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The "2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards" provided another landmark on the growth of K-Pop in the Western music industry. K-Pop Artist of the Year went to ATEEZ, with Stray Kids capturing their second year consecutively for K-Pop Album of the Year.
TXT's YeonJun was also recognized for the newly introduced award, the Favorite K-Pop Dance Challenge, for his viral "GGUM" dance.
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This year's awards are the second time the "iHeartRadio Music Awards" have included a special K-Pop category, further solidifying the genre’s growing global influence. But beyond acknowledgment, does the gesture do enough to preserve K-Pop’s unique identity and prevent over-Westernization?
In this article, we take a closer look at what putting K-Pop in its own category signifies for the genre’s future at global award shows and in the Western market.
What is iHeartRadio Music Awards Criteria?
iHeartRadio
The "iHeartRadio Music Awards" winners are chosen based on a blend of both fan voting and the metrics that show their performances. Airplay numbers, the most played tracks on the iHeartRadio stations, on streaming and on sales via Spotify, Apple Music, and the Billboard charts, and the public voting on specific categories are all to be considered.
Established in 2014, the "iHeartRadio Music Awards" is known for its diversity in categories, with the awards for Latin, K-pop, and Afrobeats musicians.
When Is K-Pop's First Time At The iHeartRadio Music Awards?
Kpopmap
K-Pop has had representation at the "iHeartRadio Music Awards" beginning in 2018, when BTS received the Best Boy Group and Best Fan Army awards. In the years 2020 through 2023, BTS subsequently won, garnering Best Music Video awards for "Boy With Luv," "Dynamite," "Butter," and "Yet to Come."
It wasn't until the year 2024 that official K-Pop categories had been included in the awards. K-Pop Artist of the Year, K-Pop Song of the Year, Best New K-Pop Artist, and K-Pop Album of the Year were the four new categories that had been included.
BTS' JungKook took home the K-Pop Artist of the Year, and the K-Pop Song of the Year award went to Fifty Fifty's "Cupid." NewJeans took the Best New K-Pop Artist award, and the K-Pop Album of the Year award went to Stray Kids' "5-Star."
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