Musicians work tirelessly every day to produce new music for an eager public. With every new release, the bar keeps rising. In recognition of the creativity and ingenuity of artists, music awards are organised all over the world. These awards are meant to distinguish the best in the industry across a range of categories, such as best music video and best vocalist.
Music awards are organised on different levels. There are in-country, regional, continental, and even global music awards. In this article, we will focus on music awards held on the European, Asian, and African continents.
The MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards is an annual event held to recognise the best of Europe-based artists. Launched in the 1990s, the first one was held in Berlin, Germany. Every year, the event is held in a different European city. It features live performances by different European artists of a multiplicity of styles. The awards have 16 main award categories. There are also categories for best artist from each European country, and for artists from outside Europe.
The MAMA Asia Music Awards
Abbreviated as the MAMA awards, the MTV Asia Music Awards commenced in 1999, and have had several name changes over the years. The event is held every year in a different Asian country. The award ceremony is beamed live across several continents. The MAMA awards pride themselves on transcending race and nationality.
The All Africa Music Awards
Best known as AFRIMA, the All Africa Music Awards is the premier music event for the African continent. Its objective is to celebrate the creativity of African music, and elevate Africa’s cultural heritage. Started in 2004, AFRIMA has already been hosted by Nigeria and Ghana, with plans to hold the event in other countries in future. Awards are granted based on regional categories and genre categories.