Music, Spotify, Melon, Genie, FLO, Bugs, Vibe, KakaoMusic, Samsung Music, and V Coloring. Songs that are purchased and given as gifts are not included in this data.

  • Albums: This chart is compiled not on sales volume, but instead on the amount shipped except for returns. Physical albums are defined as physical media such as tapes, CDs, LPs,etc. Platform albums are accessed through physical media like QR (quick-response) codes. For platforms (digital albums) to count towards the physical album charts, the album must be official, released through the physical album distribution chain, with song information indicated on the physical media provided. Album chart data is provided from many Korean providers. Sales price is also a factor that affects weight calculations when added to the charts.

  • Retail Albums: Retail albums reflect the actual album sales at retail stores. Many more stores are included in this category. 

  • Social Chart 2.0: Data is provided from Mubeat, Keytalk.ai, SuperStarX, TIkTok, and YouTube.

  • Mobile Carrier: Mobile carriers such as V Coloring and T-World provide data regarding ringtones and are a factor for the V Coloring and Digital Chart.

  • Karaoke: Karaoke data is provided to Circle Chart by TJ Media. 

 

Charts

  • The Global K-Pop Chart is a chart that uses K-pop streaming data from across the globe in order to get a worldwide view. Data is compiled daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly.  

  • The Digital Chart is a mix of data that is compiled from the download, streaming, BGM, and V Coloring charts that is then weighed and calculated by a proprietary formula that is not available to the public. It is calculated weekly, monthly, and yearly.  

  • The Download Chart is calculated by calculating downloads of digital music and weighing them based on service, but the exact formula is unknown. It is calculated weekly, monthly, and yearly.  

  • The Streaming Chart is calculated by a proprietary formula that involves multiplying the streaming count of streams in South Korea and weighting them by service provider. This chart is calculated weekly, monthly, and yearly.  

  • The BGM (Background Music) Chart calculates how frequently songs are used as background music, such as for videos, games, websites, etc., that lead to licensing fees. It is compiled by sales volume on a weekly and monthly basis.  

  • V Coloring is a video call connection service in Korea that plays a video to the recipient when connecting a call. The V Coloring Chart is calculated by a formula unknown to the public that multiplies usage by the weight of the service. It is compiled weekly and monthly.

  • The Album Chart compiles physical and platform album initial orders that have been shipped minus returns. The chart is released weekly, monthly, and yearly. 

  • The Retail Album Chart is a worldwide measure of physical and platform albums in retail stores across the globe. Interestingly, it also separates the versions of albums on the chart, so it is not unusual to see the same artist charting multiple times on this chart. This chart is calculated hourly providing real-time information as well as, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly.

  • The Social Chart 2.0 is compiled by aggregating data from social media applications (SNS) in order to measure the global popularity of an artist. This chart is compiled using data from TikTok, YouTube, Mubeats, and MyCeleb, operated by KeytalkAI. Charts are updated weekly, monthly, and yearly.

  • The Mobile Chart consists of the bell chart, which is based on ringtones, and the ring chart, which is based on ringback tones of South Korean mobile carrier, T World. It is reported weekly and monthly.   

  • The Karaoke Chart is determined by how many times a song is sung in karaoke singing rooms in Korea as reported by TJ Media.  

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Chart Impact

The Circle Charts have become an indicator of success for artists in the Korean market, serving as a factor on music shows like Music Core, in winning daesangs at award shows like MAMA, and as an overall metric of popularity for K-pop artists. Because the Circle Charts include so much information, including streams, sales, and unique factors such as social media and ringtone information, they are meant to paint a clearer picture of the trending global popularity of K-pop artists. 

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FLO Charts

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for a streaming tutorial on FLO.

 

Overview

FLO is one of South Korea's leading music streaming apps, with daily listener charts and smart music recommendations. Artists have the ability to upload their tracks to FLO using either Revelator or RouteNote, music distribution companies that offer free and premium models. In May 2021, FLO introduced personalized top 100 charts to address issues “winner takes all” issues, with the top 100 chart tailored to users’ tastes instead of solely trends.

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Each subscriber receives a personalized selection of tracks based on their preferences. FLO's intelligent music recommendations make it an ideal platform for artists to be discovered by new listeners who are sure to find music they love.

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With daily chart updates and fresh recommendations, FLO users are discovering new music every day.

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Tracking Period

In 2020, FLO replaced its real-time music chart with a new "FLO Chart," which ranks songs based on their streaming records over the past 24 hours instead of via hourly performance. Additionally, FLO implemented artificial intelligence technology to detect and eliminate suspicious streaming activities that may indicate fraud and chart manipulation.

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App Features

There are various features and services offered by FLO to enhance user experience through personalized music recommendations and user participation:

 

  • My Taste MIX: Personalized playlist playback order.

  • JUMP: Continuous music recommendations within playlists.

  • Just Radar: Access to favorite playlists on the homepage.

  • Creator Theme List: User-created and -shared theme playlists.

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Statistics

  • FLO is the third-largest digital music service in the country, after Melon and Genie. As of 2022, it holds an 11.5% share of the streaming market.

  • As of March 2024, there were 1.41 million monthly active users (MAU) on Android in South Korea, reaching a peak of 1.55 million in August 2023.

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Billboard

Since May 2023, streaming data from FLO has contributed to three of Billboard's music charts: the Billboard South Korea Songs chart, Billboard Global 200, and Billboard Global 200 Excl. US. Streams do not contribute to the Billboard Hot 100 or Billboard 200.

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Melon Music Chart

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for a streaming tutorial on Melon.

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Overview

  • Melon is a Korean streaming platform that is a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment. Considered one of the top digital service providers (DSP) in South Korea, in 2022, it supplied domestic and international music to 6.2 million monthly active users (MAU).

  • Despite being a domestic powerhouse, Melon has experienced a decrease in its daily active users (DAU) and has been eclipsed as of April 2024 by international competitor YouTube Music.

  • Melon’s music charts reflect listener activity on the streaming platform and are used for listener recommendations plus integrated into some music show calculations.

 

Metrics & Data Calculation 

  • Almost all of Melon’s charts use a 40:60 ratio (40% streaming + 60% downloads) to determine usage. 

    • The only exception is the annual/era charts, which as of 2016 use ranks from externally-sourced charts like Billboard and broadcast data.

  • Instead of raw streaming numbers, Melon determines streams by user ID/unique listeners. A user ID may only contribute to a song’s streaming numbers once in a 24-hour period and once in an hourly period. Song downloads are only counted once; redownloads do not count for chart rankings.

 

Charts & Criteria

  • Top 100

    • This chart is updated hourly and is weighted 50/50 with data from the last hour and data from the last 24 hours. Melon uses this method so that the charts can accurately show what is popular without being dominated by older songs.

    • The exception is during the hours of 01:00-07:00 KST, when the ranking is based 100% on performance in the past 24 hours. This change occurred after that was identified as a popular time period for chart manipulation tactics such as bulk ordering.

    • There are no ranking changes between the hours of 01:00-08:00 KST. 

  • Hot 100

    • Hourly ranking of songs released within the past 30-100 days.

    • This chart is not updated between 02:00-06:00 KST.

  • Daily Charts

    • Daily chart that can be broken down as domestic, national, and genre-specific or comprehensive.

    • Tracking starts daily at noon KST.

    • Chart is released after 13:00 KST every day.

  • Weekly Charts

    • Weekly chart that can be broken down as domestic, national, and genre-specific or comprehensive.

    • Tracking starts Monday at noon KST.

    • This chart is updated every Monday after 14:00 KST.

  • Monthly Charts

    • Monthly chart that can be broken down as domestic, national, and genre-specific or comprehensive.

    • Tracking starts on the 1st day of the month at noon KST.

    • Released on the 1st of the month after 15:00 KST.

  • Annual/Era Charts

    • Annual domestic and overseas Top 100 songs over a calendar year (January 1-December 31).

    • Songs released earlier in the year have an advantage.

 

Influence

  • While global DSPs like Spotify may use algorithms to personally tailor their users’ listening experience, Melon relies on chart rankings as a source of what is popular and should receive more play. Because of this, Melon chart rankings are highly influential and competitive, with a history of manipulation attempts by labels, artists, and fans. There is also concern that the chart ranking decreases musical diversity and makes it difficult for smaller artists to gain traction.

