With various award ceremonies coming thick and fast at this time of year next month will see the turn of the prestigious Excellence in Music and Entertainment (EME) Awards, which is now in its fifth year. The event will take place at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on Thursday 4th February starting at 8:00 pm.

The awards were founded by celebrated radio personality Richard 'Richie B' Burgess, as an authentic and dedicated awards ceremony for Jamaican music and entertainment, shaped and styled after the eminent Grammy Awards. Popularity for the event has gone from strength to strength in this short space of time and it is now recognized as one of the main events on Jamaica's entertainment calendar. In 2008 over 85% of the awardees were in attendance for the ceremony, a first for any local awards production and was seen as sending out a signal of the respect the industry has for this event while inspiring artists and production crews to continually improve their product.

The EME Awards is also a non-profit venture designed to recognise excellence within the Jamaican music and entertainment industry and hopes that it motivates all in this 'World of Reggae', to aspire to achieve greatness knowing that the success achieved will assist in preserving this valuable aspect of the nation's development.
The full list of categories, nominees and honourees is as follows

EME AWARDS 2010 (for recordings and impact between October 01, 2008 - September 30, 2009)
*Note: more or less than six (6) nominations in a category is the result of ties

1) DJ OF THE YEAR (MALE)
(For overall impact as a solo vocal performer in the eligibility year)
VYBZ KARTEL
BEENIE MAN
BOUNTY KILLER
ELEPHANT MAN
BUSY SIGNAL
DING DONG
FLIPPA MAFIA
KIPRICH

2) DJ OF THE YEAR (FEMALE)
(For overall impact as a solo vocal performer in the eligibility year)
MACKA DIAMOND
STACIOUS
TIFA
LADY SAW
SPICE
LADY G
PAMPUATTAE
LISA HYPE

3) VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (MALE)
(For overall impact as a solo vocal performer in the eligibility)
ROMAINE VIRGO
JAH CURE
TARRUS RILEY
RICHIE SPICE
STEVIE FACE
DAVILLE
HEZRON

4) VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (FEMALE)
(For overall impact as a solo vocal performer in the eligibility year)
ETANA
SOPHIA BROWN
CHERINE ANDERSON
ALAINE
TAMI CHIN
PHYLLISIA
BARBEE

5) PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (DANCE HALL)
(For overall impact as a record producer in this category in the eligibility year)
TARIQ ‘RUSSIAN JOHNSON - CHIMNEY RECORDS
STEPHEN MCGREGOR - BIG SHIP / DI GENIUS
D. & C. HARRINSINGH, C. MARSH - DASECA
LINTON ‘TJ’ WHITE - TJ RECORDS
AINSLEY MORRIS - NOTNICE / ADDIJAHEIM
JASON HENRIQUES / SHAUN ANDERSON & MATTHEW GRAY - COPPER SHOT
ARIF COOPER - FRESH EAR
UNGA & WELCH - NOTICE

6) PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (REGGAE)
(For overall impact as a record producer in this category in the eligibility year)
KEMAR’DJ Flava’ Mc GREGOR – NO DOUBT RECORDS
DELMAR ‘Della’ DRUMMOND – DANGER ZONE
DONOVAN BENNETT – DON CORLEON LABEL
SLY & ROBBIE – TAXI LABEL
DONOVAN GERMAIN – PENTHOUSE RECORDS
LLOYD JAMES JNR. - JAM II LABEL
STEPHEN McGREGOR – BIG SHIP LABEL

7) BEST NEW ARTIST (MALE)
(Award to an artist whose overall impact during the eligibility year establishes his public identity as a recording artist)
GEE-WHIZZ
RAS PENCO
WASP
ROMAINE VIRGO
CHASE CROSS
CHEVAUGHN
MERITAL

8) BEST NEW ARTIST (FEMALE)
(Award to an artist whose overall impact during the eligibility year establishes her public identity)
STREAM
GAZA INDU
PHYLLISIA
RAINE SEVILLE
SOPHIA SQUIRE
GAZA KIM
LISA HYPE
TIMEKA MARSHALL

9) DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR
(For overall impact as a vocal performer by established duos or groups in the eligibility year)
RDX
LUST
TOK
ANDREW & WADA BLOOD
BONAFIDE
VOICEMAIL
SUGAR ROY & CONRAD CRYSTAL
MERITAL

