The nominations have finally been announced and so the final countdown to the 2018 South African Music Awards is on.
The SAMA24 nominations were unveiled at a glittering event held at Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni, Jozi on Thursday night.
The whose-who of the entertainment industry as well as music industry heavyweights came out for a night with the stars.
Top South African bands Mafikizolo and MiCasa, and elegant songbird, Simphiwe Dana have proven their staying power when they made a clean sweep at the SAMA24 nominees announcement last night in Johannesburg.
Superstar Afro-pop band, Mafikizolo is leading the pack with three nods in Best Afro Pop Album, Best Engineered Album and Best Produced Album for 20, their milestone album.
They are tied with MiCasa, who also boast three nominations in Best Dance Album, Best Produced Album and Best Engineered Album for Familia.
Simphiwe Dana completes the list of front runners, vying for top honours in the Best Live Audiovisual, Best Jazz Album and Best African Artist categories for her Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience.
Trailing narrowly behind is Distruction Boyz and rappers Kwesta, Riky Rick, Rouge and Shane Eagle with two nominations each.
DJs Mobi Dixon and Prince Kaybee and vocalists, Shekhinah, Benjamin Dube and Zoe Modiga, as well as instrumentalist, Nduduzo Makhathini also raked in two nominations.
Distruction Boyz are in the running for Best Collaboration for their anthemic Omunye featuring Benny Maverick and Dlala Mshunqisi, and Best Engineered album for Gqom Is The Future. Kwesta walked away with two nominations for Best Collaboration and Music Video of the Year both for Spirit featuring Wale.
Riky Rick is up for Best Hip Hop Album for Stay Shining and Best Remix of the Year for Buy It Out Featuring Youngtsa CPT, KLY, DaLes, Frank Casino, J Molley and Stilo Magolide.
Prince Kaybee is in with a chance in the Best Produced Album and Best Dance Album categories for I Am Music.
Our favourite girl, Shekhinah is in the running for the Best Produced Album and Best Pop Album nods for Rose Gold.
Lady Zamar, with her album King Zamar, takes on the boys DJ Ganyani (Ganyani’s House Grooves 10), DJ Merlon (Pure Black Album), Prince Kaybee (I Am Music) and Mi Casa (Familia) in the Best Dance Album category.
The Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album sees Idols SA alumni Thami (Never Lost) going head to head with Afrotraction (Relationships), Thabsie (Songs About You), Cici (Busisiwe) and The Nameless Band (The Greatest Hits).
The nominees for the top five categories, namely Male Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Duo/Group of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Album of the Year will be announced early next month.
The 24th annual SAMA award ceremony takes place in Sun City, North West on June 2 2018.
Here is the full list of nominees:
SAMA24 Nominees List
Best Rock Album
Snakes and Ladders-Lost & Found
If You Don’t You Never Will-Prime Circle
Those Meddling Kids (TMK)-Shortstraw
Blitzkriek-Willim Welsyn
Selfmedikasie-Fokofpolisiekar
Best Pop Album
Restless-Craig Lucas
Barely Breathing-Connell Cruise
The Beautiful Madness-TRESOR
Monark-Monark
Rose Gold-Shekhinah
Beste Pop Album
Uitbasuin-Ray Dylan
Sing Vir Liefde-Karlien van Jaarsveld
Hy Loop Oop-Brendan Peyper
Laat Die Dansvloer Brand-Kurt Darren
Iemand Om Lief Te He-Lianie May
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Indie Soul-Josie Field
Now Listen Properly-Swing City
Symphonic Soweto-Wouter Kellerman
Life's Journey-Charlie Finch
Miscellany-Janie Bay
Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album
Queen van die Toorbos-Saarkie
OKAY!-Die Heuwels Fantasties
Skepe-Jo Black
Korreltjie Kantel-Luna Paige, Nick Turner, Jamie Jupiter
Jy en Ek en Ek en Jy-Chris Chameleon
Best African Adult Contemporary Album
Time II Time-Joe Nina
Ilanga-Siseko Pame