  • In 2023, it was announced that Billboard would include data from Melon for its regional South Korean music chart, the Billboard 200, Billboard Global Excl. US, and 3 other charts. Shortly after the inclusion, there was a nearly 25% increase in the presence of K-pop songs on the Global Excl. US chart.

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Genie Charts

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for a streaming tutorial on Genie.

 

Overview

The Genie Music Chart is a chart in South Korea that ranks the most popular songs based on various factors such as streaming data, downloads, and social media mentions. It covers various music genres, including K-pop, hip-hop, rock, and ballads. The chart is widely used to track the success of music releases.

 

Genie Music has over 2.5 million monthly users and represents 19.24% of the streaming market.

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Tracking Period

Genie Music tracks in real-time. Charts can be seen in real-time, daily, weekly, monthly, and accumulative, and can be sorted by:

  • Top 200

  • Genre 

  • Era

  • Music video

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Top 200 Charts

  • Real-time chart: Reflects streaming + downloads every hour, except from 1:00-6:59 AM KST, when the chart is frozen.

  • Daily chart: Reflects streaming + downloads for a 12-hour period starting at 12 PM KST the previous day.

  • Weekly chart: Reflects streaming + downloads weekly starting at 12 PM Mondays.

  • Monthly chart: Calculated by adding streaming + downloads for the previous month.

  • Cumulative chart: Cumulative song streams as of March 20, 2013.

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The daily and weekly charts are crucial for earning digital points on music shows, since they use Genie charts for point aggregation.

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Real-time charts show current rankings but don't ensure inclusion in daily or weekly charts, especially for free links. A song must be in the Genie Top 100 real-time chart for 24 hours to make the daily chart and in the Top 200 daily chart for at least 5 days to make the weekly chart. 

 

Only daily and weekly charts contribute to digital points for music shows.

 

Real-time charts count every listen, which can be inflated by fan repeats. 

 

Daily charts count one listen per account per day, reflecting general popularity more accurately and therefore the importance of unique users.

 

Additionally, cumulative charts have tracked total streams, including repeats, since March 20, 2013. This can be misleading as fan groups can heavily influence rankings by repeatedly streaming a song.

Source

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Hanteo Charts

 

Overview

Hanteo Chart is a real-time tracking system in South Korea that focuses on physical album sales. It provides up-to-date information on the number of physical albums sold by various K-pop artists and groups within the domestic South Korean market.

 

Hanteo is directly synced with over 1,00 record stores worldwide. Hanteo-certified stores are available here. ​

 

Key Points

  • Purpose: Tracks and quantifies physical album sales, measuring the popularity and commercial success of K-pop artists in South Korea.

  • Data Source: Collects sales data from a network of affiliated music retailers, including physical stores and online shops, reporting to Hanteo Information System.

  • Real-Time Updates: Provides daily, weekly, and cumulative sales figures for albums, allowing real-time tracking of album sales.

  • Transparency: Known for transparent reporting, offering fans the ability to verify their purchases with unique codes or stickers inside physical albums.

  • Importance to K-pop Industry: Significant in the K-pop industry; fans often engage in bulk purchases to support artists and achieve high chart positions.

  • Global Impact: Influences globally, with international fans participating in group orders or purchasing albums from Hanteo-reporting retailers to support their favorite artists' rankings.

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Charts

  • World Chart (Beta): Created using K-Pop data from around the world, this represents global K-pop indices.

  • Authentication Chart: A new concept music chart where global fans authenticate genuine products directly.

  • Physical Album Charts: Compiles physical record sales from about 1,100 stores worldwide to create the chart automatically.

  • Music Chart: Automatically created based on the Physical Record Chart (70%) and the Digital Chart (30%).

  • Digital Chart: Analyzes digital music data from major streaming services in Korea and abroad in real time to create the chart automatically.

  • Star Chart: A fan-created chart where all fan activities on the "Whosfan" mobile app are scored and reflected, regardless of the artist's promotion period.

  • Social Chart: Collects and analyzes big data from social media worldwide in real time, reflecting core global indicators to show artists’ social trends.

  • Genre Chart: A physical record chart categorized by genre, showing rankings for K-pop, trot, OST (original soundtrack), and pop. Each chart is then divided into the following categories (times in KST):

    • Real-time: Displays the ranking in real time throughout the day.

    • Daily: Based on data collected from 00:00 to 24:00 of the previous day.

    • Weekly: Aggregated data of the previous week from 00:00 Monday to 24:00 Sunday .

    • Monthly: Data collected from 00:00 on the first day to 24:00 on the last day of the previous month.

    • Annual: Based on aggregate data from 00:00 on January 1 to 24:00 on December 31 of the previous calendar year.

  • Weekly Charts

  • World Chart - Global

  • World Chart - United States

  • World Chart - China

  • World Chart - Japan

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Counting Process

  • Initial Period: Number of albums sold within 7 days of the album release date. Counted daily between 10:00 to 23:59 KST.

  • Hanteo Tally: Hanteo Charts are based on sales from Hanteo-affiliated stores, with sales data transmitted to the Hanteo server for real-time counting.

    • Offline: Recorded when the album is sold.

    • Online: Recorded when the delivery invoice is stamped.

  • “Reflection Time”: Since release timings are random, this is typically determined by the company or music production team. Common release periods include:

    • A. Day of release

      • Music released at 18:00: Albums likely arrive between 18:00 and 20:00.

      • Music released at 13:00: Albums likely arrive between 14:00 and 16:00.

    • B. Weekends/Holidays

      • Sales are mostly offline (because delivery companies are closed) unless there are fan signing events or album sales are promised to stores.

      • Record tools: Usually completed by 22:00 on the 7th day.

      • Fan sign volume: Typically popular between 12:00 and 18:00 on weekends.

Bugs Music Chart

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for a tutorial on Bugs. 

 

Overview

  • Bugs was South Korea’s first music streaming service, established in 1999.

  • Bugs provides a personalized usage log in real time at the top of the homepage.

  • Bugs prides itself on having the highest number of high-quality AAC music files for audiophiles.

  • Bugs also operates a business-to-business operation where it offers “space curation services” to various companies’ offline stores with music and wallpapers, and signed a deal with LG to put playlists on air conditioners and smart TVs.

  • Bugs is trying out unique ideas, such as recommending music based on MBTI personality types.

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Charts & Criteria

BUGS has not publicly detailed their exact chart data calculations, such as the specific weightings for downloads and streams, directly on their official platforms.

 

  • Real-time Chart 

    • Updates every hour (except between 01:00 to 6:59 KST) and shows the most popular songs at any given moment.

  • Daily Chart

    • Updates daily at 12 PM KST and reflects songs that performed well the previous day.

  • Weekly Chart

    • Updates every Monday at 12 PM KST and shows the most popular songs over the previous week.

  • Bugs Song Chart

    • Real-time, daily, and weekly. 

    • “Reflected by adding up the number of listens and downloads within the counting period.”

    • This chart stands out as most other real-time charts have been discontinued.

  • Album Chart

    • Updated daily and weekly

  • Music PD Album

    • Updated daily and weekly

    • “Reflected by adding up the popularity within the counting period for music PD albums registered within the last 3 months.”

  • Video 

    • Updated daily and weekly

    • “Reflected by adding up the number of views and downloads within the counting period.”

  • Connect Song

    • Updated daily and weekly

    • “Reflected by adding up the number of views and downloads within the counting period.”

  • Connect Video

    • Updated daily and weekly

    • “Based on the number of views within the counting period.”

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Importance of Charts

  • Music Show Points: Bugs Chart rankings contribute to points awarded for certain music shows. High chart placements can help artists get nominated for music show awards.

  • Fan Community: K-pop fan communities often track Bugs Charts to monitor the performance of their favorite artists and strategize streaming and download efforts.

  • Industry Insight: While Bugs has a smaller market share compared to Melon and Genie, it still provides valuable insights into music trends and artist popularity.

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VIBE by Naver Music Chart

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for a tutorial on VIBE.

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Overview

  • VIBE by Naver is a Korean digital streaming provider that is owned by Naver. It is the fifth most popular service in South Korea.

  • VIBE by Naver was launched in 2018 and music distribution is through YG Plus, a subsidiary of YG Entertainment.

  • In 2023, VIBE by Naver was included with LG U+ mid to upper tier mobile subscriptions in Korea for free, allowing more users than ever to access the platform.  

