KB News Desk
Rookie girl group KiiiKiii and sibling duo AKMU topped Billboard’s editorial picks for the best K-pop releases of 2026 so far, with KiiiKiii’s “404 (New Era)” named the year’s best K-pop song and AKMU’s fourth full-length album “Flowering” selected as the best K-pop album.
Billboard recently unveiled its Best K-pop Songs of 2026 and Best K-pop Albums of 2026 lists, highlighting standout releases from the first half of the year. Despite a wave of high-profile comebacks from industry heavyweights including BTS, EXO and Blackpink, the publication placed greater emphasis on emerging artists such as KiiiKiii, Nmixx and Cortis alongside established acts like AKMU.
Explaining its choice of KiiiKiii’s “404 (New Era),” Billboard said the rookie group doesn’t simply imagine a new era but fully immerses listeners in it through the song’s lyrical world. The publication added that while many artists speak of a new era, KiiiKiii boldly declares that it will lead it, with the group’s confidence and commanding performance making the ambition convincing.
Since debuting last year, the Starship Entertainment girl group has steadily built momentum with its distinctive musical identity and performances. Its second EP, “Delulu Pack,” topped major Korean music charts and spent eight consecutive weeks on the Billboard Global Excl. US chart. KiiiKiii is scheduled to return Aug. 10 with its new release, “Why KiiiKiii.”
Hearts2Hearts’ “Rude!” ranked second on Billboard’s best songs list, followed by AKMU’s “Paradise of Rumors,” Cortis’ “RedRed” and Nmixx’s “Crescendo.”
The US music magazine praised Hearts2Hearts for creating “a solid symmetry” through the interplay of its eight members’ distinct personalities, while describing AKMU’s “Paradise of Rumors” as a song that marks a new chapter in the duo’s musical direction.
On the albums list, AKMU’s fourth studio album “Flowering,” which features “Paradise of Rumors,” took the top spot.
Billboard praised “Flowering” for taking a more candid approach than AKMU’s previous releases, saying the album’s willingness to embrace imperfections reflects the duo’s artistic growth after 12 years together.
Balming Tiger’s “Gongbu” ranked second on the albums list, followed by Nmixx’s “Heavy Serenade,” SHINee’s “Atmos” and Can’t Be Blue’s “Prussian Blue.” BTS’ fifth studio album “Arirang” placed ninth.
