To guarantee that exceptional songs released late in the year are given fair consideration within the awards system, the Telecel Ghana Music Awards Board has established a Swing Period policy. The policy, which was put into place during the 27th Telecel Ghana Music Awards ceremony, states that songs released in December are eligible for consideration in the next awards year as long as they adhere to certain criteria.
A song must satisfy the following requirements in order to be eligible:
Released in December of the year of eligibility
Demonstrate a quantifiable impact throughout the year under consideration
Not having been nominated for the previous edition of the awards
According to the TMA Board, the judgement comes after three years of interaction with industry stakeholders and demonstrates the Awards’ dedication to making sure that the timing of a release does not put a good song at a disadvantage.
Two songs have been nominated for the 27th TGMA under the newly implemented regulation:
Kweku Flick is featured in Sarkodie’s song Messiah.
Kojo Blak’s song, which includes Kelyn Boy, is fantastic.
Following their release, both tracks saw significant traction and audience interaction, which is exactly what the Swing Era was meant to address. This policy, according to the TGMA Board, advances the awards’ objective of recognising excellence, representing industry realities, and honouring the whole impact of Ghanaian music.
The Telecel Ghana Music Awards is still committed to improving its procedures in ways that safeguard its legitimacy and guarantee that deserving works are given recognition as the music industry continues to evolve with shifting release cycles, digital consumption trends, and global audience dynamics.
Source: Telecel Ghana Music Awards 2026