  • In 2020, VIBE by Naver introduced the first streaming service payment model unique to the platform where the fees the consumer pays goes directly to the artist they actually streamed and listened to, instead of into a big pool of funds to be divided by the most streamed artists.

 

Charts & Criteria

  • Today’s Top 100

    • The Top 100 chart reflects “one stream per ID for 24 hours from 00:00 the previous day.” This chart is focused on unique listeners on the VIBE app. 

    • Updated daily at 07:00 KST.

  • Billboard Hot 100

    • This weekly chart, compiled by Billboard, ranks the most popular music sources of the week in the US via official music and official music video streaming, radio broadcast statistics, and music sales data.

    • Updated weekly on Saturdays. 

  • Japan Hot 100 

    • The daily chart from Japan compiled by LINE Music, also a subsidiary of Naver.

    • Updated daily at 11:00 KST.

  • Domestic Surge Chart

    • This chart reflects hourly streaming for domestic music released within one month. Up to two songs per album can enter the chart.

    • Updated daily at 07:00 KST, though updates are stopped between 01:00-06:00.

  • Oversea Surge Chart

    • This chart is just like the Domestic Surge Chart, but for music released outside of Korea.

    • This chart reflects hourly streaming for overseas music released within one month. Up to two songs per album can enter the chart. 

    • Updated daily at 07:00 KST, though updates are stopped between 01:00-06:00.

  • VIBE Karaoke Top 100

    • This chart reflects the number of times VIBE's karaoke function was used over a 24-hour period starting at 12:00 KST the previous day.

    • Updated daily at 14:00 KST.

  • Popular songs for men/women in their [age group]

    • This chart aggregates music played in a week by gender and age group. It is counted considering the relatively higher number of plays and recency compared to other groups.

    • Users are able to refine the chart by gender and age group from teenagers to 50s.

    • Updated daily at 07:00 KST.

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Influence

  • VIBE by Naver does a few things differently that could have a big effect on the Korean music market as well as the global market, such as a fee system whereby users pay only for songs listened to, not via a monthly flat fee. In addition, it uses a pro rata payout method, similar to Spotify and Apple Music, wherein artists are paid “proportional to their percentage of overall streaming volume.”

  • VIBE also has unique features such as being able to remove vocals from songs to create karaoke songs and party rooms that allow customers to listen to songs together and chat as they listen. 

  • VIBE uses deep learning technology to recommend songs to users and AI to help recommend playlists by mood and genres.

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Korea K-Pop Hot 100

Overview

The Korea K-Pop Hot 100 was a singles chart in South Korea introduced by Billboard in partnership with Billboard Korea on August 25, 2011.


As of April 2022, the chart has been suspended. There have been no further updates.

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Korean Music Programs

We suggest STAYs follow fanbases to keep updated with all of Stray Kids schedules and fandom voting for Music Shows during comebacks.

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Overview

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  • Korean television music programs are a major focus for K-pop single promotions and artist exposure. The preparation for these shows can be intense, requiring multiple days of practice for a live or pre-recorded performance in front of fans.

  • There are 6 Korean television music programs, with each one airing on a separate day Tuesdays through Sundays. Artists are often pressured to appear on all shows so that they do not create negative relationships with the broadcasting stations. 

  • In addition to performances, trophies are awarded based on show-specific scoring criteria, and winners are invited to perform encores for their fans to celebrate their win.

  • Hosts typically include K-pop idols or other celebrities. They may feature interview segments and other forms of fan engagement.

  • In addition to domestic viewers, global audiences are able to watch performances on YouTube, allowing artists to develop a broader fanbase. 

 

Criteria

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Each Korean music show defines criteria differently and uses a different formula for determining the winner. Most shows use a mix of criteria and assign a point value and percentage to each value to determine the winner.

  • Digital Downloads/Streams

    • Digitals are usually weighted with the largest percentage in music show calculations. They are defined differently for each show but typically use the Circle Chart or a mix of streaming statistics from the major Korean streaming websites (Melon, FLO, Bugs, Genie, Vibe).

  • Album Sales

    • For most shows, physical album totals are relayed by the Hanteo Chart, which counts real-time album sales. 

  • Broadcast Scores

    • Broadcast scores are defined differently for each show, but typically, it is how many times the song has been performed or played on TV and radio programs produced by the show’s broadcaster. The score can sometimes be controversial because of its unclear calculation standards.

  • SNS (Social Media)

    • Each show defines this category differently, but typically it is determined by YouTube music video views.

  • Voting

    • Each show usually has a voting aspect and uses a different voting app. Some shows include a pre-vote as well as a live vote during the broadcast. Fans in Korea are often able to vote via text message as well. 

  • Global Fan Votes

    • Global fans can participate through in-app voting even if they are unable to vote via text. Some shows even have special voting apps only for international fans, such as Diggus for SBS’s Inkigayo pre-vote.

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Terms

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  • Perfect All-Kill: A Perfect All-Kill (PAK) means a song has topped all real-time, daily, and weekly charts on each of the major Korean streaming platforms. 

  • Triple Crown: K-pop idols can achieve a triple crown when their song wins on an award show three times. Some shows then deem the song ineligible for further award consideration.

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Music Shows

SBS M’s The Show 

**Please note: JYPE artists do not go to The Show, so it is not covered by the Stray Kids Comeback Guide. We are including the information to fulfill our promise to make this project extensive and comprehensive.

 

Guests typically include newer artists. If senior artists attend, it is usually as a subunit or solo act. Artists must be present to be eligible to win.

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  • Airs: Tuesdays at 18:00 KST

  • App: STAR PLANET

  • Tracking Period: Saturday to Friday 

  • Pre-voting: 20:00 Friday to 14:00 Monday (KST)

  • Where to Watch: THE K-POP on YouTube

  • Scoring Criteria  Breakdown:

    • 40% Digital

      • Circle Digital Chart

    • 20% SNS 

      • MV views on YouTube

    • 15% Broadcast

      • Number of times the single airs on SBS M

    • 10% Physical Albums 

      • Hanteo Album Chart

    • Voting on STAR PLANET app

      • 10% live voting 

      • 5% global pre-voting 

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MBC Music’s Show Champion 

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for tutorials on Show Champion and IDOLCHAMP.

 

Artists do not need to attend or promote Show Champion to win. Triple crown songs are excluded from further nominations.

 

  • Airs: Wednesdays at 17:00 KST

  • App: IDOLCHAMP

  • Tracking Period: Monday to Sunday

  • Pre-voting: 19:00 Friday to 14:00 Monday (KST)

  • Where to Watch: ALL THE K-POP on YouTube

  • Scoring Criteria Breakdown:

    • 35% Digital

      • Combination of Melon, FLO, Bugs, and Genie charts

    • 20% Global Pre-Voting on IDOLCHAMP

    • 20% Broadcast

      • Number of times the song airs on MBC M

    • 15% Physical Albums

      • Hanteo Album Chart

    • 10% SNS 

      • MV views on Youtube

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Mnet’s M Countdown

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for tutorials on M Countdown and MNET+.

 

Artists become eligible when they start promoting on one music show. Triple crown songs are excluded from further nominations.

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  • Airs: Thursday at 18:00 KST

  • App: MNET+

  • Tracking Period: Monday to Sunday

  • Pre-Voting: 12:00 Saturday to 23:59 Monday (KST)

  • Where to Watch: MNETPLUS.WORLD

  • Scoring Criteria Breakdown:

    • 50% Music Score

      • Circle Global K-Pop Chart

    • 15% Global Pre-Voting on MNET+ app

    • 15% Album Score

      • Circle Album Chart (physical sales)

    • 10% Global Social Media Score

      • MV views YouTube; Shorts and Tiktok use

    • 10% MNET Broadcast

      • M Countdown attendance and song/MV plays on MNET TV shows

    • 10% Live Voting on MNET+ App

Source

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KBS’s Music Bank 

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for tutorials on Music Bank and All Chart.

 

Artists do not need to promote or attend Music Bank to be eligible.

 

  • Airs: Fridays at 17:00 KST

  • App: All Chart 

  • Tracking Period: Monday to Sunday 

  • Pre-Voting: 11:00 Sunday to 11:00 Wednesday (KST)

  • Where to Watch: KBS WORLD TV on YouTube

  • Scoring Criteria Breakdown:

    • 60% Digital 

      • Streams on the Weekly Top 200 of Melon, Genie, FLO, Vibe, or Bugs charts

    • 20% Broadcast

      • Song/MV plays on KBS TV, radio, and digital shows

    • 10% Pre-Voting on All Chart App

      • For songs to be eligible for pre-vote, the artists must perform the song on the day that results are announced, and the song must be in the Top 50 of the Music Bank chart.

