Awards
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The full nominations for the 2025 MOBO Awards have been revealed, with Central Cee, Jorja Smith and Sampha among the names leading the way with three nods each.
The 27th edition of the annual ceremony, which was established in 1996 and celebrates music of Black origin, is scheduled to take place in Newcastle for the first time. It’ll be held at the city’s Utilita Arena on Feb. 18.
The album of the year category features Bashy (Being Poor Is Expensive), Cleo Sol (Gold), Ghetts (On Purpose, With Purpose) Jorja Smith (Falling Or Flying), Sampha (Lahai) and Skrapz (Reflection). The former marks a return to music after 15 years for the London rapper, known otherwise as Ashley Williams, having built a successful acting career including his role as Jermaine Newton in hit Netflix series Top Boy.
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Elsewhere, Raye is up for best female act and video of the year (“Genesis”). Alternative artist Jordan Adetunji, who made his Billboard Hot 100 debut in July with viral single “Kehlani” peaking at No. 24, picks up two nominations for best newcomer and song of the year.
In the running for best international act are Asake, Ayra Starr, Beyoncé, GloRilla, Kendrick Lamar, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Tems and Tyla.
“Each and every time we unveil the MOBO Awards nominations, I am taken aback by the sheer amount of incredible talent we have in the UK,” MOBO founder Kenya King said in a statement. “It inspires us all to continue pushing the industry to be more inclusive of a greater variety of Black music and culture. The music coming out of the U.K. this past year has been some of the best we have had in years. These distinct, uncompromising voices are not just soundtracks for our days. They provide healing and reflection, and also escapism in times of need.”
The major winners at the MOBO Awards 2024, which were held in Sheffield, included Little Simz, Dave, and Stormzy.
Here’s the full list of nominees for the MOBO Awards 2025:
Best male actBashyCentral CeeD-Block EuropeGhettsNemzzzSampha
Best female act Cleo SolDarkooJorja SmithLittle SimzNia ArchivesRaye
Album of the yearBashy – Being Poor Is ExpensiveCleo Sol – GoldGhetts – On Purpose, With PurposeJorja Smith – Falling Or FlyingSampha – LahaiSkrapz – Reflection
Song of the yearCentral Cee Feat. Lil Baby – “Band4band”Chase & Status, Stormzy – “Backbone”Darkoo Feat. Dess Dior – “Favourite Girl”Jordan Adetunji – “Kehlani”Leostaytrill – “Pink Lemonade”Odeal – “Soh-soh”
Best newcomerChy CartierElmieneFimiguerreroFlowerovloveJordan AdetunjiLenLeostaytrillMyles SmithOdealPozer
Video of the year Meekz – “Mini Me’s” (Directed By Kc Locke)Mnelia – “My Man” (Directed By Femi Bello)Raye – “Genesis” (Directed By Otis Dominique & Raye)Sampha – “Only” (Directed By Dexter Navy)Skepta – “Gas Me Up (Diligent)” (Directed By Steveo)Unknown T Feat. Loyle Carner – “Hocus Pocus” (Directed By Felix Brady)
Best R&B/soul act Cleo SolElmieneFloJaz KarisJorja SmithNippaOdealSasha KeableShae UniverseSinead Harnett
Best alternative music act ALT BLK ERABob VylanHak BakerKid BookieNative JamesSpider
Best grime act ChipD Double EDuppyKruz LeoneManga Saint HilareScorcher
Best hip hop act BashyCristaleHeadie OneNinesPotter PayperSkrapz
Best drill act163MargsCentral CeeHeadie OneKairo KeyzK-trapPozer
Best international actAsakeAyra StarrBeyoncéGloRillaKendrick LamarLattoMegan Thee StallionNicki MinajTemsTyla
Best performance in a TV show/filmAngela Wynter As Yolande Trueman In EastendersCaroline Chikezie As Noma In Power Book II: GhostDiane Parish As Denise Fox In EastendersDionne Brown As Queenie In QueenieGhetts As Krazy In SupacellJacob Anderson As Louis In Interview With The VampireJasmine Jobson As Jaq In Top BoyJosh Tedeku As Tazer In SupacellKingsley Ben-adir As Bob Marley In Bob Marley: One LoveTosin Cole As Michael In Supacell
Best media personality90’s Baby ShowAJ OduduChuckie OnlineCraig MitchHenrie KwushueMadame JoyceMicah RichardsSpecs GonzalezThe Receipts PodcastZeze Millz
Best African music act Asake (Nigeria)Ayra Starr (Nigeria)Bnxn & Ruger (Nigeria)King Promise (Ghana)Odumodublvck (Nigeria)Rema (Nigeria)Shallipopi (Nigeria)Tems (Nigeria)Tyla (South Africa)Uncle Waffles (South Africa)
Best Caribbean music actPopcaanShenseeaSkillibengSpiceValiantYg Marley
Best jazz actAmy GadiagaBlue Lab BeatsEgo Ella MayEzra CollectiveKokorokoYussef Dayes
Best electronic/dance act Eliza RoseNia ArchivesPinkpantheressSaluteShygirlTsha
Best producerCeebeaatsInfloJulsM1onthebeatP2jSammy SosoBest gospel act AnnatoriaImrhanLimoblazeReblahStill ShadeyVolney Morgan & New Ye
Kankawa Nagarra, the Queen of the Bandaral Ngadu and a Walmatjarri Elder, has been named the winner of the 20th Soundmerch Australian Music Prize (AMP) for her debut album Wirlmarni.
