Among numerous K-pop artists, MelOn named IU, BTS, aespa, NCT and more as the most loved singers by Generation Z in 2021. Curious about the most popular artists among teenagers and fans in their 20s? Keep on reading to see rankings!

On December 28, MelOn, Korea's largest music platform, compiled the rankings of favorite artists by men and women in their teens and 20s based on data from January 1 to November 12 this year.

NCT & IU are the Most Favorite Singers by Teenage Women and Men in MelOn This 2021 + See Top 10 for Each Category

(Photo : IU, aespa, Brave Girls, NCT (News1))

As a result of the analysis made by the music streaming platform, IU ranked overwhelmingly high among teens and fans in their 20s (men or women).

In particular, among men in their 10s, IU topped the rankings. Following her, men prefer the following:

(Photo : IU (News1))

1. IU
2. Homies
3. aespa
4. Ash Island
5. Lee Mujin
6. Changmo
7. Justin Bieber
8. Heize
9. BLACKPINK
10. Giriboy

ALSO READ: 35 Music Critics & Professionals Select Melon's Top 100 K-pop Masterpieces –Find Out Which Song is the Most Legendary

(Photo : NCT 2021 (News1))

Meanwhile, the three sub-units of NCT and the whole group dominated the category for most-loved singers by teenage women. In the rankings, NCT Dream and NCT 127 ranked first and second, while NCT U and NCT ranked ninth and tenth.

Based on the rankings, women in their teens prefer:

1. NCT Dream
2. NCT 127
3. IU
4. SEVENTEEN
5. aespa
6. BTS
7. THE BOYZ
8. TXT
9. NCT U
10. NCT

Brave Girls, IU, SHINee and More Are Most-Loved K-pop Idols by People in their 20s in MelOn this 2021

For men in their 20s, Brave Girls reigned as the most popular singers in MelOn.

In particular, the reverse-running fame of their hit track "Rollin" was also chosen as one of the most favorite songs in MelOn, proving their popularity.

(Photo : Brave Girls (News1))

Trailing behind Brave Girls, men in their 20s love the following artists:

1. Brave Girls
2. Ash Island
3. Homies
4. aespa
5. Lee Mujin
6. Heize
7. Changmo
8. BTS
9. Baek Yerin

Meanwhile, for female listeners in their 20s, the most popular artists among this age group include:

1. IU
2. NCT Dream
3. SEVENTEEN
4. aespa
5. NCT 127
6. BTS
7. Lee Mujin
8. DAY6
9. The Boyz
10. SHINee

In the song category, MelOn unveiled that teenagers (women) liked aespa's "Next Level" the most, followed by  IU's "Celebrity" in No. 2, BTS's "Butter" ranked third, NCT DREAM's "Hot Sauce" ranked fourth, and Brave Girls' "Rollin" ranked fifth. 

Among men in their 20s, Lee Mujin topped the rankings with "Traffic Light,", IU's "Celebrity" ranked second again, followed by Homies  "Siren Remix," The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber's "Stay" ranked fourth while Justin Bieber's "Peaches" ranked fifth. 

(Photo : aespa (News1))

Lastly, among listeners in their 20s, IU's "Celebrity" hailed as the most popular song in MelOn for both men and women. 

In the case of women in their 20s, they also liked aespa's "Next Level," IU's "Lilac," Brave Girls' "Rollin," and "Traffic Light." For men, they listened the most to Lee Mujin's "Traffic Light," Brave Girls' "Rollin," Justin Bieber's  "Peaches," and IU's "Lilac.

An official from MelOn said, "Looking at the music listening data of Generation Z, this year's K-POP trend was reflected intact. We are looking forward to the future of artists such as NCT, Lee Mujin, and Homies, who will grow with Generation Z along with IU's powerful influence."

READ MORE: MelOn Music Awards 2021 Winners: BTS, IU, ENHYPEN, STAYC, and More Bag Major Awards at the MMA

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Written by Eunice Dawson