When a musician snags a prestigious music award, the accolade does more than raise their profile, it shapes the genre they represent. This encourages further innovation, creating unique distinctions that separate these artists from the masses. Music awards aren’t the final word on what counts as good music, of course, but they do change the shape of the industry.
One of the most recognizable and important music awards is the Billboard Music Awards, which recognizes songs, albums, tours and artists across different categories. It takes into account album and digital sales, radio airplay, streaming, social media engagement and more to determine the winners. This year, Taylor Swift is up for six trophies and has the potential to surpass her record for most AMAs wins by a female artist.
The prestigious Mercury Prize is comparable to the Turner Prize in the art world or the Booker Prize for literature. It’s awarded by a small panel of experts, which usually includes musicians, music presenters and critics. The prize hasn’t always had the same relationship to market share as other awards. In fact, avant-garde jazz composers Ornette Coleman and Henry Threadgill won the prize in recent years.
In addition to the big industry awards, there are a host of other honors that celebrate particular aspects of the music industry. These include the SESAC Songwriter of the Year, which is given to songwriters without reference to a single track or album, and the Ivor Novello Awards, which recognize British and Irish songwriters and composers.
There are also the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Music Awards, which honor LGBT-themed acts. The NewNowNext Awards ran from 2008 to 2013 and seem to have been discontinued, while the Radio Disney Music Awards were held from 2001 to 2019 and rewarded kid-friendly artists.
In the realm of pop music, music awards tend to be very popular and widely followed by fans. They can be a major boost to a career and help increase record sales. In the case of a singer winning multiple awards, their fan base can grow exponentially as they are hailed as a superstar.
The 2022 AMAs will feature several highly-anticipated performances, including a performance by chart-topping country artist Jason Aldean. Other highlights of the night will likely include Drake’s bid to break Adele’s record for most AMA wins, and the performance by ’90s pop icon P. Diddy, who gathered Lil’ Kim, The Lox and Faith Evans to perform a medley of their biggest hits.
The AMAs will also pay tribute to Lionel Richie, who is being honored with the Icon Award. Richie has a long list of awards and has sold millions of records over the years. The show’s host, Tom Brady, will be sure to make an impression as well. He recently joked that he had accepted bribes to host the show, and will be sure not to forget any of his favorite tunes this time around. The ceremony airs Sunday, November 20, on ABC.