Ghana Music Awards
Awards event in Ghana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ghana Music Awards, also known since 2024 by the sponsored name Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs),[2][3][4] formerly Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs),[5] is an annual music awards event in Ghana established in 1999 by a local event organizer and planner company known as Charter House to originally and primarily celebrate the "outstanding contributions of Ghanaian musicians to the growth and expansion of its associated industry".[6]
| Ghana Music Awards | |
|---|---|
| Current: 2024 Ghana Music Awards | |
The VGMA plaque for the "Artist of the Year" (2020–2023) | |
| Awarded for | Outstanding work in the Ghanaian music industry |
| Country | Ghana |
| Presented by | CharterHouse |
| First award | 1999 |
| Website | https://ghanamusicawards.com/  |
| Television/radio coverage | |
| Network | Formerly: |
Usually held between April and June, the event is broadcast locally on GHOne TV, GTV and/or TV3 and outside Ghana on Akwaaba Magic on satellite TV platform DStv and terrestrial TV platform GOtv.[7] Prior to the launch of the Akwaaba Magic channel in 2021, the event was broadcast outside Ghana on channels 155 and 198 on DStv and on channel 110 on GOtv.[1][8]
Trophy
The Ghana Music Awards trophy has been awarded in different forms over the years, with the current one unveiled before the 2019 edition of the event. It consists of a gold star-shaped plaque with a circular hole and strings on opposite faces, mimicking a guitar.[9]
Artist of the Year
The Artist of the Year award is the highest and most prestigious of the awards given at the event given to the artist(s) adjudged by the CharterHouse, the GMA Board and the general public as having the highest audience appeal, radio play, online streaming and popularity. The artist(s) must have a released hit single or album during the year under review to be eligible.[10] Past and present Artist of the Year award winners:
- 1999: Akyeame (Okyeame Quophi and Okyeame Kwame)
- 2000: Daddy Lumba
- 2001: Kojo Antwi
- 2002: Lord Kenya
- 2003: Kontihene[11]
- 2004: V.I.P
- 2005: Bice Osei Kuffour
- 2006: Ofori Amponsah
- 2007: Samini
- 2008: Kwaw Kese
- 2009: Okyeame Kwame
- 2010: Sarkodie
- 2011: V.I.P
- 2012: Sarkodie
- 2013: R2Bees
- 2014: Shatta Wale[12]
- 2015: Stonebwoy[13]
- 2016: E.L
- 2017: Joe Mettle
- 2018: Ebony Reigns[14]
- 2019: Unannounced (Cause by fight between Shatta Wale and Stonebowy)[a]
- 2020: Kuami Eugene[16]
- 2021: Diana Hamilton
- 2022: KiDi
- 2023: Black Sherif[17]
- 2024: Stonebwoy
- 2025: King Promise[18][19]
- 2026: Black Sherif[20]
Locations
The inaugural ceremony in 1999 was held at the National Theatre of Ghana in Accra, and was held there until 2004, when it moved to the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC). With the exception of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 editions of the event, which were held at the Dome of the AICC, the event since the move to the AICC was held at its Main Hall until 2018. Since 2019, the event has been held at the Grand Arena (then/previously the New Dome) still at the AICC. The 2026 edition was scheduled to be held at the Palms Convention Centre within the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. Organisers later changed the venue to the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre.[21][22]
| Ghana Music Awards dates and locations | ||||||
| # | Year | Date | Venue | Host(s) | Reference(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999 | National Theatre of Ghana | Kwami Sefa Kayi | [23][24] | ||
| 2 | 2001 | |||||
| 3 | 2002 | [25] | ||||
| 4 | 2003 | 8 March | [26] | |||
| 5 | 2004 | 13 March | [27] | |||
| 6 | 2005 | 1 May | [28] | |||
| 7 | 2006 | 4 March | [29] | |||
| 8 | 2007 | 6 May | [30] | |||
| 9 | 2008 | 25 April | Samini and Doreen Andoh | [31] | ||
| 10 | 2009 | 4 April | Main Hall of the Accra International Conference Center (AICC) | Bice Osei Kuffour, Samini and Dentaa | [32][33] | |
| 11 | 2010 | 10 April | Kwasi Kyei Darwkah (KKD) | [34] | ||
| 12 | 2011 | 25 February | Chris Attoh and Doreen Andoh | [35] | ||
| 13 | 2012 | 13 April | The Dome of the AICC | Chris Attoh and Benson Ohene Boateng | [36] | |
| 14 | 2013 | 18 May | Mildred Ashong (Eazzy) and Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD) | [37] | ||
| 15 | 2014 | 26 April | [38] | |||
| 16 | 2015 | 11 April | Nathaniel Attoh and Joselyn Dumas | [39][40] | ||
| 17 | 2016 | 7 May | Chris Attoh, Naa Ashorkor and DJ Black | [41][42][43][44] | ||
| 18 | 2017 | 8 April | Anita Erskine | [45] | ||
| 19 | 2018 | 15 April | John Dumelo & Berla Mundi | [46] | ||
| 20 | 2019 | 18 May | The New Dome/Grand Arena of the AICC | Kwami Sefa Kayi & Berla Mundi | [47] | |
| 21 | 2020 | 28 & 29 August | Day 1 – Giovani Caleb & Sika Osei
Day 2 – KOD & Berla Mundi |
[48][49] | ||
| 22 | 2021 | 25 & 26 June | Day 1 – Giovani Caleb and AJ Akuoko-Sarpong
Day 2 – Berla Mundi, Giovani Caleb and Sika Osei |
[50] | ||
| 23 | 2022 | 9 April | AJ Akuoko-Sarpong | [51] | ||
| 24 | 2023[52] | 6 May | Berla Mundi | |||
| 25 | 2024 | 1 June | Chris Attoh and Naa Ashorkor | [53] | ||
| 26 | 2025 | 10 May | Naa Ashorkor (main host), AJ Sarpong (co-host), and Foster Romanus (co-host) | [54] | ||
| 27 | 2026 | 9 May | Naa Ashorkor, AJ Akuoko–Sarpong, Giovani Caleb and Godwin Namboh (red carpet), Regina Van Helvert (red carpet) | [55] | ||
COVID-19 consequences
In 2020, the event's precursor, the nominees jam, scheduled for 4 April at Jackson Park in Koforidua, was initially postponed and then cancelled to comply with a national directive on public gathering due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana.[56][57][58]
See also
Notes
- As a result of an ignition of a questionable brawl between the entourages of Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale.[15]