10) BIGGEST COMEBACK ARTIST
(Award to an artist whose release(s) in the eligibility year marked his/her ‘return’ to the charts after a long break)
CHUCKLE BERRY
ANTHONY RED ROZE
LLOYD LOVINDEER
RUFFIAN
SPANNER BANNER
MIKEYLOUS

11) SONG OF THE YEAR (DANCE HALL)
(Award to the artist and producer who score the biggest charting song in this category during the eligibility year)
COMPLETELY
MOCKING BIRD
I AM BLESSED
MIND PON MI MONEY
LIFE
FROM MAWNING
HOLIDAY
GOOD GIRL, GONE BAD

12) SONG OF THE YEAR (REGGAE)
(Award to the artist and producer who score the biggest charting song in this category during the eligibility year)
SO IN LOVE - Hezron
CALL ON ME – Jah Cure/Phillisia
A THOUSAND MILES AWAY – Ras Penco
CAAN SLEEP – Romaine Virgo
MAMA YOU ALONE – I-OCTANE
LIONESS ON THE RISE – QUEEN IFRICA
TELL IT LIKE IT IS – STEVIE FACE
ONE MORE NIGHT – BUSY SIGNAL

13) ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award to artist(s) and producer(s) if different from artist(s) whose album had biggest impact in this category in the eligibility year)
UNIVERSAL CURE - Jah Cure
RASTA GOT SOUL - Buju Banton
MR BROOKS – A BETTER TOMORROW - Mavado
CONTAGIOUS - Tarrus Riley
MONTEGO BAY - Queen Ifrica
2 SIDES OF MY HEART - Gramps Morgan
MADE IN JAMAICA - Courtney "Yogi" John
IMPERIAL BLAZE - Sean Paul

14) RECORDING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(Award to the artist with the most charting hits in the eligibility year)
VYBZ KARTEL
MAVADO
ELEPHANT MAN
DING DONG
KONSHENS
QUEEN IFRICA
JAH CURE
TARRUS RILEY

15) CULTURAL /POSITIVE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(Award to artist with the best/biggest cultural/positive recording(s) in the eligibility year)
TARRUS RILEY
QUEEN IFRICA
RICHIE SPICE
JAH CURE
I – OCTANE
KONSHENS
LUTAN FYAH

16) BREAKTHRU ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(Award to artist whose work attracted local and international attention, and who is seen as poised as a leader for the next generation of reggae/ dance hall stars)
CHINO
CHARLEY BLACK
BLACK RYNO
JAHVINCI
DING DONG
FLEXX
BRAMMA
TYRICAL

17) SONG WRITER/ LYRICIST OF THE YEAR
(Award to artist whose writing skills on all ‘charting’ songs were of a consistently high standard)
VYBZ KARTEL
BUSY SIGNAL
MAVADO
KONSHENS
ASSASSIN
QUEEN IFRICA
WAYNE MARSHALL
DEMARCO

18) SINGJAY OF THE YEAR (MALE)
(Award to the artist with the biggest overall impact in this category in the eligibility year)
NESBETH
MAVADO
MR VEGAS
CHARLEY BLACK
I – OCTANE
CHINO
SERANI
KONSHENS

19) SINGJAY OF THE YEAR (FEMALE)
(Award to the artist with the biggest overall impact in this category in the eligibility year)
CECILE
D’ANGEL
QUEEN IFRICA
TANYA STEVENS
BLACK QUEEN
RUFFIAN
ISHAWNA

20) COLLABO OF THE YEAR (DANCE HALL)
(For a collaborative vocal performance by artists who do not normally perform together)
COMPLETELY – VYBZ KARTEL & INDU
THINK BOUT MI – MACKA & UNICORN
UGLY SO – KIPRICH & BLACKER
GOOD GIRL, GONE BAD – TARRUS RILEY & KONSHENS
DIP AGAIN – ELEPHANT MAN & DING DONG
HOLIDAY - DING DONG & CHEVAUGHN
VERSITILITY – VYBZ KARTEL & INDU
DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY – VOICEMAIL & BUSY SIGNAL

21) COLLABO OF THE YEAR (REGGAE)
(For a collaborative vocal performance by artists who do not normally perform together)
CALL ON ME – JAH CURE Feat PHYLLISIA
DUMPLING SHOP – LLOYD LOVINDEER & MAMA TIA
PRESSURING THE POOR – SPRING-1 & RAS SHILOH
YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING – NODDY VIRTUE & JODIAN PANTRY
KING AND QUEEN – RICHIE SPICE & ALISON HINDS
FOREVERMORE – TARRUS RILEY/ ALAINE
TRY JAH LOVE – JOSIE MEL & SMOKEY BENZ
JAH JAH SEE DEM A COME – SUGAR ROY & CONRAD CRYSTAL

