First held in 2004, the Korean Music Awards (KMA) acknowledges the achievements made by Korean artistes in the past year. Unlike the majority of other major music awards in their country, the KMAs do not take sales into consideration. The winners (excluding the “Netizen’s Choice Award”) are fully determined by a panel of music critics and industry experts, similar to the Grammy Awards in the USA.
This year’s KMAs saw K-Pop “swaggers” G-Dragon (BIGBANG leader) and Jay Park (ex-2PM leader) walking away with a trophy each. G-Dragon bagged one for “One of a Kind” under the “Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song” category whereas Jay Park was presented one under the “Netizens’ Choice Male Artist of the Year”.
See? Ain’t nobody hatin’ on Jay Park after all.
Psy, of course, was awarded the “Song of the Year” award for “Gangnam Style” and also the highly sought after “Musician of the Year” trophy. No surprises there. Full list of winners as follows:
- Album of the Year – 3rd Line Butterfly – “Dreamtalk”
- Best Modern Rock Album – 3rd Line Butterfly
- Best Modern Rock Song – 3rd Line Butterfly – “The day we breakup is today”
- Best Pop Album – Busker Busker – “Busker Busker”
- Best Pop Song – Busker Busker – “Yeosu Night Sea”
- Netizens’ Choice Male Artist of the Year – Jay Park
- Netizens’ Choice Female Artist of the Year – Lena Park
- Netizens’ Choice Music Group of the Year – Busker Busker
- Song of the Year – Psy – “Gangnam Style”
- Musician of the Year – Psy
- Best Dance Electronic Song – f(x) – “Electric Shock”
- Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song – G-Dragon – “One of a Kind”
- Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album – Soriheda – “Soriheda 2”
- Best R&B/Soul Song – Naul – “Principle Of My Soul”
- Best R&B/Soul Album – Naul – “Memory of the Wind”
- Best Rock Song – Jung Cha Sik – “Street Musician”
- Best Rock Album – Jung Cha Sik – “Turbulent Modern Times”
- Best Crossover Album – Jambinayi – “Difference”
- Best Jazz Album – Lee Woon Sol – “Point of Contact”
- Best Jazz Crossover Performance – Kang Tae Hwan/So Rae Hwa – “Sorefa”
- Rookie of the Year – 404 (band)
- Achievement Award – Kim Min Ki
- Conference Committee Special Award – Jara Island International Jazz Festival
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners. Fighting!