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The recognition highlights the album’s cultural depth and emotional resonance, blending Aboriginal blues, country, and gospel with Nagarra’s powerful storytelling.
The album’s title, Wirlmarni, meaning “disappearing,” reflects themes of loss, resilience, and cultural preservation. Recorded on her ancestral lands, it features natural community sounds and raw compositions, including the poignant title track, a duet with Archer.
In her acceptance speech, Nagarra expressed pride in her achievement and the impact it will have on her community in Wangkatjungka, particularly on the school and children she hopes to inspire as a role model. She dedicated the award to her “future ancestors.”
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“I am so thrilled and proud to receive this award. Thankyou so much to AMP. Coming from the remote community of Wangkatjungka which in the past has been shown in a negative light with the focus on the issues and problems,” Nagarra said.
“People don’t often get to see the beautiful and positive aspects of my home and I know this award brings much pride to the people of Wangkatjungka, especially to the school and all the children who I hope to be a role model for. I dedicate this award to all my little Greats with a special mention to Tykrira Wilson who stands with me on the cover of the album. I love them all very much. They are my future ancestors.
The AMP judges praised Wirlmarni for its authenticity and profound connection to Australia’s heritage. Nagarra emphasized that the album’s production is deeply rooted in ancestral traditions, calling it “thousands of years in the making.”
AMP founder Scott Murphy described the judging process as challenging but ultimately rewarding, calling Wirlmarni a deserving winner, saying, “The judges met this morning, face-to-face, to decide that the very deserving Wirlmarni by Kankawa would win the prize. It wasn’t a quick and easy decision to make – there were nine great albums, all quite diverse, all with judge support. Congratulations, Kankawa, on winning our 20th prize!”
Inspired by the U.K.’s Mercury Prize, the AMP focuses exclusively on artistic merit, recognizing albums that transcend commercial considerations. This year’s competition featured over 600 eligible albums, narrowed to a shortlist of nine, showcasing the diversity of Australian music. Other nominees included Hiatus Kaiyote, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and Dobby.
Born on Gooniyandi and Walmatjarri land, Nagarra’s music blends traditional sounds with contemporary influences, delivering songs in Kriol, English, and traditional languages. Her work highlights the intersection of nature, culture, and music, reinforcing her message of environmental and cultural responsibility.
Kankawa Nagarra joins a prestigious lineup of past AMP winners, including Genesis Owusu, Sampa the Great, and The Avalanches. Nagarra’s victory not only cements her place in Australian music history but also amplifies the voices and stories of her remote community on a global stage.
Listen to Wirlmarni below.
The first-ever Billboard Arabia Music Awards (BBAMAs) will take on Dec. 11 at the King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After a year of tracking trends on the Billboard Arabia charts, this landmark event will celebrate the most talented artists from the Arab world and North Africa – those who have made waves on the charts and dominated streaming platforms worldwide. Throughout the year, Billboard Arabia’s 10 charts have spotlighted listening trends across four key dialects and four musical genres, in addition to the flagship charts: Artist 100 and Hot 100.