    • 5% Circle Social Chart 2.0 

      • YouTube MV views and TikTok like index scores

    • 5% Album Sales

      • Circle Album Chart 

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MBC’s Show! Music Core 

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for tutorials on Music Core and Mubeat.

 

Songs must be released within the 9-week period prior to broadcast to be eligible. Music Core is the only show to continue using a viewer committee.

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  • Airs: Saturdays at 15:15 KST

  • App: Mubeat

  • Tracking Period: 12:00 Monday to 11:59 Monday (KST)

  • Pre-Voting: 18:00 Tuesday to 11:00 Thursday (KST)

  • How to Watch: Post-broadcast on MBCkpop on YouTube

  • Scoring Criteria Breakdown: 

    • 50% Digital

      • Circle Digital Chart

    • 10% Physical

      • Circle Album Chart

    • 10% SNS

      • MV views on YouTube: 10%

    • 10% Broadcast

      • Song and MV plays on MBC TV and radio

    • 5% randomized Committee from the MBC Viewer Panel Survey

    • Voting on the Mubeat App:

      • 5% global pre-voting 

      • 5% global live voting (top 3 only)

    • 5% Domestic Live Voting via text message (top 3 only)

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SBS’s Inkigayo 

See the Stray Kids Comeback Guide website for tutorials on Inkigayo, Diggus, and SuperstarX.

 

Inkigayo is the longest-running music program, having originally aired from 1991-1993, then returning in 1998 till present.

​

  • Airs: Sundays at 15:20 KST

  • App: Melon (domestic) or Diggus (global) plus SuperstarX (live)

  • Tracking Period: Monday to Monday

  • Pre-Voting: 12:00 Monday to 23:59 Friday (KST)

  • How to Watch: SBS KPOP on YouTube

  • Scoring Criteria Breakdown: 

    • 55% Digital 

      • Circle Digital Chart for eligibility, points from Melon, Genie, and FLO

    • 30% SNS

      • MV views on YouTube

    • 10% Album 

      • Circle Album Chart

    • 10% Broadcast

      • Song/MV plays on SBS TV and radio

    • Voting:

      • 5% pre-voting via Melon (domestic) or Diggus (global)

      • 5% live vote via SuperstarX

Chart Data Providers for all Music Shows:

Circle Global, Digital, and Album Chart Platforms and Retailers

Hanteo Chart Retailers

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Major Music Award Shows in South Korea

Visit our Awards and Nominations section for a list of all Stray Kids Awards

​

Please note: just because we have a major award ceremony listed does not necessarily mean that Stray Kids will attend these specific ceremonies or that our fandom does or will participate in the voting for it. We suggest STAYs follow fanbases to keep updated with all of Stray Kids schedules and fandom voting.

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Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA)

​

Overview

 The MAMA Awards (also known as the Mnet Asian Music Awards) is one of the biggest annual music award shows in South Korea, organized by entertainment company CJ ENM through its music channel, Mnet. The award recognizes the achievements of K-pop artists and includes performances from top artists.

​

Nomination Eligibility Period

A 12-month tracking period. In 2023, tracking was from October 2022 to September 2023.

Awards

  • Daesangs (Grand Prizes): 

    • Artist of the Year

    • Album of the Year

    • Song of the Year

    • Worldwide Icon of the Year 

  • Other Awards: 

    • Best Male/Female Artists 

    • Best Male/Female Group

    • Best New Artist

    • Best Dance Performance

    • Best Band Performance

    • Best Rap Performance

    • Best Vocal Performance 

    • Best Collaboration

    • Best OST

    • Best Music Video

    • Worldwide Fans’ Choice 

    • Other special awards.

Criteria

Data is collected from Circle Chart, Spotify and YouTube.

  • Daesangs: 

    • Artist of the Year: 

      • 20% judges panel evaluation 

      • 40% song downloads/streaming 

        • 25% Korea 

        • 15% global

      • 40% album sales

    • Song of the Year: 

      • 20% judges panel evaluation 

      • 80% song downloads/streaming 

        • 50% Korea 

        • 30% global

    • Album of the Year: 

      • 20% judges panel evaluation 

      • 80% album sales

    • Worldwide Icon of the Year: 

      • 70% votes on Mnet Plus 

      • 30% Spotify votes 

  • Other Awards: 

    • Award Categories by Artist: 

      • 20% judges panel evaluation 

      • 40% song downloads/streaming 

        • 25% Korea 

        • 15% global 

        • 40% record sale

    • Award Categories by Genre: 

      • 20% judges panel evaluation 

      • 80% song downloads/streaming 

        • 50% Korea 

        • 30% global

    • Worldwide Fan’s Choice Category: 

      • 70% votes on Mnet 

      • 30% Spotify votes (Top 10)

    • Best Music Video: 

      • 20% judges panel evaluation 

      • 80% music video streams

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Golden Disc Awards (GDA)

 

Overview

Often referred to as the "Korean Grammy Awards," this event honors outstanding achievements in the music industry, including physical and digital sales.

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

A 12-month tracking period. For the 2023 awards, tracking was from mid-November 2022 to mid-November 2023. 

Awards

  • Daesangs (Grand Prizes):  

    • Digital Daesang (Song of the Year) 

    • Album Daesang (Album of the Year)

  • Other Awards: 

    • Digital Song Bonsang

    • Album Bonsang

    • Rookie Artist of the Year

    • Best Producer

    • Next Generation

    • Popular Artist 

    • Global K-Pop Artist

Criteria

  • Daesang: 

    • 40% judges 

      • Judging consists of industry officials, K-Pop reporters, music program producers, pop culture critics, and major distribution officials, along with the GDA evaluation committee.

      • The evaluation committee judges nominee selections, the fairness of the criteria, the relevance of categories, the suitability of standards, and more.

    • 60% sales 

  • Other Awards:

    • Online voting determines Rookie of the Year and Popular Artist​

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Melon Music Awards (MMA)

 

Overview

The Melon Music Awards (MMA) is an annual music awards show organized by entertainment company Kakao M through its online music store, Melon. The awards celebrate achievements in the South Korean music industry, recognizing the most popular artists and music of the year based on Melon's streaming data, online voting, and judges' evaluations. 

​

Nomination Eligibility Period

A 12-month tracking period. For the 2023 awards, tracking was from mid-November 2022 to mid-November 2023. 

Awards

  • Daesangs (Grand Prizes):   

    • Artist of the Year

    • Album of the Year

    • Song of the Year 

    • Record of the Year

  • Other Awards: 

    • Top 10 Artist Award

    • Millions Top 10 Artist Award

    • Best Pop

    • Best OST

    • Best Performance

    • Hot Trend Award

    • Song Writer Award

    • Best Music Style

    • Best Solo

    • Best Group

    • Best Collaboration

    • Global Rising Artist

    • Stage of the Year

    • KakaoBank Favorite Star Award

    • 1theK Global Icon

Criteria

  • Daesang: 

    • Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year: 

      • 60% Melon download and streaming counts

      • 20% judges’ evaluations

      • 20% fan voting

    • Record of the Year is decided by judges

  • Other Awards:

    • 10 Ten Artist Awards and Millions Top 10 Artist Award: 

      • 80% Melon download and streaming counts 

      • 20% fan voting

    • Best Group: 

      • 60% Melon download and streaming counts 

      • 20% judges’ evaluations

      • 20% fan voting

    • Best Music Style: 

      • 20% Melon download and streaming counts 

      • 60% judges’ evaluations

      • 20% fan voting

    • Other special awards: 

      • 100% screening

    • Hot Trend Award: 

      • 70% sound source 

      • 30% screening

    • KakaoBank Favorite Star Award: 

      • 20% judges’ evaluations 

      • 80% fan voting

The Fact Music Awards (TMA)

 

Overview

The Fact Music Awards (TMA) is an annual music awards show organized by The Fact entertainment company and FAN N STAR. The awards recognize achievements in the Korean music industry based on fan voting, data, and expert evaluations. The event features performances by popular K-pop artists and aims to celebrate and promote the global influence of K-pop music.

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

The award is typically held in October of each year. The eligibility period is not listed.