22) RHYTHM OF THE YEAR (REGGAE)
(Award to the producer of the reggae rhythm with the biggest impact in the eligibility year)
CHANGES – DON CORLEON RECORDS
AUTOMATIC – PENTHOUSE RECORDS
SWEETNESS - MAC D RECORDS
GOOD LOVE – JAM 2 RECORDS
SWEET RIDDIM – NO DOUBT RECORDS
KARMA - ARROWS RECORDING

23) RHYTHM OF THE YEAR (DANCE HALL)
(Award to the producer/ label of the dance hall rhythm with the biggest impact in the eligibility year)
SET ME FREE - HEART OF LOVE PRODUCTION
MOVIE STAR - CHIMNEY RECORDS
STREET TEAM - FIRE LINKS MUSIC
GOOD LIFE - LIV UP RECORDS
NATIONAL PRIDE - FRESH EAR PRODUCTIONS
TRIPLE BOUNCE - CR0203 RECORDS
FITNESS - DI GENIUS MUSIC
GO GO CLUB – HEAD CONCUSSION

24) REGGAE // DANCE HALL COMPILATION OF THE YEAR – VARIOUS ARTISTES
(Award to the distributor // licensor of the reggae/ dance hall compilation with the biggest impact in the eligibility year)
THE HIT LIST – VARIOUS ARTISTES/ TADS
REGGAE GOLD 2009 – VARIOUS ARTISTES/ VP
THE ULTIMATE REGGAE/DANCEHALL X-PERIENCE – VARIOUS ARTISTES/ TADS
NATIONAL PRIDE – VARIOUS ARTISTES/ TADS
GOOD LIFE RIDDIM – VARIOUS ARTISTES/ LIV UP
GREATEST REGGAE ONE DROP ANTHEMS (2009) –VARIOUS ARTISTES/ GREENSLEEVES
STRICTLY THE BEST VOL. 40/ 41- VARIOUS ARTISTES/ VP

25) MOST IMPROVED ARTIST
(Award to a ‘next generation’ artist whose career improves most dramatically in all areas over the eligibility year)
CHINO
BLACK RYNO
JAHVINCHI
WASP
TIFA
ROMAINE VIRGO
KHAGO
FLEXX

26) GOSPEL ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(Award to the gospel artist with the biggest impact in this category in the eligibility year)
GODDY GODDY
PRODIGAL SON
DJ NICHOLAS
OMARI
JUDITH GAYLE
RYAN MARK
CARLENE DAVIS
CHEVELLE FRANKLYN

27) INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(award to the artist scoring the biggest charting International Hit during the eligibility year)
SEAN KINGSTON - (hit song) - FIRE BURNING
MAVADO - (hit song) I’M SO SPECIAL
SEAN PAUL - (hit song) SO FINE
SERANI - (hit song) NO GAMES
VYBZ KARTEL/ SPICE - (hit song) ROMPING SHOP
CHERINE ANDERSON - (hit song) SAY HEY (I LOVE YOU) with Michael Franti & Spearhead

28) BEST ROOTS PLAY
(Award to the theatrical production with the biggest impact in the eligibility year)
BASHMENT GRANNY
BASHMENT GRANNY 2
DIANA
THE XTORTIONISTZ
ME AND MI CHUPSIE

HONOR AWARDS:

29) INTERNATIONAL FRIEND OF REGGAE AWARDEE(S)
(International. Super Star(s) will receive this Award for his/her support of Reggae Music)
INDIA ARIE
MELANIE FIONA

30) ROLE MODEL OF THE YEAR AWARDEES:
(Jamaican Artist (s) of International Acclaim who’s led his/her life by example and has brought their offspring into the world of Reggae)
TOOTS HIBBERT
DENROY MORGAN

Their are also PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS, no nominees just the winner is named on the night for the following categories :
VIDEO OF THE YEAR (REGGAE)
VIDEO OF THE YEAR (DANCEHALL)
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
BEST DRESSED ARTIST – Male/ Female
SHOW OF THE YEAR
DANCHALL TRENDSETTER OF THE YEAR
BEST ORIGINAL DANCE MOVE OF THE YEAR