The Vodafone Ghana Music Awards is the Biggest, most anticipated, most patronised and most significant Entertainment event on the Ghanaian music calendar.
But controversies surrounding the annual award event have always been the talk of town since industry players and Ghanaian music lovers share their views on changes or additions made by the organisers of the VGMA.
With reference to last year’s (2016) VGMA categories, the award scheme had thirty (30) slots but in this 2017 entry, three categories were scrapped making twenty-seven (27) in all.
It is uncertain why Charter House dropped the three (3) categories but dwelling on previous complains and comments from a section of the public, claimed that once Peace songs are released every four years during election year it’s unfair to add that category.
Others shared their opinions on the Music for Development Award as a category which will only see artiste(s) do songs to win the awards and are unable to sustain their projects.
Critics have also described the African Artiste of the year category as needless since other dropped categories to awards Ghanaians can replace the African Artiste of the year category to honour and appreciate Ghanaian musicians and other music industry who have released work(s) that have generated the most public excitement within the calendar year of the scheme.
Last year the Gospel Album of the Year category was suspended because according to organisers of the awards event, the gospel albums submitted were not enough and those that were submitted did not have the minimum requirements of three hit songs, Lifetime Achievement Award and MUSIGA Merit Award were also merged.
Below are the categories scrapped
- African Artiste of the Year – Wizkid
- Peace Song Winner – New Generation Gospel Ministers
- Music for Development Award – Gasmilla
VGMA 2017 Categories
- Artiste(s) of the Year
- Hiplife/Hip Hop Artiste(s) of the Year
- Highlife Artiste(s) of the Year
- Gospel Artiste(s) of the Year
- New Artiste of the Year
- Best Collaboration of the year
- African Artiste(s) of the Year
- Hiplife Song of the Year
- Reggae/Dancehall Artiste(s) of the Year
- Highlife song of the Year
- Most Popular Song of the Year
- Afro-Pop Song of the Year
- Hip Hop Song of the Year
- Gospel Song of the year
- Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year
- Best Group of the Year
- Album of the Year
- Best Male Vocal Artiste of the Year
- Best Female Vocal Artist of the Year
- Music Video of the Year
- Best Rapper of the Year
- Songwriter of the Year
- Sound Engineer of the Year
- Traditional Artiste(s) of the Year
- Record of the Year
- Instrumentalist of the Year
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Artiste of the Year – E.L
- Afro-pop Song of the Year – Minaa Bo Po by E.L
- Hiplife/Hip Hop Artiste of the Year – E.L
- Producer of the Year – E. L
- Music video of the Year – Shelele by E.L
- Hip Hop Song of the Year – Sarkodie (Hand to Mouth)
- Rapper of the Year – Sarkodie
- Record of the Year – Sarkodie ft. Pat Thomas – Bra
- Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year – Stonebwoy
- Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year – Go Higher by Stonebwoy
- Highlife Artiste of the Year – Bisa Kdei
- Highlife Song of the Year – Mansa by Bisa Kdei
- Most Popular Song of the Year – Mansa by Bisa Kdei
- Album of the Year – Bisa Kdei
- Best Group of the Year – VVIP
- Collaboration of the Year – VVIP ft Sena Dagadu
- Song Writer of the Year – Kofi Kinaata
- Best New Artiste of the Year – Kofi Kinaata
- Gospel Song of the Year – Nicholas Omane Acheampong (Aposor)
- Hiplife Song of the Year – Yewo Krom by Atom
- Gospel Artiste of the Year – SP Kofi Sarpong
- Best Female Vocalist of the Year – MzVee
- Best Male Vocalist of the Year – Pat Thomas
- African Artiste of the Year – Wizkid
- Peace Song Winner – New Generation Gospel Ministers
- Traditional Artiste of the Year – Tesa Music Group
- Lifetime Achievement Award – AB Crentsil
- Sound Engineer of the Year – Kaywa
- Music for Development Award – Gasmilla
- Instrumentalist of the Year – Justice Williams (Shikome)
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