Ghana Music Awards

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 annual "Artist of the Year" winner (2020–2023).
Awarded for	Outstanding work in the Ghanaian music industry
Country	Ghana
Presented by	CharterHouse
First award	1999; 26 years ago (1999)
Website	https://ghanamusicawards.com/
Television/radio coverage
Network	GHOne TV GTV TV3 Akwaaba Magic Formerly: DStv Channel 155[1] GOtv Channel 110[1]

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 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/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
• 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^[11]
• 2015: Stonebwoy^[12]
• 2016: E.L
• 2017: Joe Mettle
• 2018: Ebony Reigns^[13]
• 2019: Unannounced^[a]
• 2020: Kuami Eugene^[15]
• 2021: Diana Hamilton
• 2022: KiDi
• 2023: Black Sherif^[16]
• 2024: Stonebwoy

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	[17][18]
2	2001
3	2002				[19]
4	2003	8 March			[20]
5	2004	13 March			[21]
6	2005	1 May			[22]
7	2006	4 March			[23]
8	2007	6 May			[24]
9	2008	25 April		Samini and Doreen Andoh	[25]
10	2009	4 April	Main Hall of the Accra International Conference Center (AICC)	Bice Osei Kuffour, Samini and Dentaa	[26][27]
11	2010	10 April		Kwasi Kyei Darwkah (KKD)	[28]
12	2011	25 February		Chris Attoh and Doreen Andoh	[29]
13	2012	13 April	The Dome of the AICC	Chris Attoh and Benson Ohene Boateng	[30]
14	2013	18 May		Mildred Ashong (Eazzy) and Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD)	[31]
15	2014	26 April			[32]
16	2015	11 April		Nathaniel Attoh and Joselyn Dumas	[33][34]
17	2016	7 May		Chris Attoh, Naa Ashorkor and DJ Black	[35][36][37][38]
18	2017	8 April		Anita Erskine	[39]
19	2018	15 April		John Dumelo & Berla Mundi	[40]
20	2019	18 May	The New Dome/Grand Arena of the AICC	Kwami Sefa Kayi & Berla Mundi	[41]
21	2020	28 & 29 August		Day 1 – Giovani Caleb & Sika Osei Day 2 – KOD & Berla Mundi	[42][43]
22	2021	25 & 26 June		Day 1 – Giovani Caleb and AJ Akuoko-Sarpong Day 2 – Berla Mundi, Giovani Caleb and Sika Osei	[44]
23	2022	9 April		AJ Akuoko-Sarpong	[45]
24	2023[46]	6 May		Berla Mundi

The 23rd edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) Day 1 was held on Friday night, 6 May 2022.^[47]

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.^[48][49][50]

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.^[14]