# Ghana Music Awards

The Ghana Music Awards, also known since 2024 by the sponsored name Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs), formerly Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs), 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".
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. 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.

## 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.

### 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. 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
* 2015: Stonebwoy
* 2016: E.L
* 2017: Joe Mettle
* 2018: Ebony Reigns
* 2019: Unannounced
* 2020: Kuami Eugene
* 2021: Diana Hamilton
* 2022: KiDi
* 2023: Black Sherif
* 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) |
| 1 | 1999 | | National Theatre of Ghana | Kwami Sefa Kayi |
| 2 | 2001 | | National Theatre of Ghana | Kwami Sefa Kayi |
| 3 | 2002 | | National Theatre of Ghana | Kwami Sefa Kayi |
| 4 | 2003 | 8 March | National Theatre of Ghana | Kwami Sefa Kayi |
| 5 | 2004 | 13 March | National Theatre of Ghana | Kwami Sefa Kayi |
| 6 | 2005 | 1 May | National Theatre of Ghana | Kwami Sefa Kayi |
| 7 | 2006 | 4 March | National Theatre of Ghana | Kwami Sefa Kayi |
| 8 | 2007 | 6 May | National Theatre of Ghana | Kwami Sefa Kayi |
| 9 | 2008 | 25 April | National Theatre of Ghana | Samini and Doreen Andoh |
| 10 | 2009 | 4 April | Main Hall of the Accra International Conference Center (AICC) | Bice Osei Kuffour, Samini and Dentaa |
| 11 | 2010 | 10 April | Main Hall of the Accra International Conference Center (AICC) | Kwasi Kyei Darwkah (KKD) |
| 12 | 2011 | 25 February | Main Hall of the Accra International Conference Center (AICC) | Chris Attoh and Doreen Andoh |
| 13 | 2012 | 13 April | The Dome of the AICC | Chris Attoh and Benson Ohene Boateng |
| 14 | 2013 | 18 May | The Dome of the AICC | Mildred Ashong (Eazzy) and Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD) |
| 15 | 2014 | 26 April | The Dome of the AICC | Mildred Ashong (Eazzy) and Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD) |
| 16 | 2015 | 11 April | The Dome of the AICC | Nathaniel Attoh and Joselyn Dumas |
| 17 | 2016 | 7 May | The Dome of the AICC | Chris Attoh, Naa Ashorkor and DJ Black |
| 18 | 2017 | 8 April | The Dome of the AICC | Anita Erskine |
| 19 | 2018 | 15 April | The Dome of the AICC | John Dumelo & Berla Mundi |
| 20 | 2019 | 18 May | The New Dome/Grand Arena of the AICC | Kwami Sefa Kayi & Berla Mundi |
| 21 | 2020 | 28 & 29 August | The New Dome/Grand Arena of the AICC | Day 1 – Giovani Caleb & Sika Osei Day 2 – KOD & Berla Mundi |
| 22 | 2021 | 25 & 26 June | The New Dome/Grand Arena of the AICC | Day 1 – Giovani Caleb and AJ Akuoko-Sarpong Day 2 – Berla Mundi, Giovani Caleb and Sika Osei |
| 23 | 2022 | 9 April | The New Dome/Grand Arena of the AICC | AJ Akuoko-Sarpong |
| 24 | 2023 | 6 May | The New Dome/Grand Arena of the AICC | Berla Mundi |
The 23rd edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) Day 1 was held on Friday night, May 6, 2022.

## COVID-19 consequences

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.