ATEEZ win Icon of the Year and Artist of the Year at the 2026 TMA

What happened

ATEEZ received Icon of the Year, a grand prize, at the 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS on 19 September 2026. Earlier in the same ceremony they received Artist of the Year, making it a two-award night. Single List recorded Icon of the Year as ATEEZ’s eighth grand prize.

According to THE FACT, Icon of the Year goes to a global artist who has led K-pop, and is decided by combining 60 per cent album and streaming results, 20 per cent performance and 20 per cent judges’ evaluations. Artist of the Year goes to a singer or group with strong album sales and streaming results over the year, and is decided from 60 per cent album and streaming results and 40 per cent judges’ evaluations. THE FACT’s event review groups Icon of the Year with Record of the Year, Muse of the Year and Sound of the Year as the ceremony’s four grand prizes.

After the grand prize, ATEEZ said: “Every day feels like one to be grateful for these days. This award means something because of the fans who quietly support us,” adding: “We will always keep that in our hearts and become an ATEEZ that works even harder, with all our sincerity.” In the Artist of the Year speech they first thanked their fandom ATINY and promised to “show good music and performances worthy of Artist of the Year”, while Hongjoong said: “We will keep repaying you through our stages.”

When and where

The ceremony began at 6 p.m. on 19 September at Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Yeonje-gu, Busan. THE FACT hosted it, FANNSTAR and UCW organised it, and Jun Hyun-moo and Seohyun presented it. THE FACT reported that the ceremony returned to Korea for the first time in three years, after editions in Osaka and Macau, and it was broadcast live in Korea on Naver’s streaming platform CHZZK.

ATEEZ performed three songs. According to Single List, they opened with ‘Adrenaline’ and then gave the first stage of ‘MAMACITA’, a song built on a Latin sound, staged in a way that recalled a festival. The last song was ‘BAD’, the title track of their 14th mini album GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5. THE FACT’s English report and event review also describe ‘MAMACITA’ as a stage unveiled for the first time at the ceremony.

Seventeen acts, ATEEZ among them, performed that night. NMIXX, who received Sound of the Year at the same ceremony, are covered in the NMIXX awards story, and RESCENE, who received Artist of the Year and Today’s Choice, in the RESCENE awards story.

Why it matters

The two awards are decided in different ways. Artist of the Year is a main prize decided from album and streaming results and judging, while Icon of the Year is a grand prize that adds a 20 per cent performance score. Separating the two criteria shows what each of ATEEZ’s trophies that night reflects.

The awards follow this year’s release results. Single List reported that ATEEZ reached number one on the Billboard 200 with GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5, released in June, and that ‘BAD’ took first place on SBS’s Inkigayo on 13 September without a broadcast appearance. THE FACT recorded that ‘BAD’ entered the Melon TOP100 at number 81 shortly after release and then climbed. The Billboard 200 result is covered in more detail in the GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5 story.

The speeches and the stage read together. In both speeches ATEEZ thanked their fans first and said they would repay them with good music and performances, and on the same night they gave ‘MAMACITA’, not yet performed on a music show, its first stage at the ceremony.

What you need to know

• The 2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS began at 6 p.m. on 19 September 2026 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium.
• ATEEZ received the grand prize Icon of the Year and the main prize Artist of the Year, two awards in one night.
• Icon of the Year combines 60 per cent album and streaming results, 20 per cent performance and 20 per cent judges’ evaluations.
• Single List recorded the award as ATEEZ’s eighth grand prize.
• ATEEZ performed ‘Adrenaline’, ‘MAMACITA’ and ‘BAD’, and ‘MAMACITA’ was unveiled for the first time that night.