Comparing MAMA and MMA 2022 and 2021 - Melon is now falling behind

MAMA 2021

aespa, ATEEZ, Brave Girls, ENHYPEN, ITZY, Kep1er, NCT 127, NCT DREAM, Stray Kids, and TXT plus two Japanese groups from the Japanese produce series, JO1 and INI.

So basically 10 acts, plus Lee Hyori and the Street Woman Fighter dancing leaders.

MAMA 2022

Bibi, Hyorin, Forestella, DKZ, JO1 (Japanese), Kara , Kep1er, LeSserafim, SKZ, NMixx, txt, Street Man fighter dancing team, Enhypen, Gidle, IVE, Itzy, INI(Japanese), JHope, Lim Youngwoong, Zico, NiziU(Japanese) , Treasure, New Jeans

(No SM )

For comparison, here is MAMA 2020.

Boa, Taemin, BTS, SVT, Twice, NCT, IZOne, Got7, Mamamoo, MonstaX, txt, Treasure, Treasure, OhMyGirl, Craviy, Enhypen, SKZ, The Boys, Ateez , Gidle and JO1(Japanese).

MAMA 2022 is awkward, with some unlikely names in there as well, but other than Kara, JHope and Lim Youngwoong, I think they catered to the 4th gen well. It doesn't have SM acts but other than that it is fairly normal.

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Melon Music Awards 2021

Lee JIeun, Lee Mujin, Heize, Lim Youngwoong, MSG Wannabe (not a real group, but an entertainment unit from a Yoo Jaesuk show), txt, The Boys, Enhypen, Brave Girls and StayC.

Not counting MSG Wannabe , only 4 of them were of 4th Gen, while a certain Lee JIeun, debuting on 2008, was the top billed star.

MMA 2022

Ive ,New Jeans, LeSserafim, Gidle, StayC, MonstaX, txt, Enhypen, ATBO (an act released by IST, owned by Kakao), Melromance, Lim Youngwoong, B'EO, Big Naughty, 10cm and Gomak Boys (including the main singer of Melromance, plus Big Naughty, Paul Kim, Ha Hyunsang and Jung Seunghwan).

It does have 3 Kakao acts (IVE plus ATBO and StayC), plus some vocalist, one hipster, one rapper-turned-singer and and even an artificial group containing vocalists.

It is clear that MMA has been weakened. Already in 2021 they had to rely on a Lee Jieun to liven up the stage, and in 2022 she takes an abssence.

I think that the trend of MMA being behind in the pecking order of Grand Prizes will become more prevalent as larger companies avoid it since it is a domestic award, seen by few foreigners.

Quote from BlackpinkHouse

I was about to ask why SM is boycotting MAMA? Taeyeon and RV both charted very well this year, Aespa charted better than half the other acts invited as well.

But i do agree, that MAMA lineup overall is legit. MMA has way too many randos nobody has heard about.

Apparently SM decided to take a pass in this year's awards since no SM act is likely to win a grand Prize.

Quote from the101

It always cracks me up how people emphasize the importance of charts until it’s people they don’t care about. Since it’s based on Melon, it’s driven by the top hits on Melon, which may or may not be idol groups. Many of those soloists had higher ULS.

There’s certainly a Kakao lean in the choices but overall it feels like MMA is more about what Korea is listening to, while MAMA is more about what the world is listening to. Like Traffic Light was a bigger hit in Korea than almost everyone on that MAMA 2021 stage.

Very relevant in K-O-R-E-A, not so in the world. Not too many people care about the balladists in the MMA lineup, although it is not as bad as 2021 when a domesticist was named the signature act of the event

Quote from Fluffers

Hell Be'O and Big Naughty alone got more hits than most everybody else combined for the year.

And nobody outside of K-O-R-E-A knows and cares about them.