FAQs

Release Date for YYCMA purposes is defined as the date first released to the public for retail sale or online sales. Proof may be requested. This applies to all submissions whether single, album or video! (Prophets of Music Emerging Artist category is excluded from this requirement.)

Once you have completed your online application at yycmusicawards.com, you will receive an email confirmation. Please check your spam or junk mail folders, as well as your credit card statement. After doing so, if you are unsure if your submission processed, please contact us at submissions@yycmusicawards.com.

• You may only make one submission in any of the Recording Awards (genre) categories.
• You may make submissions in any Artistic Awards categories if eligible.

The YYC Music Awards are juried by the Calgary Music Selection Committee (CMSC). This committee consists of a diverse group of peers and industry experts, such as label executives, media, publishers, managers, and award-winning artists from across Canada. The YYC Music Awards and the Calgary Music Selection Committee are dedicated to a fair and equal judging process. The organizers / Board of Directors of the YYC Music Awards Foundation is not involved with the judging process and maintain a “hands-off” approach. We do not publish the names of the committee members, congruent with other awards organizations, to protect the anonymity of these individuals. Jury results are aggregated in each category, and all decisions by the CMSC are final.

There are two rounds of judging.

• Round One: The CMSC reviews all submissions and ranks their top five (5) choices in each category. The total rankings determine that year’s nominees.
• Round Two: The nominees are then ranked to determine the winner.

• Eligible artists must be from the Calgary area, including Airdrie, Banff, Canmore, Cochrane, Strathmore and areas up to a maximum 125 km radius of the City of Calgary and have been living in the area for a minimum of 6 (six) months from the date of submission.
• At least 50% of the artist members must be from the eligibility area.

• There are typically a maximum of 5 nominees in each category, unless unbreakable ties are determined in the jury process.
• Should there be fewer than 3 eligible submissions in a category, that category will not run for that year.

If you are interested in being a YYC Music Awards volunteer, please visit Volunteers to submit a Volunteer Form.

Yes. Each year we feature 4 to 5 live performances by that year’s nominees. The YYCMA Board selects performers from that pool to provide a diverse offering each year. Please do not submit performance pitches unless a call for submissions to other events throughout the year is requested.