Awards

  • Daesang: Grand Prize

  • Other Awards: 

    • Artist of the Year (Bonsang)

    • Best Performer Award

    • Next Leader Award

    • Worldwide Icon Award

    • Popularity Award

    • Listener's Choice Award

    • Global Hottest Award

    • FAN N STAR Choice Award (Group & Individual)

    • FAN N STAR Four N Star Award ( Stray Kids are the ONLY group to win this award since its inception)

    • FAN N STAR Most Votes Award (Group & Individual)

    • FAN N STAR Best Ads Award

Criteria

  • Daesang: Judging panel

  • Other Awards: All awards are decided by a judging panel, except for the following awards, which are entirely fan-voted:

    • FAN N STAR Choice Award (Group & Individual)

    • FAN N STAR Four N Star Award

    • FAN N STAR Most Votes Award (Group & Individual)

    • FAN N STAR Best Ads. Award

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Seoul Music Awards (SMA)

 

Overview

An annual awards show that honors achievements in the music industry, based on sales, votes, and the opinions of judges.

​

Nomination Eligibility Period

A 12-month calendar year tracking period (January-December).

Awards

  • Daesang: Grand Award

  • Other Awards: 

    • Main Award (Bonsang)

    • Best Song Award

    • Best Album Award

    • Rookie Award

    • Best Performance

    • Popularity Award

    • New Wave Star

    • World Best Artist

    • Fan Choice of the Year

    • Hallyu Special Award

    • World Trend Artist 

    • Other genre awards

Criteria

  • Daesang: The grand prize is decided by judges.

  • Other Awards:

    • Main Prize, Trot, Ballad, OST & Rookie Awards: 

      • 25% fan voting

      • 50% panelist 

      • 25% sales

    • Hallyu Special Award: 

      • 100% fan voting (overseas only)

    • Popularity Award: 

      • 100% fan voting (Korea only)

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Hanteo Music Awards (HMA)

 

Overview

The Hanteo Music Awards (HMA) is an annual music awards ceremony organized by Hanteo Global, known for its comprehensive music charts and real-time sales tracking. The awards recognize achievements in the K-pop industry based on data, including album and digital sales. The event highlights significant contributions to the music industry and features performances from top K-pop artists.

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

A 12-month calendar year tracking period (January-December).

Awards

  • Daesangs (Grand Prizes): 

    • Best Album

    • Best Performance

    • Best Song 

    • Best Artist

  • Other Awards: 

    • Rookie of the Year

    • Artist of the Year

    • Global Artist Award (by region)

    • Hanteo Choice K-Pop Female/Male Artist

    • Favorite Band Performance

    • Popular Global Group

    • Global Outstanding Artist

    • Best Generation Leader

    • Popular Performance Group

    • And more

Criteria

  • Daesangs: 

    • 40% global score

    • 30% global voting

    • 30% judges scores

  • Other Awards:

    • Artist of the Year: 

      • 50% global score

      • 20% global voting

      • 30% judges scores

    • Global Artist Award (by region): 

      • 50% global score

      • 50% voting score

    • Post Generation Award: 

      • 40% global score

      • 30% global voting

      • 30% judges scores

    • Emerging Artist Award: 

      • 40% global score

      • 30% global voting

      • 30% judges scores

    • Rookie of the Year: 

      • 40% global score

      • 30% global voting

      • 30% judges scores

    • Whosfandom Award: 

      • 100% global voting

    • Special Award: 

      • 30% global score

      • 40% global voting

      • 30% judges scores

    • Trend Award: 

      • 30% global score

      • 70% judges scores

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Circle Chart Music Awards (CCMA)

Based on the Circle Chart's Music Chart, these awards recognize top performers in various categories such as sales, digital downloads, and social media influence.

 

The awards have been postponed indefinitely. With Circle Chart being one of the main charts used in South Korea for Music Shows and Award Shows criteria we believe the awards show could return which is why we created a section for it and will monitor news regarding the ceremony.

Genie Music Awards (GMA)

An annual music awards ceremony in South Korea organized by Genie Music. Winners are chosen through a combination of chart data from the Genie Music platform, assessments by judges, and online voting.

 

The last one took place in 2022. There is no confirmation of 2024 dates.

Specialized & Genre-Specific Music Award Shows

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Asia Artist Awards

 

Overview

The Asia Artist Awards (AAA) is an annual awards ceremony established in 2016 to honor outstanding achievements across Asia in both music and acting. The awards recognize artists from various entertainment fields, including K-pop, K-drama, and film. It’s considered Asia's Oscars and Grammy Awards. 

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

Not provided.

Awards

  • Daesangs (Grand Prizes): 

    • Actor of the Year

    • Singer of the Year

    • Album of the Year

    • Song of the Year

    • Stage of the Year

    • Performance of the Year

    • Fandom of the Year

  • Other Awards: 

    • Best Artist Award

    • Fabulous Award

    • Rookie of the Year

    • Asia Celebrity

    • Hot Trend Award

    • Popularity Award

    • Best Icon Award

    • Best Creator Award

    • And more

Criteria

  • Daesangs: All daesangs are decided by judges.

  • Other Awards: 

    • Four awards are decided by voting: 

      • Popularity Awards for Male/Female Singer

      • Popularity Awards for Male Actor/Female Actress

    • Other awards’ criteria are not provided

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Korean Music Awards (KMA)

 

Overview

The Korean Music Awards (KMA) is an annual South Korean music awards ceremony that was established in 2004. Winners are selected based on the votes of a panel of music critics, radio show producers, and other industry professionals. The KMA is respected for its emphasis on musical quality and diversity, providing recognition to both mainstream and indie artists.

 

Nomination eligibility period

A 12-month tracking period. In 2023, the tracking dates were December 1, 2021, to November 30, 2022.

Awards

  • Daesangs (Grand Prizes): 

    • Album of the Year

    • Song of the Year 

    • Musician of the Year

  • Other Awards: 

    • Rookie of the Year

    • Best K-Pop Album

    • Best K-Pop Song

    • Best Pop Album

    • Best Pop Song

    • Other genre-based awards

Criteria

Awards are distributed based on recommendations made by a panel of judges consisting of music critics, radio producers, academics, and other music industry professionals. 

Korea Brand of the Year Awards 

 

Overview

The Korea Brand of the Year Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognizes the most influential and popular brands in South Korea across various industries. Organized by the Korea Consumer Forum, the awards are based on consumer surveys and evaluations, highlighting brands that have significantly impacted the market and consumer preferences. Categories span a wide range of sectors, including consumer goods, technology, entertainment, and services. The awards aim to celebrate brand excellence, innovation, and consumer satisfaction, reflecting current market trends and consumer sentiments in South Korea.
 

Nomination Eligibility Period

None listed. 

Awards

  • Female Idol

  • Male Idol

  • Female Solo Artist

  • Male Solo Artist

  • Female Vocalist

  • Male Vocalist

  • Rookie Female Idol

  • Rookie Male Idol

  • Rising Star Female Idol

  • Rising Star Male Idol 

  • Unit Group

Criteria

The winners are based on consumer satisfaction as determined through online and phone surveys, with a significant number of votes cast by Koreans.

Korea First Brand Awards 

 

Overview

The Korea First Brand Awards pay homage to exceptional accomplishments in various domains. The awards recognize individuals and brands that are predicted to be at the forefront of the upcoming year.

​

Nomination Eligibility Period

Nominees were considered for brand performance between November 6, 2022, and November 19, 2023.

Awards

 

  • Best Female Idol and Best Male Idol

  • Rising Star Idol (Female and Male) 

  • Rookie (Female and Male)

  • Best Male Solo Artist and Best Female Solo Artist, 

  • Best Solo Singer (Female) and Best Solo Singer (Male)

Criteria

Consumer research through surveys, expert evaluations, and consumer voting, with surveys sent to not only Koreans but Vietnamese consumers.

American Music Award Shows

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Visit our Awards and Nominations section for a list of all Stray Kids Awards

​

Please note: just because we have a major award ceremony listed does not necessarily mean that Stray Kids will attend these specific ceremonies or that our fandom does or will participate in the voting for it. We suggest STAYs follow fanbases to keep updated with all of Stray Kids schedules and fandom voting.

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American Music Awards (AMAs)

 

Overview

The American Music Awards (AMAs) celebrate the year's outstanding achievements in music as determined by fans. Billing itself as “the world's largest fan-voted awards show,” the AMAs are broadcast globally across a variety of platforms, reaching over 120 countries and territories. 