Winners of the BBAMAs will be determined based on their performance on Billboard Arabia’s flagship charts, such as the Hot 100 and Artist 100, as well as its four dialect-specific charts — Khaleeji, Egyptian, Levantine and Maghrebi — and genre-specific charts, including Arabic Hip-Hop, Arabic Indie, Shelat and Mahraganat. These charts are built on the trusted methodology that has defined the Billboard brand.
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Beyond celebrating the year’s leading artists and tracks, the BBAMAs will highlight the region’s rich talent pool with an exciting lineup of live performances and unexpected collaborations. The event will feature a mix of established and rising stars from across the Arab world and its diaspora.
With over 40 award categories already revealed, the BBAMAs promise to be a comprehensive tribute to the region’s vibrant music scene. Below is the full list of finalists for these awards. Stay tuned; more categories will be unveiled soon.
Song of the Year“Fouq” by Assala Nasri“Guli Mata” by Saad Lamjarred, Shreya Ghoshal, and Rajat Nagpal“Ya Leil W Yal Ein” by Al Shami“Haygely Mawgow” by Tamer Ashour“Sabran” by Al Shami
Artist of the YearAmr DiabAl ShamiNancy AjramSherine Abdel WahabAhmed Saad
Top Male ArtistAl ShamiDystinctAhmed SaadAmr DiabTamer Ashour
Top Female ArtistNancy AjramElissaAssalaSherine Abdel WahabElyanna
Top BandCairokeeMassar EgbariMiami BandSharmoofersAl Massrieen
Top New ArtistDystinctElyannaTUL8TESiilawyAl Shami
Highest GainerAmr DiabTUL8TEAnghamAl ShamiTamer Ashour
Top Arabic Collaboration of the YearAmeen Khattab and Essam Sasa – “Ehna Say’ Monharifin”Assala Nasri and Ahmed Saad – “Sabb Farhety”Nassif Zeytoun and Rahma Riad – “Ma Fi Leil”Saint Levant and MC Abdul – “Deira”Tawsen and Ayoub Anbaoui – “Dawini’
Top Khaleeji SongAdel Ebrahim – “Dl’nak”Ayed – “Lammah”Ayed – “Rdy”Fouad Abdulwahed – “Kel Ahebek”Fouad Abdulwahed – “Thaag El Ghamaam”
Artist of the Year – Khaleeji DialectAbdul Majeed AbdullahMajid al-MuhandisAyedRashed al-MajedHussain Al Jassmi
Top Male Artist – Khaleeji DialectAyedHussain Al JassmiRashed al-MajedMajid al-MuhandisAbdul Majeed Abdullah
Top Female Artist – Khaleeji DialectAssala NasriBalqeesAseel HameemShamma HamdanOumaima Taleb
Top Egyptian SongWael Jassar – “Koul Waad”Tamer Ashour – “Haygely Mawgow”Assala Nasri and Ahmed Saad – “Sabb Farhety”Assala Nasri – “Fouq”Elyanna – “Ganeni”
Artist of the Year – Egyptian DialectAhmed SaadNancy AjramAmr DiabTamer AshourSherine Abdel Wahab
Top Male Artist – Egyptian DialectTamer AshourRamy SabryAhmed SaadMohamed HamakiAmr Diab
Top Female Artist – Egyptian DialectAssala NasriElyannaNancy AjramElissaSherine Abdel Wahab
Top Levantine SongAli Saber – “Dawaat Ommi”Al Shami – “Sabran”Nassif Zeytoun and Rahma Riad – “Ma Fi Leil”Al Shami – ‘Wein”Al Shami – ‘Ya Leil W Yal Ein”
Artist of the Year – Levantine DialectAl ShamiElissaMahmod AlturkyNassif ZeytounNancy Ajram
Top Male Artist – Levantine DialectAl ShamiSiilawyNassif ZeytounWael KfouryMahmod Alturky
Top Female Artist – Levantine DialectNancy AjramMyriam FaresElissaAbeer NehmeRahma Riad
Top Magharebi SongSoolking and DYSTINCT – ‘Y Dor’Lartiste – “Zarzour”Cheb Hichem Tgv – “Fatou Liyam”Saad Lamjarred, Shreya Ghoshal, and Rajat Nagpal – “Guli Mata”Lazaro – “Mahboul Ana’
Artist of the Year – MagharebiZouhair BahaouiSaad LamjarredDystinctCheb KhaledSamara
Top Male Artist – Magharebi DialectZouhair BahaouiSaad LamjarredDystinctCheb KhaledSamara
Top Female Artist – Magharebi DialectManalHind ZiadiKawtarMarwa LoudChaama
