HYBE's growing reach in the global music industry was underscored when the American Music Awards announced their 2026 nominations.
Nine HYBE-affiliated acts landed nominations across 14 categories — from K-pop to country, hip-hop, R&B and Afrobeats — signaling a deliberate, genre-spanning strategy.
BTS picked up nominations in top categories, including Artist of the Year, Best Male K-Pop Artist and Song of the Summer — marking a notable return to top-tier recognition after the group resumed activities.
In the Best Male K-Pop Artist category, TOMORROW X TOGETHER and ENHYPEN joined BTS, while LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT were nominated in the Best Female K-Pop Artist category.
KATSEYE earned nominations for New Artist of the Year, Breakthrough Pop Artist and Best Music Video, signaling a strong cross-category presence.
Genre-specific nominations highlighted HYBE's range: Quavo appeared in hip-hop categories; BigXthaPlug showed up in country and collaboration fields; and Tyla was nominated in R&B and Afrobeats.
The AMAs determine nominations based on metrics such as streaming, album sales and touring; by those measures, this year's slate reflects changing consumption patterns across regions and genres.
HYBE runs a multi-label system across South Korea, the United States, Japan and Latin America. While each label operates independently, the structure gives the company flexibility to position artists across diverse markets. The 2026 AMA nominations offer a clear illustration of how that strategy translates into measurable global impact.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
