Telecel Ghana Music Awards reveals Category Definitions for Artiste Selection

The Telecel Ghana Music Awards scheme defines its categories meticulously, employing a set of criteria to determine an artiste’s nomination.

Each category reflects an understanding of musical excellence, encompassing factors such as artistic innovation, commercial success, and critical impact.

We present to you the breakdown of these categories and the requirements to make an entry.

ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
The Artiste of the Year is the Artiste(s) adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the artiste with the highest audience appeal and popularity in the year under review. The artiste(s) must have released a hit single/EP/album and must be one of the artistes with the highest nominations in the year under review.

BEST HIPLIFE/HIP HOP ARTISTE
The Best Hiplife/Hip Hop Artiste is the Artiste(s) adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as having with the highest audience appeal and popularity in the Hiplife/Hip Hop Genre. They must have released a hit single/EP/album during the year under review.

BEST HIGHLIFE ARTISTE
The Best Highlife Artiste(s) is the Artiste(s) adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the Artiste(s) with the highest audience appeal and popularity in the Highlife genre. The Artiste(s) must have released a hit single/EP/album during the year under review.

BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL ARTISTE(S)
The Reggae/Dancehall Artiste(s) is the Artiste(s) adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the Artiste(s) with the highest audience appeal and popularity in the Reggae/Dancehall genre. The Artiste(s) must have released a hit single/EP/album in the year under review.

BEST GOSPEL ARTISTE(S)
The Best Gospel Artiste(s) is the Artiste adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the Artiste(s) with the highest audience appeal and popularity in the Gospel genre. The Artiste(s) must have released a hit single/EP/album during the year under review.

BEST AFROBEATS/ AFROPOP ARTISTE
The Best Afrobeats / Afropop Artiste is the Artiste(s) adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as having with the highest audience appeal and popularity in the Afrobeats / Afropop Genre. They must have released a hit single/EP/album during the year under review.


BEST NEW ARTISTE
The Best New Artiste is the Artiste(s) adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the most promising and talented emerging artiste (s). The award goes to a relatively new artiste(s) who released a single/EP/album that establishes the public identity of the artiste within the year under review.

COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
The Collaboration of the year is the song adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the song released through the collaboration of two or more Artistes, or the featuring of one or more artistes. The song must have been released and generated the most excitement during the year under review.

BEST HIPLIFE SONG
The Best Hiplife Song is the song adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the most popular Hiplife song released in the year under review. The song must have generated the most excitement during the year.

BEST HIGHLIFE SONG
The Best Highlife song is the song adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the most popular Highlife song released in the year under review and generated the most excitement during the year.

BEST AFROBEATS SONG
The Best Afrobeats Song is the song adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the most popular Afrobeats song released in the year under review.  The song must have generated the most excitement during the year.

BEST HIP HOP SONG
The Best Hip Hop song is the song adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the most popular Hip Hop song released in the year under review. The song must have generated the most excitement during the year.

BEST GOSPEL SONG
The Best Gospel Song is the song adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the most popular Gospel Song released in the year under review. The song must have generated the most excitement during the year.


BEST REGGAE/DANCEHALL SONG
The Reggae/Dancehall song is the song adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the most popular Reggae/Dancehall song released in the year under review. The song must have generated the most excitement during the year.

BEST AFROPOP SONG
The Best Afropop Song is the song adjudged by the Academy, Board and the General Public as the most popular Afropop song released in the year under review. The song must have generated the most excitement during the year.

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE
The Best Rap Performance is adjudged by the Academy and Board as the rap Artiste with the best word compositions, rhymes and rap dexterity on a song released in the year under review.

MOST POPULAR SONG OF THE YEAR
The Vodafone Most Popular Song of the Year is the song adjudged by the Academy, Board and General Public as the most popular song released in the year under review. The song must have enjoyed a lot of patronage and generated the most excitement during the year.

ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR
The Album of the Year is adjudged by the Academy and Board as the most outstanding compilation (either by the number of hit songs and or the quality of production) of an Album that was released during the year under review. It must have generated excitement during the year.

BEST MALE VOCAL PERFORMANCE
The Best Male Vocal Performance is adjudged by the Academy and Board as the Male artiste (solo) with the best vocal delivery/Performance on any musical presentation which was released during the year under review.

BEST FEMALE VOCAL PERFORMANCE
The Best Female Vocal Performance is adjudged by the Academy and Boards as the Female artiste (solo) with the best vocal delivery/Performance on any musical presentation which was released during the year under review.

BEST MUSIC VIDEO
The Best Music Video is adjudged by the Academy and Board as the most creative and entertaining music video produced within the calendar year. The song for which the video has been produced, need not have been released in the year under review. The award goes to both Director and Artiste.

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
The Song Writer of the Year is adjudged by the Academy and Board as the Song Writer(s) responsible for the best written song with original lyrics and music compositions for any released song during the year under review.

RECORD OF THE YEAR
The Record of the Year is adjudged by the Academy and Board as the most outstanding original song that was released during the year under review. It may not have enjoyed huge commercial success, but has quality artistic and production values.

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
The Music Producer of the Year is adjudged by the Board to be the Producer(s) directly responsible for the most nominated songs in the year under review.

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
The Sound Engineer of the Year is adjudged by the Board to be the Sound Engineer(s) directly responsible for the recording, mixing and technical production of the song adjudged as the Record of the Year.

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST
The Best Instrumentalist is adjudged by the Board as the most outstanding live instrumental performance on a single/album that was released during the year under review. It may not have enjoyed huge commercial success, but has quality artistic values.

BEST AFRICAN ARTISTE(S)
The Best African Artiste(s) is the Artiste(s) (non-Ghanaian) adjudged solely by the Board as the act whose music crossed borders and made the most impact on the continent at large during the year under review.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Lifetime Achievement Award is adjudged by the Board as a Living Legend of Ghanaian Music whose works must have spanned generations. The artiste may not have released in the year under review.

BEST TRADITIONAL ARTISTE(S)
The Best Traditional Artiste(s) is adjudged by the Board as the most outstanding performing Traditional or Folkloric Artiste(s) in the year under review.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
The International Collaboration of the year is the song adjudged by the Academy and Board as the song released through the collaboration of a Ghanaian Artiste(s) and a non-Ghanaian Artiste(s), or a Ghanaian Artiste(s) featuring a non-Ghanaian Artiste(s), or a non-Ghanaian Artiste(s) featuring a Ghanaian Artiste(s). The song must have been released and generated the most excitement during the year under review.

MUSIC FOR GOOD
The Music for Good Award is an honorary award that goes to the best song, with lyrics and possibly a project or video, that promotes social good. The song must have been released during the year under review.