Top Arabic Hip-Hop SongMuhab – YazmeelyDraganov – 3dabiElGrandeToto and Hamza – DellaliStormy – PopoElGrandeToto – Blue Love
Artist of the Year – Arabic Hip-HopSamaraElGrandeTotoMarwan PabloStormyWegz
Top Arabic Hip-Hop Male ArtistSamaraElGrandeTotoMarwan PabloStormyWegz
Top Arabic Hip-Hop Female ArtistRaja MezianeHalaPerrieJaraKhtek
Top Indie SongTUL8TE – “Mateegy A’ady Aleiky”Al Shami – “Sabran”Hamza Namira – “Reyah El Hayah”TUL8TE – “Habeeby Leh”Elyanna – “Ganeni”
Artist of the Year – Arabic IndieSiilawyMuslimTUL8TEElyannaCairokee
Top Arabic Indie Male ArtistAl ShamiTUL8TESiilawyMohammed SaeedMuslim
Top Arabic Indie Female ArtistZeyneEmel MathlouthiDana SalahGhaliaaElyanna
Top Mahraganat SongEslam Kabonga and Kalosha – “Elli Nefso Feya Beti Maytawehsh”Eslam Kabonga – “Aywa Ya Habibty Wahashtiny”Reda El Bahrawy and Muslim – “Lafena El Donya”Hamada El Leithy and Amr Salama – “Tarek El Andal”Reda El Bahrawy – “Aal Doghrey”
Artist of the Year – MahraganatMuslimEssam SasaHassan ShakoshAmeen KhattabEslam Kabonga
Top Mahraganat ArtistHassan ShakoshMuslimEssam SasaEslam KabongaAmeen Khattab
Top Shelat SongMohammed Bin Grman – “Ma Gelt Lak”Mohammed Bin Grman – “Alek Akhaf”Abdullah Al Farwan – “Jamalek Gheer”Nawaf Fraih – “Thalath Ayam”Asad Albathari – “Makhboob Khelli”
Artist of the Year – ShelatNader AlsharariMohammed Bin GrmanGhareeb Al MokhlesBadr AlezziAbdullah Al Farwan
Top Shelat Song“Alek Akhaf” by Mohammed Bin Grman“Jamalek Gheer” by Abdullah Al Farwan“Thalath Ayam” by Nawaf Fraih“Al Makhoob Khelli” by Asad Albathari
Tyla is set to perform on the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.
Hosted by actress and comedian Michelle Buteau, the 2024 BBMAs presented by Marriott Bonvoy is set to air Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX and Fire TV Channels, and on-demand on Paramount+, with performances also rolling out across Billboard.com and via @BBMAs and @Billboard social channels.
Tyla joins SEVENTEEN and Teddy Swims, who Monday became the first performers to be announced for the show.
Tyla’s global hit “Water” hit No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January. The following month, it was the inaugural Grammy winner for best African music performance. Her debut album Tyla reached No. 24 on the Billboard 200 in April.
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Tyla is a finalist for eight Billboard Music Awards: top R&B artist, top R&B female artist, top Afrobeats artist, top R&B album (Tyla), top R&B song and top Afrobeats song, where three of her songs are finalists – “Truth or Dare,” “Water” and “Jump,” the last-named title a collab with Gunna and Skillibeng.
As previously announced, Zach Bryan, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen and Sabrina Carpenter are the leading finalists for the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.
This marks the show’s return to FOX, which carried the show from its 1990 inaugural broadcast through 2006. In addition, Paramount+ will provide on-demand streaming of the show, while the free Fire TV Channels app will provide one-click access to fans using Amazon devices (Fire TV smart TVs and streaming media players and Fire Tablets).
The BBMAs will celebrate music’s greatest achievements with exclusive original performances, artist interviews, and award celebrations taking place from global locations and in the midst of sold-out tours. Shaboozey will deliver a special performance from W Hollywood, part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Additional performers and special guests will be announced soon.
