CORTIS was recognized as the 'best new act' in the United States, the world's largest music market, beyond Korea.
CORTIS (Martin, James, Juhun, Seonghyun, Geonho) was recently selected for 'Artists to Watch 2026: The Pandora Ten' (hereafter 'Pandora Ten'), released by Pandora, the largest ad-supported audio streaming service in the United States. This is a list that selects 10 promising new artists across all genres worldwide. CORTIS is the only K-pop artist named this time.
The 'Pandora Ten' is selected by combining expert analysis and local listener data. It is regarded as a key indicator for gauging musical creativity and innovation as well as local influence and chances of success. Post Malone, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, The Kid LAROI and Tyla, who now lead the pop market, were included on the list when they were newcomers.
Pandora described CORTIS as a group that "offers a new perspective on K-pop," saying, "Their debut album, "COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES," shows a bold vision and versatility to make music unconstrained by boundaries. Many tracks, including 'GO!', are receiving strong responses from listeners." It also said, "We are committed to continuing to spotlight the 10 acts selected this year and supporting their musical journeys." As part of the 'Pandora Ten' campaign, portraits of CORTIS will be displayed in Times Square, known as the 'heart of New York,' from the 12th through the 18th of this month.
Meanwhile, CORTIS's potential in the U.S. market was proven early by Billboard. 'COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES' entered the main album chart, the Billboard 200 (Sept. 27), at No. 15, setting the highest debut album ranking for a K-pop group not formed as a project unit. Three months after its release, and despite the year-end strength of carol albums, it has shown strong staying power, ranking No. 169 on the latest Billboard 200 chart (Dec. 13).
[Photo] Provided by BigHit Music
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