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

A 12-month reporting period, typically September through August.

Awards

  • Artist of the Year

  • New Artist of the Year

  • Collaboration of the Year

  • Favorite Touring Artist

  • Favorite Music Video

  • Favorite Female/Male Artist (with genre variations, e.g., pop, country, etc.)

  • Favorite Duo/Group (with genre variations)

  • Favorite Album (with genre variations)

  • Favorite Song (with genre variations)

  • Favorite Artist (with genre variations, including K-pop)

  • Favorite Soundtrack

Criteria

  • Nominees are based on a combination of factors, including (as of 2022) streams, album and song sales, airplay, and social activity. These measurements are tracked by Billboard via its data partner, Luminate.

  • Winners are selected entirely by fan voting. To vote (as of 2022):

    • Website voting: Voters must have a valid Facebook or Twitter account, with 22 votes per user per award per day.

    • Twitter voting: Tweet with the name/Twitter handle of the nominee, name of the specific award, and the official hashtag of the program (#AMAs). (Example: I’m voting for @JoeJames for Artist of the Year #AMAs.) Only up to 22 tweet votes per user per award per day will be considered valid.

  • Discord voting (Favorite K-Pop Artist): Join the AMA voting server and vote via a Discord-directed process. Voters may cast up to 22 votes per award per day.

Key Dates

  • The 2022 voting period took place between October and November.

    • Note: The AMAs took a hiatus in 2023 due to a scheduling conflict with the Billboard Music Awards that year.

  • The 2024 awards show, set for Oct. 6, will be broadcast live on US television network CBS and on-demand on American streaming service Paramount+.

Criteria

  • Nominees are based on a combination of factors, including (as of 2022) streams, album and song sales, airplay, and social activity. These measurements are tracked by Billboard via its data partner, Luminate.

  • Winners are selected entirely by fan voting. To vote (as of 2022):

    • Website voting: Voters must have a valid Facebook or Twitter account, with 22 votes per user per award per day.

    • Twitter voting: Tweet with the name/Twitter handle of the nominee, name of the specific award, and the official hashtag of the program (#AMAs). (Example: I’m voting for @JoeJames for Artist of the Year #AMAs.) Only up to 22 tweet votes per user per award per day will be considered valid.

  • Discord voting (Favorite K-Pop Artist): Join the AMA voting server and vote via a Discord-directed process. Voters may cast up to 22 votes per award per day.

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Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs)

 

Overview

  • The Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) is a data-driven awards show that has the distinction of honoring awardees based on their Billboard charting performance. It has been held annually since 1990, barring a four-year hiatus from 2007 to 2010. 

  • In 2023, the show experimented by forgoing a traditional hosted television broadcast or livestream and featuring performances, speeches, and winner unveils in a rolling digital-only release across the BBMA and Billboard social channels, as well as via BBMAs.watch. 

  • In 2023, “BBMAs partnered with Spotify’s Fans First program, which used Spotify listener data to identify the performers’ most loyal fans and invited them to attend the intimate BBMA performances.”

 

Finalist Eligibility Period

Finalists and winners are chosen from releases within a 12-month tracking period. For 2023, the eligibility period was from Nov. 19, 2022, through Oct. 21, 2023. 

Awards

  • Top Global K-Pop Artist

  • Top K-Pop Touring Artist

  • Top K-Pop Album

  • Top Artist

  • Top New Artist

  • Top Male/Female Artist

  • Top Duo/Group

  • Top Billboard 200 Artist

  • Top Hot 100 Artist

  • Top Hot 100 Songwriter

  • Top Hot 100 Producer 

  • Top Streaming Songs Artist

  • Top Radio Songs Artist

  • Top Song Sales Artist

  • Top Billboard Global 200 Artist 

  • Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Artist

  • Top 200 Album

  • Top Soundtrack

  • Top 100 Song

  • Top Streaming Song

  • Top Radio Song

  • Top Selling Song

  • Top Collaboration

  • Top Global 200 Song

  • Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Song

  • Other genre-specific awards

Criteria

Finalists and winners are based on “key interactions with music fans,” album and song sales, airplay, streams, and tour and social engagement, as tracked by Billboard and its data partners. 

Key Dates

The awards show has typically been held in May since 2011, though in 2023, it was moved to a digital-only format and released in November.

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GRAMMY Awards

 

Overview

  • The GRAMMY Awards (aka Grammys and originally known as Gramophone Awards) are regarded by most in the music industry as the most prestigious music awards worldwide, recognizing outstanding achievement in the recording arts and sciences. 

  • The awards have been presented annually by the Recording Academy of the United States since 1959. 

  • The Grammys are considered among the four major annual American entertainment awards, alongside the Academy Awards (for films), Emmy Awards (for television), and Tony Awards (for theater).

  • Also of note are the Latin Grammy Awards, first held in 2000, which recognize outstanding achievement in works recorded globally in Spanish or Portuguese and released in Ibero-America (i.e., Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and Latino populations in Canada and the US). They are hosted annually by the Latin Recording Academy. 

 

Product Eligibility Period

Varies slightly depending on the year. For the 67th GRAMMY Awards, the eligibility period will be for products released between Sept. 16, 2023, and Aug. 30, 2024.

Awards

  • Record of the Year

  • Album of the Year

  • Song of the Year

  • Best New Artist

  • Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

  • Best Pop Vocal Album

  • Other genre-specific awards (K-pop is not one of them); many special category awards such as soundtrack, narrative, etc.; production awards; and special achievement awards

Key Dates

  • The show typically airs between February and April.

  • Nominations for the 2025 Grammys will be announced Nov. 8, 2024.

The 2025 award show will broadcast live on Feb. 2 on live.grammy.com, the US television network CBS and live/on-demand on Paramount+.

Criteria

  • The Grammys’ process involves a rigorous selection and voting system, with voting membership (about 13,000) composed entirely of music creators, including artists, producers, songwriters, and engineers.

  • Entries are submitted for consideration by Recording Academy members and record companies, then reviewed by 350-plus recording industry experts to double-check eligibility and category placement. 

  • Entries that meet all eligibility requirements are included in the first round of ballots, which go to Recording Academy voting members in good standing, who can vote in up to 10 categories across up to three genre fields as well as in four general field categories (aka The Big Four, or album, record, and song of the year plus best new artist). Ballots are tabulated by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent accounting firm. Members are directed to vote only in their field of expertise.

  • After nominees are determined, the short list in each category is distributed to Recording Academy members , who can vote in up to 10 categories across up to three genre fields as well as The Big 4 categories. Members are directed to vote only in their field of expertise.

  • Note: In craft categories (e..g, Best Music Video, Producer of the Year (Non-Classical, among 10 categories in total), final nominees are determined in one round by voting members actively working in the craft they are judging, among other criteria.

  • Certificates are available for those who were involved creatively or professionally in a Grammy-winning or -nominated recording (e.g., musicians, composers, publishers, studios, and labels).

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iHeartMusic Radio Awards

 

Overview

  • The iHeartRadio Music Awards is an annual awards show that celebrates the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app over the past calendar year, as determined by listeners. 

  • The event has been held annually since 2014 and features live performances from both mainstream and emerging talent.

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

The eligibility period is for plays within a calendar year (i.e., January through December). 

Awards

  • Song of the Year

  • Artist of the Year

  • Duo/Group of the Year

  • Best Collaboration

  • K-Pop Artist of the Year

  • K-Pop Song of the Year

  • Best New Artist (K-Pop)

  • Other genre-specific awards and additional categories including Label of the Year and individual winners for Album of the Year in music’s biggest genres

Criteria

  • Nominees and winners are chosen based on results from the iHeartRadio Charts, supplied and compiled by reporting service Mediabase.

  • Fan voting determined these 2024 awards: Best Lyrics, Best Music Video, Best Fan Army, Social Star Award, Favorite Tour Photographer, TikTok Bop of the Year, Favorite On Screen, Favorite Tour Style, and Favorite Debut Album.

    • The fan vote allows 50 votes per voter, per day, per category, with a designated reset. 

    • Voting includes designated “Power Hours,” wherein the number of permitted votes will be increased from 50 to 100 per category per voter during those hours. 

    • Additionally, there are a set number of “Double Days,” when voters will be boosted from 50 to 100 per category per user during those days’ voting windows.