The BBMAs honors the year’s biggest artists, albums, songs, producers and songwriters across multiple genres, as determined by year-end performance metrics on the Billboard charts. The eligibility dates for this year’s awards are aligned with Billboard’s Year-End Charts tracking period, which measures music consumption from the charts dated Oct. 28, 2023 through Oct. 19, 2024.
The Billboard Music Awards are produced by dick clark productions, which is owned by MRC. MRC and Penske Media are co-parent companies of Billboard.
The show is presented by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s travel program and portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands. For more information, visit MarriottBonvoy.com
Actors Mindy Kaling and Morris Chestnut will present the nominees for the 2025 Golden Globes on Monday, Dec. 9, with all 27 categories announced on CBS’ Golden Globes website and the CBS News mobile app at 8:15 a.m. ET/5:15 a.m. PT and 10 exclusive categories revealed beginning live at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT on CBS Mornings.
The nominees will be highlighted across Golden Globes social media accounts as they are announced, with the complete list of nominees available on the Golden Globes website immediately following the announcement.
The 82nd Annual Golden Globes will air live on Sunday, Jan. 5, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on CBS and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. The show will be held at its usual home, the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
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The Golden Globes also announced a new partnership with entertainment data and analytics partner Luminate. The company will provide the Golden Globes team with streaming viewership data for all submitted film titles in the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement category, helping to inform consumption trends and amplify viewership insights beyond box office performance. Analysis will be done via Luminate’s Streaming Viewership product, which measures viewership of originally produced and library content across all major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Max, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Paramount+, Disney+, AMC+ and Peacock. The product fuels Variety’s recently launched Streaming Original Charts.
This will be the second year the Globes have presented the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement category. In its first year, it went to Barbie over such rivals as Oppenheimer and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.
Votes will be tabulated by KPMG, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm.
The Golden Globe Awards, which likes to call itself Hollywood’s Party of the Year, is the first major awards show of the season. It’s also the world’s largest awards show to celebrate the best of both film and television.
Nikki Glaser is set to host the show for the first time. Glaser was nominated for her first Primetime Emmy this year for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded) as executive producer and performer on the HBO special Someday You’ll Die. She is currently nominated for her first Grammy Award for best comedy album for that same title.
Viola Davis and Ted Danson have been named as recipients of the Cecil B. DeMille Award and the Carol Burnett Award, respectively. They will be recognized on the Golden Globes telecast. In addition, they will be feted at a separate gala dinner on Friday, Jan. 3, also at the Beverly Hilton. This marks the first time that the Golden Globes will host a special evening dedicated to the recipients of these two honorary awards. The DeMille Award dates to 1952; the Burnett Award originated in 2019.
Multi-Emmy Award-winning producing duo Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner of White Cherry Entertainment will return as executive producing showrunners for the 82nd Golden Globes. Dick Clark Productions will produce the show.
The Golden Globes will air on Sunday, Jan. 5 (8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT) on CBS, and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).
Penske Media Eldridge — a joint venture between Billboard’s parent company Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge — owns Dick Clark Productions, the producer of the Golden Globe Awards.
35 years after Indigo Girls won a Grammy for best contemporary folk recording for their eponymous debut album, the duo will receive a lifetime achievement award at The International Folk Music Awards. The awards show will take place in Montreal on Feb. 19, the first night of the Folk Alliance International (FAI) Conference.
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The duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, received a second Grammy nod 35 years ago – best new artist. They lost to a flashier duo, Milli Vanilli, whose award was later revoked on the grounds that they didn’t perform on their album, a charge never leveled against Indigo Girls, who went on to receive five more nods for best contemporary folk recording.
Lifetime achievement awards will also be granted to Lesley Riddle, the African-American musician who gathered songs for the Carter Family with patriarch A.P. Carter and taught Mother Maybelle Carter guitar techniques; and Songlines magazine which is celebrating 25 years of covering global roots music.
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Flamy Grant, Sarah Jarosz, Kaïa Kater, Nick Lowe, Crys Matthews and Allison Russell are competing for artist of the year. Kater is also in the running for album of the year for Strange Medicine, which features guest spots by Allison Russell, Aoife O’Donovan, and Taj Mahal.
