K-pop boy group CORTIS has reached a major global milestone, earning its first ever nomination at a major U.S. music awards show and firmly establishing its presence on the international stage.
According to the official nominee list released on January 8 (local time), CORTIS (Martin, James, Juhun, Sunghyun, and Gunho) has been nominated for Best New Artist (K-pop) at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards. In addition, the intro track ‘GO!’ from their debut album has been nominated in the Favorite TikTok Dance category placing the group alongside global superstars such as Taylor Swift and Tate McRae.
A Major U.S. Music Platform
The iHeartRadio Music Awards, launched in 2014 by U.S. radio giant iHeartRadio, honors the most played artists and songs across its nationwide radio stations and digital platforms throughout the year. Winners are determined based on broadcast frequency and listener engagement, making the awards a strong indicator of mainstream popularity in the United States.
The 2026 ceremony will be broadcast on March 26 via the U.S. television network FOX, placing CORTIS in front of a massive global audience.
Built on Measurable Global Success
CORTIS’s nomination is backed by concrete achievements. Their debut album ‘COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES’ entered the Billboard 200 at No. 15 (dated September 27, 2025), marking the highest charting debut album ever for a K-pop group, excluding project-based units. On Spotify, the album is approaching 300 million cumulative streams just four months after release, underscoring the group’s rapid global consumption.
The track ‘GO!’, which earned the TikTok related nomination, has become a viral dance hit worldwide. As of January 9 at 10 a.m. KST, over 210,000 TikTok videos have been created using the song’s audio an exceptionally high figure compared to other releases from the same period. The song also achieved a major streaming milestone, becoming the fastest K-pop boy group track released last year to surpass 100 million streams on Spotify.
Beyond Charts: Cultural Reach
The popularity of ‘GO!’ has extended far beyond charts and social platforms. The song has sparked mass sing-alongs at stadium scale events and was even featured in Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason promotional videos, signaling its crossover into mainstream American pop culture.
What’s Next for CORTIS
CORTIS’s global momentum shows no signs of slowing. The group has been selected as the headline act for the NBA Crossover Concert Series, set to take place on February 12 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This marks the first time a K-pop artist has headlined the event.
With award nominations, chart records, viral influence, and major U.S. live stages now under their belt, CORTIS is quickly emerging as one of the most closely watched new acts in the global K-pop scene one whose rise is being driven not by hype alone, but by measurable impact.