    • Only US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand residents 13 and older can vote online through an iHeartRadio account.

    • iHeartRadio has noted issues when voting on the Safari browser and recommends either voting on a different browser or disabling iCloud Private Relay.

Key Dates

  • In 2024, voting occurred between mid-January and late March.

  • The awards show typically is aired live from a US locale between March and May and broadcast on US TV network FOX, as well as on iHeartRadio stations nationwide and on the app.

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MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)

 

Overview

  • The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) is an annual awards show that honors the biggest music videos and artists. 

  • Established by MTV in 1984, the VMAs celebrate outstanding achievements in music video production, with categories ranging from Best Video of the Year to Best New Artist. 

  • Winners are determined by both industry professionals and fan votes. 

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

The nomination periods are unclear but seem to be for a 12-month period, potentially July-June or August-July, based on past years’ winners. 

Awards

  • Album of the Year

  • Video of the Year

  • Song of the Year

  • Artist of the Year

  • Best New Artist

  • Group of the Year

  • Push Performance of the Year

  • Best Collaboration

  • Best K-Pop 

  • Show of the Summer

  • Song of Summer, Best 

  • Other genre-specific awards and professional categories

Criteria  

  • There doesn’t seem to be any public information on how MTV selects VMA nominees. 

  • VMA winners in general categories are selected by vote on MTV’s website, www.mtv.com/vma/vote/.

    • Up to 10 votes are allowed per voter/per day. 

    • Voting includes designated “Power Hours,” wherein the number of permitted votes will increase from 10 to 20 per voter during those hours. 

    • Additionally, there are “Double Days” when the number of permitted votes will increase from 10 to 20 per voter for a designated period during those scheduled days.

  • Most categories are voted on daily via MTV’s website; however, a few special categories are voted on in one round on MTV’s social media accounts:

    • Show of the Summer (Instagram Story)

    • Group of the Year (Instagram Story)

    • Song of Summer (Instagram Story)

    • Album of the Year (Instagram Story)

    • Best New Artist (Snapchat lens)

  • Note: The 2023 official voting rules note that the sponsor (i.e., MTV) reserves the right to decide the winners “for any reason Sponsor deems necessary.”

  • A specialized voting committee determines winners in “professional” categories such as Best Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, etc. 

Key Dates

  • Voting in 2023 was from August through September. 

  • The VMAs typically air in September. They are televised live from a US locale and shown on the US cable channel MTV, on MTV.com, and on streaming platforms (e.g., Sling TV). Those outside the US can watch the stream via VPN.

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People’s Choice Awards (PCAs)

 

Overview

  • The People's Choice Awards (PCAs) is an annual awards show held since 1975 that honors the best in popular culture, recognizing achievements in movies, television, music, and digital media. 

  • Winners are chosen entirely by the public through online voting at www.votepca.com. 

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

The calendar year (i.e., January-December), as of 2024.

Awards (Music)

  • Male/Female Artist of the Year (with genre variations)

  • Group/Duo of the Year

  • Song of the Year

  • Album of the Year

  • New Artist of the Year

  • Collaboration Song of the Year

  • Concert Tour of the Year

Criteria  

  • Voters must be 18 or older.

  • Website voting allows for up to 1 vote per person per email address per category per day.

  • A special Turbo Voting Window for one day during the voting period will allow up to 2 votes per person per email address per category.

Key Dates

  • Voting in 2024 was a one-week period in January. 

  • The show is broadcast live from a US locale and, starting in 2024, is aired in February. It was televised simultaneously on US broadcast channels NBC and E!, online through Peacock, as well as on-demand on streaming platforms (e.g., Sling TV).

Other Music Awards Shows

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Visit our Awards and Nominations section for a list of all Stray Kids Awards

​

Please note: just because we have a major award ceremony listed does not necessarily mean that Stray Kids will attend these specific ceremonies or that our fandom does or will participate in the voting for it. We suggest STAYs follow fanbases to keep updated with all of Stray Kids schedules and fandom voting.

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MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs)

 

Overview

The MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) are presented by Paramount International Networks to recognize and honor artists and music within pop culture. These awards serve as an alternative to the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), which are hosted annually in the United States. The EMAs are celebrated annually in various European countries.

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

Information not available.

Awards

  • Best Act (with regional variations)

  • Best Song

  • Best Video

  • Best Artist

  • Best Collaboration

  • Best New

  • Best genre-specific awards

  • Best Live

  • Best Push

Criteria  

Paramount Networks International is responsible for selecting nominees for the EMAs. Fan voting determines the winners of most awards; however, the award for Best Video is chosen by the MTV Music Editorial Team and is not eligible for voting.

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MTV Video Music Awards Japan (MTV VMAJs)

 

Overview

The MTV Video Music Awards Japan (MTV VMAJs) are the Japanese counterpart to the globally recognized MTV Video Music Awards. They were established in 2002 after Japan decided to host its own awards due to the unique musical diversity present in the country.

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

Information not available.

Awards

  • Video of the Year

  • Best Solo Artist Video (Japan & International)

  • Best Group Video (Japan & International)

  • Best New Artist Video (Japan & International)

  • Best Collaboration Video (Japan & International)

  • Best genre-specific video awards

  • Artist of the Year

  • Song of the Year

  • Album of the Year

  • Group of the Year

  • Global Icon Award 

  • And more

Criteria  

Most awards are selected via their own judges without previous nominations and announced via Instagram; however, fans can vote on Video of the Year.

Key dates

The 2024 MTV EMAs is scheduled for November 10.

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Japan Gold Disc Award

Overview

The Japan Gold Disc Award is an annual music awards ceremony that honors the best-selling artists and albums in Japan based on sales data provided by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Established in 1987, the awards recognize outstanding achievements in the Japanese music industry across various genres. The awards highlight the commercial success and popularity of artists, celebrating their contributions to the music landscape in Japan.

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

The awards are based on sales for a 12-month calendar tracking period.

Awards

  • Artist of the Year (Japanese & Western)

  • Best Asian Artist

  • New Artist of the Year (Japanese, Western and Asia)

  • Best 5 New Artists (Japanese)

  • Best 3 New Artists (Western & Asia)

  • Album of the Year (Japanese, Western and Asia)

  • Best 5 Albums (Japanese)

  • Best 3 Albums (Western & Asia)

  • Single of the Year

  • Best 5 Singles

  • Music Video of the Year

  • Best 3 Music Videos

  • Song of the Year by Download

  • Best 3 Songs by Download

  • Song of the Year by Streaming

  • Best 5 Songs by Streaming 

  • And more

Criteria  

The awards are based on data such as net sales of CDs, music videos, streaming, digital music sales, etc., based on data provided by the RIAJ.

BRIT Awards

Overview

​

TThe BRIT Awards (BRITs) is the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards ceremony, celebrating the best in British and international music. Established in 1977, the awards recognize outstanding achievements in various categories, including British Album of the Year, British Single of the Year, and International Male Solo Artist. Winners are chosen by the BRIT Awards voting academy, consisting of industry professionals, journalists, and previous winners.

 

Nomination Eligibility Period

The eligibility period is a 12-month tracking period, typically from December to December of each year.

Awards

  • Artist of the Year

  • Best New Artist 

  • Dance Act

  • Global Icon

  • Group of the Year

  • Alternative/Rock Act

  • Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act

  • International Artist of the Year

  • International Group of the Year

  • International Song of the Year

  • Mastercard Album of the Year

  • Pop Act

  • Producer of the Year

  • R&B Act, Rising Star

  • Song of the Year with Mastercard

  • Songwriter of the Year

Criteria  

  • The BRIT Awards Voting Academy is responsible for determining the shortlists and overall winners of the majority of the awards categories (except for Rising Star, which is voted on by a separate panel).

  • The Voting Academy is made up of around 1,200 individuals from a wide cross-section of the UK music industry, and since 2017, the membership of the Academy has been refreshed annually.

  • Voting Academy members include representatives from the following sectors: artists, record labels, managers, press, media and journalists, publishers, producers, retailers, promoters, digital music services, and other music business suppliers such as legal and financial services.

Certifications

While winning awards helps to signify success and trending on charts signifies popularity, music certifications such as gold and platinum are another benchmark of success for an artist. 

Each country’s organization sets a benchmark for certification that becomes the criteria for commercial success within their country. 

