South African Music Award for Album of the Year

Album of the Year is considered to be one of the top five accolades of the South African Music Awards (SAMAs), an annual award ceremony coordinated by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA). The recording artist(s) who released the winning album are given a statuette called a SAMA. To be eligible for nomination, an album must have been released by a South African artist in the calendar year before the year of the ceremony. The ceremony is held in April or May, and features live performances by some of the nominees. The event is broadcast on SABC1.

The South African Music Awards were established in 1995, but the "Album of the Year" category was not added until 2007.^[1]

The following is a list of artists and albums that won a SAMA in the "Album of the Year" category.

2000s

13th SAMA (2007)[2][3] Simphiwe Dana – "The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street" Bheki Khoza – "Getting To Heaven Alive" DJ Sbu – "Y-lens Vol. 1" Siphokazi – "Ubuntu Bam" Vusi Mahlasela – "Naledi Ya Tsela"	14th SAMA (2008)[4][5] Freshlyground – "Ma'Cheri" DJ Cleo – "Eskhaleni Phase 4" HHP – "Acceptance Speech" Jimmy Dludlu – "Portrait" Zonke – "Life, Love N Music"
15th SAMA (2009)[6][7] Lira – "Soul in Mind" Rhythmic Elements – "The Offering" 340ml – "Sorry For the Delay" Chris Chameleon – "Klassieke Chameleon" Goldfish – "Perceptions of Pacha"

2010s

16th SAMA (2010)[8][9] Big Nuz – "Undisputed" BLK JKS – "After Robots" Busi Mhlongo – "Amakholwa Believers" Selaelo Selota – "Lapeng Laka" Teargas – "Dark Or Blue"	17th SAMA (2011)[10][11] Liquideep – "Fabrics of the Heart" Flash Republic – "Killer Moves" Prime Circle – "Jekyll and Hyde" Professor – "University Of Kalawa Jazmee" Zakes Bantwini – "Love, Light & Music"
18th SAMA (2012) [12][13] Zahara – "Loliwe" Ladysmith Black Mambazo – "Songs From The Farms" Mi Casa – "Mi Casa Music" Zakwe – "Zakwe" Zonke – "Ina Ethe"	19th SAMA (2013)[14][15] Khuli Chana – "Lost In Time" Wa Muhle – "B.O.P" Kelly Khumalo – "The Past, The Present, The Future" Maleh – "Step Child" Ntokozo Mbambo – "Filled" The Muffinz – "Have You Heard?"
20th SAMA (2014)[16][17] Mafikizolo – "Reunited" DJ Kent – "The Weekent" Mi Casa – "Su Casa" Naima Kay – "Umsebenzi" Nakhane Touré – "Brave Confusion"	21st SAMA (2015)[18] Beatenberg – "The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg" Cassper Nyovest – "Tsholofelo" K.O. – "Skhanda Republic" Ringo Madlingozi – "Vulani" The Soil – "Nostalgic Moments"
22nd SAMA (2016) Pieces of Me – Black Coffee Francois van Coke – Francois Van Coke Avery – Emtee Buyelekhaya – Nathi VII – Tresor	23rd SAMA (2017) Kwesta - Dakar II Black Motion - Ya Badimo Amanda Black - Amazulu Nasty C - Bad Hair Extensions Thandiswa - Belede
24th SAMA (2018) Rose Gold – Shekhinah Beautiful Madness – Tresor 20 – Mafikizolo King Zamar – Lady Zamar Yellow – Shane Eagle	25th SAMA (2019) Sjava – Umqhele Black Coffee – Music is King Black Motion – Moya Wa Taola Vusi Nova – Manyan-nyan Zonke – L.O.V.E
26th SAMA (2020) Re Mmino - Prince Kaybee Isphithiphithi – Samthing Soweto Season, Volume II – We Will Worship Bongo Riot Di Dancehall Wakanda – Trust Stories Amanzi Nemifula: Umkhuleko – Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane	27th SAMA (2021)[19] Once Upon A Time in Lockdown – Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (Scorpion Kings) Persistence – Bongo Riot The Healers: The Last Chapter – Black Motion I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust – Kabza De Small Back to Love – Junior Taurus
28th SAMA (2022)[20] Chymamusique - Musique Sun-El Musician - African Electronic Dance Music Zakes Bantwini - Ghetto King Brian Temba - It's All You Mobi Dixon - When House Was House	29th SAMA (2023) Lavish Worship – Ntokozo Mbambo Mass Country – AKA SR3 – K.O Isibuko – Sjava KOA II Part 1 – Kabza De Small
30th SAMA (2024)[21] Isimo - Kabza De Small, and Mthunzi TYLA – Tyla Dali Dali - Daliwonga Soothe My Soul: Songs from our South African Church – Ladysmith Black Mambazo Unusual - Xolly Mncwango

References

1. "SAMA Adjudication Process". South African Music Awards. South African Music Awards. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
2. The 13th Annual South African Music Awards, Moshito, 17 April 2007, archived from the original on 25 February 2012, retrieved 16 March 2016
3. "The 2007 SAMA Nominees". Channel24. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
4. "SAMA 2008: All the Winners!". Channel24. 5 May 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
5. "SAMA 2008: Nominees announced". Channel24. 14 April 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
6. "SAMA 2009: All the Winners". Channel24. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
7. "SAMA Nominees 2009". Channel24. 20 March 2010. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
8. "16th Annual MTN South African Music Awards Winners". BizCommunity. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
9. "2010 SAMA Nominees". Channel24. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
10. Coetzer, Diane (24 May 2011). "Professor, Liquideep, Thandiswa Mazwai, Locnville Win South African Music Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
11. "SAMA 2011 nominees announced". Channel24. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
12. "The 18th Annual MTN South African Music Awards winners list". Times Live. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
13. "SAMA 2012 nominees announced". Channel24. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
14. Cloete, E (11 May 2013). "The Official MTN SAMA 2013 Winners List!". MTN Blog. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
15. "SAMA 2013 nominees announced". Channel24. 20 March 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
16. "Here are all the 2014 Sama winners". Channel24. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
17. "A full list of all the 2014 SAMA nominees". Channel24. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
18. "These are all the 2015 Sama winners". Channel24. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
19. Joyce, Liam Karabo. "Kabza De Small wins big at Samas". Independent Online. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
20. "Ful list of 2022 SAMA nominees | Hype Magazine". Hype Magazine. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
21. Gaanakgomo, Constance (26 September 2024). "Tyla tops SAMA30 nominations: Grammy winner leads with 5 nods, awards set for 2 November". South Africa: News24. Retrieved 29 September 2024.