The Ghana Music Awards (currently branded as the Telecel Ghana Music Awards, or TGMA) are Ghana's biggest and most prestigious music awards, organized by Charterhouse Productions since 1999 under the auspices of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. The 27th ceremony took place on May 9, 2026, at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre, with Black Sherif winning Artiste of the Year.
How the Ghana Music Awards Work
The TGMA follows a multi-stage process combining industry evaluation and public participation:
- Eligibility: Ghanaian artists and releases from the calendar year are eligible. Categories cover genres specific to Ghana including Highlife, Hiplife/Hip-Hop, Afrobeats/Afropop, Reggae/Dancehall, and Gospel, alongside general categories like Artiste of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.
- Nominations: A board selected by Charterhouse Productions and MUSIGA reviews eligible releases and shortlists nominees across approximately 25 categories. The board considers streaming data, radio airplay, sales, and cultural impact.
- Voting: Winners are determined through a combination of public voting (via SMS, social media, and the official TGMA platform) and academy/industry panel voting. Some categories are fully public-voted, others are fully academy-voted, and some use a weighted combination.
- Ceremony: The awards ceremony is held annually in Accra, typically in May, featuring live performances from nominated artists and special guests.
The ceremony has been sponsored by Telecel Ghana since 2024, when the branding changed from Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) to Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA).
Real-World Example: TGMA 2026
The 27th TGMA on May 9, 2026, was dominated by Black Sherif, who won Artiste of the Year, Album/EP of the Year for "Iron Boy," and Songwriter of the Year for "Sacrifice." Medikal won Best Hiplife/Hip-Hop Artiste and Popular Song of the Year for "Shoulder" (featuring Shatta Wale and Beeztrap).
Stonebwoy won Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste. Diana Hamilton took Best Gospel Artiste. Kojo Blak won Best New Artiste. Kofi Kinaata won Best Highlife Artiste. Wendy Shay won Best Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste. Strongman won Best Rap Performance for "Mensei Da."
Other notable winners included Enam for Best Female Vocal Performance, Moliy for International Collaboration with "Shake It to the Max RMX" (featuring Shenseea, Skillibeng, and Silent Addy), and Kwabena Kwabena for Record of the Year. Keche won Group of the Year, and A Town TSB won Producer of the Year.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
The TGMA is the only major music awards scheme dedicated exclusively to Ghanaian music. This means independent Ghanaian artists compete only against domestic acts, not global superstars. The Unsung category specifically targets emerging talent who have not yet broken through to mainstream recognition. Morgan Nero won Unsung in 2026.
The Best New Artiste category has launched careers. Kojo Blak's 2026 win established him as a mainstream act. If you are a Ghanaian independent artist, focus on streaming numbers, radio play, and social media engagement during the eligibility period. The public voting component means a dedicated fanbase can directly influence outcomes.
Submit your releases through your distributor and ensure they chart on Ghanaian platforms. Check the TGMA website for eligibility windows, submission guidelines, and voting dates.
Award Categories Explained
The TGMA presents approximately 25 categories each year. Categories span genre-specific awards, general excellence awards, and technical/industry awards.
Top Honor:
- Artiste of the Year: The most prestigious award. Recognizes the artist with the biggest overall impact during the eligibility period. Based on streaming, radio play, sales, and public voting. Winners include Sarkodie (2010, 2012), Stonebwoy (2015, 2024), Black Sherif (2023, 2026), and King Promise (2025).
General Categories:
- Best New Artiste: Recognizes the most impactful debut or breakout artist. Kojo Blak won in 2026. King Paluta won in 2024.
- Popular Song of the Year: Awarded to the most commercially successful song. Medikal won in 2026 with "Shoulder" (featuring Shatta Wale and Beeztrap).
- Album/EP of the Year: Recognizes the best full project. Black Sherif won in 2026 for "Iron Boy." Stonebwoy won in 2024.
- Songwriter of the Year: Honors songwriting excellence. Black Sherif won in 2026. Stonebwoy won in 2024.
- Record of the Year: Recognizes overall production quality. Kwabena Kwabena won in 2026. Stonebwoy won in 2024.
- Collaboration of the Year: Honors the best joint release between artists.
- International Collaboration of the Year: Recognizes collaborations with non-Ghanaian artists. Moliy won in 2026 for "Shake It to the Max RMX" (featuring Shenseea, Skillibeng, and Silent Addy).