Based on a True Story-Serame Sediti
Siphokazi-Siphokazi
Tribute Birdie Mboweni The Deluxe Edition Album-Tribute Birdie Mboweni
Best Alternative Music Album
You Princess is in Another Castle-Loui Lvndn
Afrika 4 Beginners-Jack Parow
Hierdie is die Lewe-Francois van Coke
The Morning Show-Josh Kempen
Mangaliso-Bongeziwe Mabandla
Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album
Busisiwe-Cici
The Greatest Hits-The Nameless Band
Songs About You-Thabsie
Relationships-Afrotraction
Never Lost-Thami
Best Hip Hop Album
Stay Shining-Riky Rick
The New Era Sessions-Rouge
Yellow-Shane Eagle
Manando-Emtee
F2D Presents: Hall of Fame-Fresh 2 Def Productions
Best Kwaito Album
Bona That Rural Dream-Mashabela Galane
So fa Silahlane-Team Mosha
Do Mo Squats-Chomee
Highly Flavoured-Busiswa
Ska Ba Hemisa-Trendsetters
Best Dance Album
Pure Black Album-DJ Merlon
Ganyani's House Grooves 10-DJ Ganyani
King Zamar-Lady Zamar
I Am Music-Prince Kaybee
Familia-Mi Casa
Best Traditional Faith Music Album
Live In Johannesburg-Women In Praise
Sinekhaya-Sipho Makhabane
Egameni LikaJesu-Dumi Mkokstad
Worship In Spirit & in Truth with Omega Khunou-Omega Khunou
5Andile KaMajola Chapter 8 Sekwanele-Andile KaMajola
Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
Wonders of Mercy-Bongani Nchang
Victorious In His Presence with Benjamin Dube-Benjamin Dube
The Alabaster-Swazi
Solid Rock-Sicelo Moya
Heaven's Ways-Nqubeko Mbatha
Best African Indigenous Gospel Album
Yala Nkosi-Believers in Christ
Samson Aphi Amandla Akho-Vuma Zion
Bonke Abamethembayo-Futhi Shongwe
Soloko Intliziyo Yam-Amadodana Ase Wesile
Ntjhafatso-Barorisi Ba Morena
Best African Artist Album
This is Me-NINIOLA
Sounds from the Other Side-Wizkid
Yellow The Novel-Zoë Modiga
M&M-Moreira Chonguica and Manu Dibango
The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience-Simphiwe Dana
Best Traditional Music Album
Pitsi-Dinonyane Cultural Group
Uthando-Bomshell
Isiqalo-The Beginning-Complete
Jessica Mbangeni Sings IGoli Live @Lyric Theatre Johannesburg-Jessica Mbangeni
Indodana-University of Pretoria Camerata
Best Maskandi Album
Miss South Africa-Uqhosha Ngokwenzakwakhe
Emkhathini-Shwi noMtekhala
Isixaxa Samaxoki-Khuzani
6 to 6-Abafana Baka Mgqumeni
Wavuma-Mbuzeni
Best Jazz Album
The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience-Simphiwe Dana
Live at the Bird's Eye-The Blue Notes Tribute Orkestra
Yellow The Novel-Zoë Modiga
Voices of our Vision-Tune Recreation Committee
Ikhambi-Nduduzo Makhathini
Best Classical and/or Instrumental Album
Insomnia-CH2
Chilled-James Grace
Matimba Ya Vuyimbeleri-University of Limpopo Choristers & the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra
Window to the Ashram-Kinsmen
Baroqueswing Vol. III-Charl du Plessis Trio
Best Afro Pop Album
Inqola-Blaq Diamond
Mayibuye-Ntando
20-Mafikizolo
Mgodi-Zahara
Robbie Malinga-Robbie Malinga
Best Live Audio Visual Recording / DVD
Krone 4 Live-Krone
Victorious In His Presence with Benjamin Dube-Benjamin Dube
The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience-Simphiwe Dana
The Parlotones Orchestrated-The Parlotones
Red Mic Experience-Donald
Best Collaboration
Omunye-Distruction Boyz ft Benny Maverick & Dladla Mshunqisi
Spirit-Kwesta ft Wale
Inde-Heavy K ft Busi & Nokwazi
Akanamali-Sun_EL Musician ft Samthing Soweto
Ngempela-Sjava ft Howard & DJ Maphorisa
Music Video of the Year
Let It Flow-Shane Eagle
Naaa Meaan-Nadia Nakai
Spirit-Kwesta ft Wale
Don't do it-Nasty C
Arumtumtum-Rouge
Best Produced Album
Rose Gold-Shekhinah
Familia-MiCasa
20-Mafikizolo
Late Night People-Goldfish
I Am Music-Prince Kaybee
Best Engineered Album
A Noise in the Void-Kahn
Familia-MiCasa
20-Mafikizolo
Ikhambi-Nduduzo Makhathini
Gqom Is The Future-Distruction Boyz
Remix of the Year
Faith Alive-King Bayaa
I Got You-Mobi Dixon
Free-Household Funk
Buy It Out-Riky Rick feat. Youngsta CPT, KLY, Da Les, Frank Casino, J Molley & Stilo Magolide
Lake By The Ocean-Mobi Dixon.