​

Since covering all certifications would be too time-intensive for this project, we will narrow our focus to only certifications relevant to Stray Kids. 

Physical Album Certification Chart

Country Territory
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Multi- Platinum
Diamond
Based on
UK
60,000
100,000
300,000
300,000x
Shipments + Streams
Japan
100,000
250,000 500,000 2x 750,000 3x
(Million) 1,000,000 2,000,000 2x 3,000,000 3x 4,000,000 4x 5,000,000 5x
Shipments
South Korea
250,000 500,000 2x 750,000 3x
(Million) 1,000,000 2,000,000 2x 3,000,000 3x 4,000,000 4x 5,000,000 5x
Shipments
USA
500,000
1,000,000
1,000,000x
10,000,000
Shipments + Streams
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RIAA

 

Since 1952, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that works to protect copyrights of artists, as well as award certifications to music that has reached the clearly defined benchmarks within the United States. 

 

Certifications can be achieved through a combination of shipments minus returns, albums sold directly to consumers in retail stores, and streams. 

 

Certifications are not automatically awarded; an application must be filled out to the specifications of RIAA by the record labels. Because of this application process, certification can often be delayed or occur after the record has been achieved.  

 

In order for sales to qualify, they must be:

  • 30 days after the release date for physical sales and directly at the release date for digital sales (preorders are included once they reach this requirement)

  • Sold within the US

 

In addition, albums must have at least 75% of the content be from an original project (which excludes re-releases). Album sales are also combined from all configurations to make up the total numbers that are used to calculate the certification.

 

Album sales units are counted as:

  • 1,500 on-demand audio/video streams = 10 track sales = 1 album sale

 

Levels of RIAA Certification

  • Gold: 500,000 units for digital singles and 500,000 units for full-length albums, EPs, and multi-disc sets.

  • Platinum: 1,000,000 units for digital singles and 1,000,000 units for full-length albums, EPs, and multi-disc sets.

  • Multi-Platinum: Increments of 1,000,000 units beyond the Platinum threshold for digital singles and full-length albums, EPs, and multi-disc sets.

  • Diamond: Requires 10,000,000 units for digital singles and 2,000,000 units for full-length albums, EPs, and multi-disc sets. Only 138 singles have ever reached Diamond certification.

 

Outside of these major certifications, there is also a Digital Single Award that compiles downloads and on-demand audio and/or video streams. On-demand audio and video streams are defined as providers that are authorized by the record label and offered either via a subscription or ad-supported digital streaming platform (e.g., YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music). 

 

The formula for this award is:

  • 150 on-demand streams = 1 download sale

 

Only official label videos count towards the certification.

 

The Digital Single Award also has the same threshold for certification of 500,000 downloads and streams for Gold certification, 1,000,000 for Platinum, and 10,000,000 for Diamond.


There are other certifications as well, although not applicable to Stray Kids’ career as yet, such as Short Form/EP awards, multi-disc sets, multi box music video streaming, music video long form (DVD), and master ringtone awards. Additionally, there are awards for music video singles; however, they are awarded very infrequently, and only five videos have received the certification since 2010 to date. 

KMCA  

 

Since 2008, the Korean Music Contents Association has sought to protect the copyrights of artists in South Korea and maintain charts and award certifications to records in South Korea. Certifications can be achieved in sales, downloads, and streams, and each certification is separate, as opposed to the RIAA certification that combines sales and streams. 

 

Stray Kids have the most album certifications from KMCA overall, with 12 total.

Source

Albums

In order for album sales to qualify, they must be: 

  • Domestic and foreign albums released in Korea.

  • Based on the sales volume of the single album in the same media with the same tracklist.

  • Released after January 1, 2018, and 6 weeks after its release.

​

Overseas licensed albums, free albums, or free promotion music are not eligible for certification.

For albums, the levels of certification are: 

  • 250,000 for Platinum 

  • 1,000,000 for Million

​​

Downloads

In order for downloads to qualify, they must be: 

  • Songs released after January 1, 2018, and certified from the release date.

  • Accumulated downloads from Circle Chart download sales chart providers.

​

For downloads, the levels of certification are:

  • 2,500,000 for Platinum 

  • 10,000,000 for Diamond (to date, there are no songs that have qualified for diamond certifications for downloads)

​

Streaming

In order for streams to qualify, they must be: 

  • Songs released after January 1, 2018, and certified from the release date.

  • Online on-demand streaming from Circle Chart streaming providers.

 

For streaming, the levels of certification are: 

  • 100,000,000 for Platinum

  • 1,000,000,000 for Billion (to date, no song has achieved billion certification status)

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RIAJ

 

Founded in 1942, the Recording Industry Association of Japan works to defend copyrights and also awards certifications to artists who have achieved the benchmarks for sales, streams, and downloads. Each certification has different criteria and thresholds. 

 

Albums

Physical album sales numbers for certification are determined by the total amount shipped minus the amount of returns. This figure is within the month of release.

Source

Downloads

Added to the chart in 2006, cumulative paid downloads have been compiled to award certifications in Japan.


Chaku-Uta and Chaku-Uta Full measure ringtones and were merged with the PC Haishin (download) chart in 2014 to create the single track album chart.

Source

Streaming

Beginning in April 2020, RIAJ began certifying music based off streams. Data is provided by GfK Japan, with data from services such as Amazon Music Prime, Amazon Music Unlimited, Apple Music, au Smart Pass Premium Music, AWA, KKBOX, LINE MUSIC, Rakuten Music, Spotify, TOWER RECORDS MUSIC powered by Recochoku, YouTube Music, YouTube Music Premium included.

Source

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BPI

 

Established in 1973, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is a trade association organization focused on protecting artist copyright, plus awards certifications to artists for achieving milestones in sales for physical albums.

 

In 2014, streaming was added to the certification. In May of 2023, a new achievement called the BRIT Billion was introduced as well. The criteria for the BPI is the same as the criteria for the Official Charts in the UK.  

 

The certification reflects the way people consume music in the UK as the UK streaming marketing has doubled in the past five years, with over 179 billion audio streams in 2023. Streams must be played for at least 30 seconds in order to count towards the certification, and record sale criteria is the same for Official Charts as it is for BPI.

 

All sales data needs to be verified by accounting firms, and similar to RIAA, record labels must submit an application for certification, with BPI verifying the data.

 

Almost 400 indie singles and albums were certified in 2024 alone.

 

Streams are counted as:

  • 100 streams = 1 track sale

  • 10 track sales = 1 album

Source

Singles

BPI certification of singles includes physical sales, downloads, and streaming data. When streaming data was first introduced in 2014, more than 80 singles became certified through the power of streaming. As of 2018, video streams also are included. Streams are converted using the same formula for the albums chart: 100 streams equals one track sale. 

Source

Source

In 2023, in response to the continued rise of streaming numbers, BPI launched a brand-new award called the BRIT Billion award. It awards artists who have received over 1 billion career streams in the UK across multiple projects, including features. To date, 30 artists have received the honor.

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IFPI

 

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is a global nonprofit organization that works with member companies in order to help the music industry across the globe. Global data and analysis is a big part of the work of IFPI, and they publish a yearly music consumption study that encompasses the entire globe. 

 

While IFPI does not issue certifications, it does work to manage and develop global charts in addition to introducing certifications to new regions and ensuring that charts and certifications are relevant to how people consume music. In addition, IFPI seeks ways to standardize certifications and charts throughout the world as the music industry continues to expand on a global scale.

 

While IFPI doesn’t have traditional certifications, it does give awards based on top performers in the global market.

The IFPI Global Album Award goes to the artist that finishes number one on the IFPI Global Album Chart. This chart is determined by the album’s global sales — from streaming, downloads, and physical sales — during the full calendar year. 

 

The IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award is determined by the artist’s entire body of work, calculating the global digital and physical sales and streams for the year. 

SOURCES FOR PART 3

Since we had to recreate the presentation in a format that differs from the previous format as quickly as we could, we still need to go back through and include all citations in their respective places, which will a take considerable amount of time to properly format 257 citations and sources just for Part 3. For now we are including our copy of our Reference Card Sheet so that STAYs can at least look to see what sources were used for each section until we can go back and add all links individually.

We hope offering this for now as a resource while our team continues to move forward with other sections so that we can stay on schedule is sufficient until we can go back through one by one and link sources directly on the presentation. We appreciate your time and understanding as we do our best to provide STAYs with the information and resources they need.

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