Genre Categories:
- Best Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste: Wendy Shay won in 2026. King Promise won in 2025.
- Best Highlife Artiste: Kofi Kinaata won in 2026. Kuami Eugene won in 2024.
- Best Hiplife/Hip-Hop Artiste: Medikal won in 2026.
- Best Rap Performance: Strongman won in 2026 for "Mensei Da."
- Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste: Stonebwoy won in 2026 and 2024.
- Best Gospel Artiste: Diana Hamilton won in 2026.
Industry Categories:
- Producer of the Year: A Town TSB won in 2026.
- Audio Engineer of the Year: Recognizes technical excellence in recording.
- Best Music Video Director: Honors visual production.
- Unsung (Emerging Talent): Targets artists who have not yet broken through to mainstream recognition. Morgan Nero won in 2026.
- Telecel Music for Good: Recognizes music with social impact. Lali x Lola won in 2026.
Notable Past Winners
Artiste of the Year Winners (2020 to 2026)
| Year | Artiste of the Year | Other Major Wins That Night |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Black Sherif | Album/EP of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Best Afro Pop Song, Best Hip Hop Song (5 total) |
| 2025 | King Promise | Best Afropop Song, Best Afrobeat/AfroPop Artiste (3 total) |
| 2024 | Stonebwoy | Best International Collaboration, Songwriter of the Year, Record of the Year, Reggae/Dancehall Artiste, Album/EP of the Year (6 total) |
| 2023 | Black Sherif | First Artiste of the Year win |
| 2022 | KiDi | Multiple category wins |
| 2021 | Diana Hamilton | First gospel artist to win Artiste of the Year |
| 2020 | Kuami Eugene | First Artiste of the Year win |
The 2019 Artiste of the Year award was annulled after a stage incident involving Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale. Both artists were suspended for one year.
2024 TGMA (25th Anniversary, June 1, 2024)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Artiste of the Year | Stonebwoy |
| Album/EP of the Year | Stonebwoy |
| Songwriter of the Year | Stonebwoy |
| Record of the Year | Stonebwoy |
| Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste | Stonebwoy |
| Best International Collaboration | Stonebwoy ("Manodzi" ft. Angelique Kidjo) |
| Most Popular Song | King Promise |
| Best New Artiste | King Paluta |
| Best Afropop Song | King Promise |
| Best Afrobeats Song | Olivetheboy |
| Best Highlife Artiste | Kuami Eugene |
| Best HipHop Song | Sarkodie |
| Best Gospel Song | Nacee |
Stonebwoy received 15 nominations in 2024, the most of any artist that year. He won 6 awards.
2025 TGMA (26th Edition, May 10, 2025)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Artiste of the Year | King Promise |
| Best Afropop Song | King Promise |
| Best Afrobeat/AfroPop Artiste | King Promise |
King Promise won his first Artiste of the Year in 2025 after 10 nominations. In his acceptance speech, he recalled receiving 7 nominations in his debut year and winning zero. He said: "While some people laughed, I just worked harder because I believe in God's timing. Today I am the chosen one."
Performance Clips from TGMA
Below are performance and ceremony clips from recent TGMA editions.
Eligibility and Submission Info
Ghanaian artists and releases from the calendar year are eligible. The eligibility period runs January through December. Categories cover genres specific to Ghana including Highlife, Hiplife/Hip-Hop, Afrobeats/Afropop, Reggae/Dancehall, and Gospel. General categories include Artiste of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.
A board selected by Charterhouse Productions and MUSIGA reviews eligible releases. The board considers streaming data, radio airplay, sales, and cultural impact. There is no open submission process for artists. The board shortlists nominees across approximately 25 categories.
Public voting takes place via SMS, social media, and the official TGMA platform. An academy panel of music industry professionals appointed by MUSIGA and Charterhouse also votes. Some categories are fully public-voted. Others are fully academy-voted. Some use a weighted combination.
The ceremony is held annually in Accra, typically in May. Check the TGMA website for eligibility windows and voting dates.
Related Resources
- Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming performance that builds your case for TGMA nomination
- Target Streams Calculator - Set streaming goals for awards eligibility
- Performance Rights Organizations - Ghanaian PROs like GHAMRO collect royalties for TGMA-winning songwriters
- 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue alongside awards strategy
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