Two of the other album of the year nominees, Aoife O’Donovan’s All My Friends and Sierra Ferrell’s Trail of Flowers, are current Grammy nominees. All My Friends is nominated for best folk album; Trail of Flowers for best Americana album. All My Friends was inspired by the passage of the 19th amendment and the evolving landscape of women’s rights in America over the past century.
New recordings released between Oct. 1, 2023 and Sept. 30, 2024 were eligible in the best-of-the-year categories (song, album, and artist).
The People’s Voice Award, which is presented to an individual who unabashedly embraces social and political commentary in their creative work and public careers, will be presented to Gina Chavez.
OKAN, the women-led, Afro-Cuban roots and jazz duo, will be honored with The Rising Tide Award.
The Spirit of Folk Awards will be presented to: Tom Power, Canadian musician and broadcaster, best known as the host of *Q* on CBC Radio One and a member of the folk band, The Dardanelles; Alice Randall, a songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash (among others) and founder of production company Midsummer Music; longtime Folk Alliance Region Midwest pillar Annie Capps; and Quebec’s Innu Nikamu festival, which has exemplified commitment to the promotion and preservation of Indigenous culture for more than 30 years.
The Clearwater Award is presented to a festival that prioritizes environmental stewardship and demonstrates public leadership in sustainable event production. This year’s award will go to the River Roads Festival in Easthampton, MA.
The Awards take place on the first night of FAI’s 37th annual conference, which takes place February 19-23, 2025. The conference will be held at Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel, site of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous 1969 Bed-In for Peace. All conference attendees will have access to attend the IFMAs.
Here are the nominations in the three “Best of 2024” categories plus this year’s special award winners.
Artist of the Year
Flamy GrantSarah JaroszKaïa KaterNick LoweCrys MatthewsAllison Russell
Album of the Year
Sierra Ferrell, Trail of Flowers (Rounder Records)The Heart Collectors, The Space Between (Spins the Gold Records)Kaïa Kater, Strange Medicine (Free Dirt Records)Aoife O’Donovan, All My Friends (Yep Roc Records)Ordinary Elephant – Ordinary Elephant (Berkalin Records)Susan Werner, Halfway to Houston (self-released)
Song of the Year
“Tenzin Sings with Nightingales,” written by Tenzin Choegyal, performed by Tenzin Choegyal and Michael Askill“How I Long for Peace,” written by Abena Koomson-Davis, Peggy Seeger, Rhiannon Giddens, performed by Rhiannon Giddens, Crys Matthews, and the Resistance Revival Chorus“Woman Who Pays,” written and performed Connie Kaldor“$20 Bill (for George Floyd),” written by Tom Prasada-Rao, performed by Dan Navarro & Janiva Magness“Ukrainian Now,” written and performed by Tom Paxton & John McCutcheon“Love Letters,” written by Julian Taylor, Tyler James Ellis, performed by Julian Taylor
Lifetime Achievement Award – Living: Indigo Girls
Lifetime Achievement Award – Legacy: Leslie Riddle
Lifetime Achievement Award – Business: Songlines Magazine
People’s Voice: Gina Chavez
Rising Tide: OKAN
Clearwater Award: River Roads Festival (Easthampton, Mass.)
Spirit of Folk: Tom Powers, Alice Randall, Annie Capps, Innu Nikamu festival
Folk Radio DJ Hall of Fame Inductees: Archie Fisher (BBC Scotland), Mary Sue Twohy (SIRIUS XM), Taylor Caffrey (WRKF-FM, Baton Rouge, La.), Matthew Finch (posthumous, KUNM-FM, Albuquerque, N.M.), Chuck Wentworth (posthumous, WRIU-FM, Rhode Island)
Ted Danson has been named the Carol Burnett Award honoree for 2025. He will be recognized on the 82nd annual Golden Globes telecast, which is set to air live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on CBS on Sunday, Jan. 5.
In addition, Danson – along with Viola Davis, the Golden Globes’ 2025 Cecil B. DeMille Award honoree — will be feted at a separate gala dinner on Friday, Jan. 3, also at the Beverly Hilton. This marks the first time that the Golden Globes will host a special evening dedicated to the recipients of these two honorary awards. The DeMille Award dates to 1952; the Burnett Award originated in 2019.
Danson will be the fifth recipient of the Carol Burnett Award, following Burnett herself in 2019, Ellen DeGeneres in 2020, Norman Lear in 2021 and Ryan Murphy in 2023. So, Danson will be the first performer to receive the award in five years. The award is presented to an honoree who has made outstanding contributions to television on or off screen.
