Ghana Music Awards

The Ghana Music Awards, currently known as the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs) for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music awards event in Ghana established in 1999 by a local event organizer and planner company known as CharterHouse to originally and primarily celebrate the "outstanding contributions of Ghanaian musicians to the growth and expansion of its associated industry".^[2]

Vodafone Ghana Music Awards
Current: 2022 Ghana Music Awards
The VGMA plaque for the annual "Artist of the Year" winner since 2020.
Awarded for	Outstanding work in the Ghanaian music industry
Country	Ghana
Presented by	CharterHouse
First awarded	1999; 24 years ago (1999)
Television/radio coverage
Network	GHOne TV GTV TV3 Akwaaba Magic Formerly: DStv Channel 155^[1] GOtv Channel 110^[1]

Held each April, May or 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. 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] In 2020, the event's precursor, the nominees jam, scheduled for April 4 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.^[3][4]

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 plaque with a circular hole and strings on opposite faces, mimicking a guitar.^[5]

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 VGMA 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/album during the year under review to qualify/be eligible.

Past and present Artist of the Year award winners:

• 2000: Daddy Lumba
• 2001: Kojo Antwi
• 2002: Lord Kenya
• 2003: Kontihene
• 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^[6]
• 2015: Stonebwoy^[7]
• 2016: E.L
• 2017: Joe Mettle
• 2018: Ebony Reigns^[8]
• 2019: Unannounced^[a]
• 2020: Kuami Eugene^[10]
• 2021: Diana Hamilton
• 2022: KiDi
• 2023: Future event

Locations

The inaugural ceremony in 1999 was held at the National Theatre of Ghana in Accra until 2004 when it moved to the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), and it has been held there ever since. 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.

Ghana Music Awards Dates and Locations
#	Year	Date	Venue	Host(s)	Reference(s)
1	1999		National Theatre of Ghana	Kwami Sefa Kayi	^[11]^[12]
2	2001
3	2002				^[13]
4	2003	8 March			^[14]
5	2004	13 March			^[15]
6	2005	1 May			^[16]
7	2006	4 March			^[17]
8	2007	6 May			^[18]
9	2008	25 April		Samini and Doreen Andoh	^[19]
10	2009	4 April	Main Hall of the Accra International Conference Center(AICC)	Bice Osei Kuffour, Samini and Dentaa	^[20]^[21]
11	2010	10 April		Kwasi Kyei Darwkah (KKD)	^[22]
12	2011	25 February		Chris Attoh and Doreen Andoh	^[23]
13	2012	13 April	The Dome of the AICC	Chris Attoh and Benson Ohene Boateng	^[24]
14	2013	18 May		Mildred Ashong (Eazzy) and Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD)	^[25]
15	2014	26 April			^[26]
16	2015	11 April		Nathaniel Attoh and Joselyn Dumas	^[27]^[28]
17	2016	7 May		Chris Attoh, Naa Ashorkor and DJ Black	^[29]^[30]^[31]^[32]
18	2017	8 April		Anita Erskine	^[33]
19	2018	15 April		John Dumelo & Berla Mundi	^[34]
20	2019	18 May	The New Dome/Grand Arena of the AICC	Kwami Sefa Kayi & Berla Mundi	^[35]
21	2020	28 & 29 August		Day 1 - Giovani Caleb & Sika Osei Day 2 - KOD & Berla Mundi	^[36]^[37]
22	2021	25 & 26 June		Day 1 - Giovani Caleb and AJ Akuoko-Sarpong Day 2 - Berla Mundi, Giovani Caleb and Sika Osei	^[38]
23	2022	9 April		AJ Akuoko-Sarpong	^[39]

See also

• List of Ghanaian awards

Notes

1. As a result of an ignition of a questionable brawl between the entourages of Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale.^[9]

References

1. Debrah, Ameyaw (6 May 2016). . Ameyaw Debrah. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
2. . GhanaWeb. 28 January 2004. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
3. "VGMA awards nominees jam postponed". Graphic Online. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
4. "Coronavirus: 2020 VGMA Nominees Jam cancelled". MyJoyOnline.com. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
5. "Vodafone Ghana Music Awards- VGMAS Officially Opens Nominations For The 21st Edition". GH Gossip. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
6. "Shatta Wale wins Artist of the Year at 2014 VGMAs". Ameyaw Debrah. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
7. "Photos & Videos : Stonebwoy rules 2015 Ghana Music Awards, Sarkodie, Edem, Daddy Lumba, Pappykojo, and more win big!". Ameyaw Debrah. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
8. "VGMA 2018: Ebony Reigns Crowned Artist Of The Year". Peace FM. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
9. "VGMA@20: Organisers fail to announce 'Artist of the Year' due to Shatta, Stonebwoy fight". MyJoyOnline.com. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
10. "Kuami Eugene wins VGMA Artist of the Year 2020". MyJoyOnline.com. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
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12. B, Erin (16 May 2013). . TwiMovies. Archived from the original on 18 June 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
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15. "Ghana Music Awards 2004". GhanaWeb. 30 November 2004. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
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17. "Ghana Music Awards 2006 Makes History". GhanaWeb. 6 March 2006. Retrieved 12 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
18. . ModernGhana. Archived from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
19. Scaro, VJ (15 May 2013). "A Journey with Ghana Music Awards hosts – Who hosts the 2013 VGMA?". Ameyaw Debrah. Retrieved 12 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
20. "Okyeame Kwame Wins Artist Of The Year". GhanaWeb. 7 April 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
21. "The 2009 Ghana Music Awards nominees revealed". ModernGhana. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
22. Mensah, Nii Atakora (3 February 2010). . ModernGhana. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
23. . Ghana Forum. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
24. "2012 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards presented with prizes". ModernGhana. 13 June 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
25. "Vodafone Ghana Music Awards 2013 And Its Full List Winners". ModernGhana. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
26. Donkoh, Ebenezerv (23 April 2014). "2014 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Industry Awards on April 26". NYDJLive. Retrieved 12 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
27. "VGMA 2015: Full List of Winners". Peace FM. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
28. "Full list of winners at 2015 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards". ModernGhana. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
29. "Chris, Naa and DJ Black to host VGMA 2016". Citi FM. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
30. Mawuli, David (15 February 2016). "VGMA 2016 VGMA Board begins categorisation process". Pulse.com.gh. Retrieved 26 February 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
31. "Checkout VGMAs 2016 Full List of Winners". GhKings. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
32. . GhKings. 9 May 2016. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
33. . GhEventPlus. 9 April 2017. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
34. Ntumy, Elorm Kojo (9 April 2018). "Berla and John Dumelo to host VGMA". Graphic Showbiz. Graphic Online. Retrieved 15 April 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
35. Hammond, Michael (19 May 2019). "VGMA 2019: Berla Mundi praises Sefa Kayi for his 'secret words' to her". Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. Retrieved 1 June 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
36. Lamptey, Edwin (28 August 2020). "List of Emcees for the 2020 edition of VGMAs leaked; big names drop". Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. Retrieved 10 September 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
37. Sagoe, Margaret (31 August 2020). "My VGMA Experience: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly". Kuulpeeps - Ghana Campus News and Lifestyle Site by Students. Retrieved 10 September 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
38. Dadzie, Kwame (7 June 2021). "Vodafone Ghana Music Awards 2021 scheduled for June 25-26". Citi FM. Retrieved 1 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
39. Britton, Anthony (26 March 2022). "VGMA23: Check Out Nominations Producer Of The Year". Celebrity Buzz Ghana. from the original on 26 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

External links

• Official website