GROOVE AWRDS 2013 IS ON.

Groove Awards is East Africa's premier Gospel music awards showcase. It exists to honor, promote & give recognition to the artists, writers and industry players for their contribution towards the East African Gospel music industry.
Founded in 2004, Groove Awards has honored over 600 artists and groups and handed out hundreds of stattuetes. Over the years, Groove Awards has grown in stature, scope and appreciation, and has quickly become the benchmark by which the industry measures itself.

The Objectives of Groove Awards are to:

* Promote and connect Gospel artists across Africa
* Open doors for upcoming aspiring singers, songwriters and musicians
* Create benchmarks and help raise the standards in the music industry
* Promote local Gospel artists and their music to a global audience
* Unite gospel musicians through celebrating excellence in music

Submission Criteria(*The deadline is already closed)

General Ground Rules for all categories.

The music must be positive Gospel music
The music must be of good sound quality
The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year: January 1st 2012 to December 31st 2012

Division 1

This includes:

• Male artist of the Year
• Female Artist of the Year
• Group of the Year
• New Artist/ Group of the Year

To qualify to be nominated for a Male Artist of the Year or Female Artist of the Year
Groove Awards Category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be of good sound quality.
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
4. To qualify to be nominated for the Group of the Year Groove Awards Category:
5. The music must be positive Gospel music.
6. The music must be of good sound quality.
7. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
8. The group must not be composed of less than 2 members.

To qualify to be nominated for the Choir of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be of good sound quality.
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
4. The choir must not be less than 8 people.

To qualify to be nominated for the New Artist/Group of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be of good sound quality.
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
4. The artist/ group must have made the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist during Eligibility Year.

Division 2

This includes:

1. Song of the Year
2. Worship of the Year
3. Album of the Year
4. Hip-hop Song of the Year

To qualify to be nominated for the Song of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be of good sound quality.
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.

To qualify to be nominated for the Worship of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music
2. The music must be of good sound quality
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year
4. The music must be used/sang congregational.

To qualify to be nominated for the Album of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be of good sound quality.
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year
4. The album must contain 80% new music produced within the Eligibility Year.
5. The album must contain more than 2 songs with high rotation/air play in the media.

To qualify to be nominated for the Hip-hop Song of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be of good sound quality.
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
4. The music/ song must contain 80% rap.

Division 3

This includes:

• Audio Producer of the Year
• Video Producer of the Year
• Song Writer of the Year
• Video of the Year

To qualify to be nominated for the Audio Producer of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music they produce must be 80% positive Gospel music.
2. The music they produce must be of good sound quality.
3. The music they produce must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year
4. One of the productions must be nominated for another category hence popular in the charts within the Eligibility Year. *** (Relative)

To qualify to be nominated for the Video Producer of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The Videos they produce must be 80% positive Gospel music.
2. The Videos they produce must be of high quality and must display high creativity and originality standards.
3. The Video they have produced must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
4. The picture quality of the video must be clear, clean and of high quality.
5. It is recommended that the producer and director edit the video to a comprehensive storyline.
6. One of the productions must be nominated for another category hence popular in the charts within the Eligibility Year. *** (Relative)

To qualify to be nominated for the Song Writer of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
3. One of the librettist’s productions must be nominated for another category hence popular in the charts within the Eligibility Year.

To qualify to be nominated for the Video of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The video must be of high quality and must display high creativity and originality standards.
3. The picture quality of the video must be clear, clean and of high quality.
4. The video must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
5. The nominated song must be popular in the charts within the Eligibility Year.

Division 4:

This includes:

• Collabo of the Year
• Dance Group of the Year
• Worship Team/Choir of the Year
• Live Band of the Year

To qualify to be nominated for the Collabo of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be of good sound quality.
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
4. The artists must be separate gospel artists.
5. Only one entry will be considered for the collabo.
6. The song must be undisputedly co-shared and/or the originator clearly identified.

To qualify to be nominated for the Dance Group of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The group must be a Christian team belonging/fellowshipping at a specified church.
2. The group must submit a video of a previous show/event.
3. The group must have more than 2 members.
4. The group must have performed or competed in at least one known event or competition during the Eligibility Year.

Division 5:

This includes:

• Gospel Radio Show Of the Year
• Gospel TV of the Year
• Radio Presenter of the Year
• DJ of the Year

To qualify to be nominated for the Gospel Radio Show of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The show must be playing positive Gospel music throughout the show.
2. The show must operate under a legal and licensed operator.
3. The show must have produced and released within the Eligibility Year.
4. The award goes to the Radio Station that produces the show.
5. The Radio show Must have a presenter.

To qualify to be nominated for the Gospel TV Show of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. The show must be playing positive Gospel music throughout the show
2. The show must operate under a legal and licensed operator.
3. The show must have produced and released within the Eligibility Year.
4. The award goes to the TV Station that produces the show.

To qualify to be nominated for the Radio presenter of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. One must be currently on air at the time of nomination
2. The show must be playing positive Gospel music throughout the show.
3. The show must operate under a legal and licensed operator.
4. The award goes to the Radio Presenter that of the show.

To qualify to be nominated for the DJ of the Year Groove Awards category:

1. One must have been a known gospel DJ during the Eligibility Year.
2. One must have performed in various known Gospel events.
3. One must not be a specified DJ for a particular artist.

Division 6:

This includes:

• Pwani song of the Year
• Rift Valley song of the Year
• Western song of the Year
• Eastern song of the Year
• Nyanza song of the Year
• Central song of the Year

To qualify to be nominated for the Groove Awards Regional Categories:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be of good sound quality.
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
4. One must be from the specified region either by birth or residence.
5. One must perform in a language that is common to that region.
6. This category accommodates choirs, groups, collabos and solo artists.
7. Regional radio stations will be used to find out the ratings of the music in question.
8. The style of the song must be indigenous to that area.

Division 6:

This includes:

• Artist of the Year (Uganda)
• Artist of the Year (Rwanda)
• Artist of the Year (Tanzania)
• Artist of the Year (Burundi)

To qualify to be nominated for the Groove Awards East African Regional Categories:

1. The music must be positive Gospel music.
2. The music must be of good sound quality.
3. The music must be commercially released within the Eligibility Year.
4. One must be from the particular region (East African) either by birth or residence.
5. This category can accommodate choirs, groups or artists.
6. Regional radio stations will be used to find out the ratings of the music in question.

Groove Awards is run by Mo Sound Entertainment Ltd.