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Danson has won three Golden Globes – best performance by an actor in a limited series, anthology series, or a motion picture made for television for Something About Amelia in 1985, and best performance by an actor in a television series – musical or comedy for Cheers in 1990 and 1991.
He has won two Primetime Emmys for outstanding leading actor in a comedy series, both for Cheers. He has been nominated in that category 14 times, more than anyone else in TV history. He was nominated for all 11 seasons of Cheers and three times for The Good Place. Both shows aired on NBC.
“Ted Danson has entertained audiences for decades with his iconic performances that will forever be ingrained in television history,” said Helen Hoehne, president of the Golden Globes. “His renowned career is a testament to his remarkable talent and versatility as an actor and bears resemblance to the award’s legendary namesake. It is an honor to present him with the 2025 Carol Burnett Award to celebrate the tremendous impact he has made and continues to make in television.”
The Golden Globe Awards, which likes to call itself Hollywood’s Party of the Year, is the first major awards show of the season. It’s also the world’s largest awards show to celebrate the best of both film and television.
Nikki Glaser is set to host the show for the first time. Glaser was nominated for her first Primetime Emmy this year for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded) as executive producer and performer on the HBO special Someday You’ll Die. She is currently nominated for her first Grammy Award for best comedy album for that same title.
Multi-Emmy Award-winning producing duo Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner of White Cherry Entertainment will return as executive producing showrunners for the 82nd Golden Globes. Dick Clark Productions will produce the show. Nominations will be announced on Monday, Dec. 9.
The Golden Globes will air on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025 (8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT) on CBS, and streams on Paramount+ in the U.S. (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).
Penske Media Eldridge — a joint venture between Billboard’s parent company Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge — owns Dick Clark Productions, the producer of the Golden Globe Awards.
SEVENTEEN and Teddy Swims are the first performers announced for the 2024 Billboard Music Awards. Hosted by actress and comedian Michelle Buteau, the 2024 BBMAs presented by Marriott Bonvoy is set to air on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX and Fire TV Channels, and on-demand on Paramount+, with performances also rolling out across Billboard.com, and via BBMAs and Billboard social channels.
Both artists have impacted the Billboard charts this year. Swims’ “Lose Control” topped the Billboard Hot 100 in March. His follow-up, “The Door,” reached No. 24 in October. His debut album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1), reached No. 17 on the Billboard 200 in May. (Part 2 is due in late January.) SEVENTEEN has had six top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 since mid-2022. The K-pop group reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Artist 100 chart in May 2023.
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Both artists are finalists for BBMAs this year. SEVENTEEN is a finalist for top K-pop touring artist. Swims is a finalist for eight awards — top new artist, top song sales artist, top Hot 100 song, top streaming song, top radio song, top selling song, top Billboard Global 200 song, top Billboard Global (excl. U.S.) song
As previously announced, Zach Bryan, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen and Sabrina Carpenter are the leading finalists for the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.
This marks the show’s return to FOX, which carried the show from its 1990 inaugural broadcast through 2006. In addition, Paramount+ will provide on-demand streaming of the show, while the free Fire TV Channels app will provide one-click access to fans using Amazon devices (Fire TV smart TVs and streaming media players and Fire Tablets).
The BBMAs will celebrate music’s greatest achievements with exclusive original performances, artist interviews, and award celebrations taking place from global locations and in the midst of sold-out tours. Shaboozey will deliver a special performance from W Hollywood, part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Additional performers and special guests will be announced soon.
The BBMAs honors the year’s biggest artists, albums, songs, producers and songwriters across multiple genres, as determined by year-end performance metrics on the Billboard charts. The eligibility dates for this year’s awards are aligned with Billboard’s Year-End Charts tracking period, which measures music consumption from the charts dated Oct. 28, 2023, through Oct. 19, 2024.
The Billboard Music Awards are produced by dick clark productions, which is owned by MRC. MRC and Penske Media are co-parent companies of Billboard.
The show is presented by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s travel program and portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands. For more information, visit MarriottBonvoy.com
MELBOURNE, Australia — The 2024 Music Victoria Awards were targeted by “unknown assailant/s” who manipulated several of the publicly-voted categories, organizers have confirmed.
