List of South African Music Award categories
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South African Music Awards (SAMAs) are awarded in a series of categories, each of which isolate a specific contribution to music. The standard awards list nominees in each category from which a winner is selected. SAMA categories have been added and removed over time.
Special awards[edit]
There are special awards which are awarded without nominations, typically for achievements of longer than the past year, which the standard awards apply to:
- Lifetime Achievement Award is a Special Merit Award presented to performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording.
- International Achievement Award is a Special Merit Award presented to performers who, during their musical careers, have achieved notable international success.
Top 5 categories[edit]
The Top 5 categories are standard awards for musical works which do not restrict nominees by genre, but may do so by some other criteria:
- Album of the Year is awarded to the performer and the production team of an album.
- Group or Duo of the Year is awarded to a group or duo with reference to an album.
- Newcomer of the Year is awarded to an artist with reference to an album.
- Female Artist of the Year is awarded to a female artist with reference to an album.
- Male Artist of the Year is awarded to a male artist with reference to an album.
Genre-specific categories[edit]
Afrikaans[edit]
- Best Afrikaans Traditional Music Album
- Best Adult Contemporary Album: Afrikaans
- Best Afrikaans Gospel Album
- Best Kiddies Album: Afrikaans
- Best Country Music Album
- Best Rock Album: Afrikaans
- Best Alternative Music Album: Afrikaans
- Best Pop Album: Afrikaans
- Best Sokkie Dans Album
- Best Afrikaans DVD
Global Charts[edit]
- Best Adult Contemporary Album: English
- Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
- Best Kiddies Album: English
- Best Rock Album: English
- Best Alternative Music Album: English
- Best Pop Album: English
- Best Global Chart DVD
Jazz and Classical[edit]
- Best Popular Classical Album
- Best Instrumental Album
- Best Traditional Jazz Album
- Best Contemporary Jazz Album
- Best Jazz/Instrumental/Popular Classical DVD
Technical and Video[edit]
Traditional[edit]
- Best South Sotho Music (SeSotho) Album
- Best Tsonga Music (XiTsonga) Album
- Best Venda Music (TshiVenda) Album
- Best Mbhaqanga Album
- Best Maskandi Album
- Best Traditional A Capella Album
- Best Adult Contemporary Album: African
- Best African Contemporary Gospel Album
- Best African Traditional Gospel Album
- Best Traditional African A Capella Gospel Album
- Best Alternative Music Album: African
- Best Traditional/African Adult Contemporary African DVD
Urban[edit]
- Best Urban Gospel Album
- Best Pop Album: African
- Best Urban Pop Album
- Best Urban Dance Album
- Best R&B/Neo-Soul Album
- Best Rap Album
- Best Kwaito Album