Accra: As the 2026 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) approaches, anticipation is building over who will take home the coveted Artiste of the Year award. Over the years, this award has often aligned with winners of Album of the Year, showing artistes whose work dominates charts and also shapes Ghana’s music landscape.
According to Ghana Web, from the early 2000s to recent editions of the awards, several artistes have achieved the rare feat of winning both top honours on the same night. Daddy Lumba set a precedent in 2000 when his landmark project, Aben Wo Aha, earned him Artiste of the Year, Album of the Year, and Most Popular Song of the Year at the inaugural Ghana Music Awards.
In 2001, Kojo Antwi continued this trend at the National Theatre in Accra, taking home four awards: Fontomfrom Music Ambassador, Songwriter of the Year, Artiste of the Year, and Album of the Year. His success highlighted the growing importance of these accolades in recognizing influential music projects.
Ofori Amponsah’s 2006 triumph marked a significant moment in Ghana’s music history. At the VGMAs, he was named Artiste of the Year and won seven awards, including Album of the Year, thanks to his hit song ‘Otoolege.’ This achievement was a remarkable turnaround from his 2001 nomination, where he left empty-handed.
Sarkodie’s breakthrough came in 2010 with his album Makye, earning him five awards at the Ghana Music Awards, including Discovery of the Year, Hiplife/Hiphop Artiste of the Year, Best Rapper, and Album of the Year. This success solidified his place in the music industry.
In 2018, the late Ebony Reigns was posthumously crowned Artiste of the Year at the 19th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards, alongside winning Album of the Year for Bonified. Her song ‘Maame Hwe’ also brought accolades for her manager Bullet, who won Songwriter of the Year.
KiDi’s 2022 triumph saw him win his first Artiste of the Year award and Album of the Year for The Golden Boy. He also took home awards for Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year and Vodafone Most Popular Song for ‘Touch It.’
Stonebwoy clinched Artiste of the Year at the 25th Telecel Ghana Music Awards in 2024, also winning Album/EP of the Year and several other categories, including Best International Collaboration and Best Reggae/Dancehall Artiste.
In 2025, King Promise was crowned Artiste of the Year at the 26th TGMA. The Afrobeats star also took home Best Album/EP of the Year for True to Self, Best Afropop Song of the Year for ‘Paris,’ and Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste of the Year, further exemplifying the correlation between these prestigious awards.