Late Wednesday, Nov. 27, Music Victoria, the trade body that produces the annual ceremony, announced the breach by way of a social media post, and a lengthier explanation on its official website.
Music Victoria’s reps reveal they had “recently become aware of unusual activity within the third-party voting system used for the public voted categories in its 2024 Awards.”
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Through internal investigations, the statement continues, “including liaison with the third-party voting system Award Force, cyber security experts and legal advice, it has been found that targeted action by an unknown assailant/s has resulted in thousands of misregistered votes being falsely attributed to nominees, resulting in a change to the recipients of five of the six publicly voted categories.”
The most recent event was presented Oct. 25 at Fed Square in the state capital, Melbourne.
The rightful winners have since been reinstated and Music Victoria insists it will “carve out space” in the 2025 ceremony to “present the winners in front of our industry.”
Following an investigation, Music Victoria now awards Jess Ribeiro for “Summer of Love” (best song), Angie McMahon for Light, Dark, Light, Again (best album), Maple Glider (best solo artist), Gut Health (best group) and Leah Senior (best regional act).
As it enters its 20th year, Music Victoria acknowledges “the disappointment and devastation this news may cause members.” The Victoria Police Cybercrime, Fraud, Scams and Online Safety Unit has been tapped to investigate the matter.
It’s a bum note for the Victorian event which began in 2005, a platform to celebrate the brightest and the best contemporary music acts from the state.
Explaining the decision to get on the front foot with this alarming development, the association points out that it is “committed to honesty, transparency and integrity.”
In the meanwhile, organizers continue to “liaise with the third-party voting system Award Force and cyber security experts to ensure we mitigate the risk of an incident like this happening again,” the statement continues.
Winners in the 2024 industry categories, which weren’t affected by the hack, included Gretta Ray (best pop), Cheryl Durongpisitkul (best musician) and Pizza Death (best heavy work).
If Morgan Wallen watched the 2024 CMA Awards on TV last week, for most of the show, he probably felt he’d made the right decision to stay away from the proceedings at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. He lost six awards in a row, including male vocalist, single and song of the year. The night was shaping up to be a replay of the 2022 CMA Awards, where he went 0-2 or the 2023 show, where he went 0-3. Voters, it seemed, were reluctant to honor an artist who had been caught on video using a racial slur.
Then Jeff Bridges came onstage to present the evening’s final award. This time, Wallen won. Bridges mispronounced Wallen’s last name, but that clumsy move didn’t change the fact that Wallen had just won the biggest award in country music – and he wasn’t there to accept it.
Suddenly, Wallen’s decision to stay away looked very different. He had just been received an award that has gone to many of the greatest country stars of the past six decades – and he wasn’t there to accept it. If he had shown up, he could have thanked his fans and the country music community for their loyalty and for giving him a second chance. Instead, all we remember from that moment is an actor’s botched pronunciation of his last name.
Several previous CMA entertainer of the year winners were also no-shows. Eddy Arnold wasn’t present when he became the inaugural winner at the 1967 show, nor was John Denver in 1975 or Garth Brooks in 1997 or 1998. (A CMA official notes: “Good reminder that CMA does not know winners in advance.”)
This happens at all awards shows, where a top winner isn’t there in person to accept. It happened fairly often in the early years of the Grammy telecast, which launched in 1971. At the 1973 telecast, the only “Big Four” recipient who was on hand to accept was Ringo Starr, a featured artist on album of the year winner The Concert for Bangla Desh. No-shows happen much less often than they used to, especially at top-level shows like the Oscars and the Grammys. The coinage of the term EGOT in 1984 makes winning at these shows even more consequential than it used to be.
Three years ago, most thought the late Chadwick Boseman would win best actor at the Oscars for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The producers of the Oscar telecast even positioned that award last in the show – after best picture – thinking they would end the show with a powerhouse emotional moment. But the award instead went to previous winner Anthony Hopkins for The Father, who wasn’t even there to accept. Hopkins was the first best actor winner not to be there to accept since Paul Newman in 1987.
It’s a similar story in the best actress category at the Oscars. The last best actress winner who wasn’t on hand to win in person was Katharine Hepburn in 1982.
Here are 20 times a big winner at an awards show was a no-show. This being Billboard, naturally we focus on music.
John Barry, 1967 Oscars