2025 Categories & Entry Guide: Music Week Awards 2025

A&R AWARD
Who is eligible for this award?
This Award is for a record label/record label group or music publisher A&R team (defined as more than one person), rather than an A&R individual. It recognises creative and commercial achievement in the field of A&R over the period of 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.

ARTIST MARKETING CAMPAIGN
Who is eligible for this award?
This Award is for an Artist Marketing Campaign focused upon a new album, single or other significant activity that has been released during the period of 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.

CATALOGUE MARKETING CAMPAIGN
Who is eligible for this award?
This Award is for Catalogue Marketing Campaign focused upon the rejuvenation of previously existing work of one artist or compilation that has been re-released between 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.

FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Who is eligible for this award?
Any UK music festival that took place during 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024. This includes non-camping city festivals.

GRASSROOTS VENUE: SPIRIT OF THE SCENE
Who is eligible for this award?
Any grassroots venue with a capacity of less than 500, located in the UK. For this category we are looking for nominations from others, as well as entries from venues themselves.

INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to any music publisher that is majority owned independently and has staff based in the UK.

INDEPENDENT RECORD COMPANY
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to any record company that is majority owned independently and has staff based in the UK.

INTERNATIONAL MARKETING TEAM
Who is eligible for this award? This Award is for a UK International Marketing Team focused on growing the profile of UK acts in international territories during the period of 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.

LABEL/ARTIST SERVICES COMPANY
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to any label or artist services company that has staff based in the UK.

LIVE MUSIC AGENCY (COMPANY)
Who is eligible for this award?
Any UK based live music agency.

LIVE MUSIC PROMOTER (COMPANY)
Who is eligible for this award?
Any live music company promoting UK gigs, tours and festivals.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Who is eligible for this award?
Manager/co-managers of artists and songwriters. Managers in question must be from the UK, or have been primarily based in the UK for the majority of their career to date.
*Please note if you are entering more than one individual, each person’s name must be included at the entry stage in order to be eligible for judging*

MUSIC & BRAND PARTNERSHIP
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to any organisation that has been involved in the planning, development and execution of a commercial partnership between a non-music-focused brand and an artist(s) during the period 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.

MUSIC CONSUMER INNOVATION
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to any nationwide music retailer, streaming company or live music platform with staff based in the UK during the period 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.

PR CAMPAIGN
Who is eligible for this award?
This Award is for a PR campaign for a single artist that has released a substantial body of work, or a music based event with an accompanying PR campaign between 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.

PROMOTIONS TEAM OF THE YEAR
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to any UK-based promotions team.

PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to any music publisher with staff based in the UK.

RADIO SHOW
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to all UK based individual radio shows (including digital only) on local and national radio stations where music is a key part of the offering.

RADIO STATION
Who is eligible for this award?
This is open to all UK based radio stations (including digital only), local or national, where music is a key part of the offering.

RECORD COMPANY
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to any record company that is not majority owned independently and has staff based in the UK.

SALES TEAM
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is open to any UK-based sales team within a label or services company.
**Please note that lobbying the retail industry for votes on this category is discouraged and could lead to disqualification.**

SYNC TEAM OF THE YEAR
Who is eligible for this award?
This award is for a predominantly UK based Sync team that can demonstrate the most outstanding work across multiple sync placements during the eligibility time period.
*Eligible teams can be from across a record label, music publisher, agency or broadcaster music department and includes both major and independent companies

TICKETING COMPANY
Who is eligible for this award?
Any ticketing company that operates in the live music space and has staff based in the UK.

THE STRAT
The Strat is bestowed upon a deserving winner by the Music Week team.

Recent winners include:

2024: Peter Loraine, CEO/founder of Fascination Management
2023: Emma Banks, Co-Founder & Agent, CAA
2022: Barbara Charone, Co-Founder, MBC PR
2021: Kanya King, MOBOs founder
2019: Darcus Beese, President, Island Records US
2018: Max Lousada, CEO Recorded Music, Warner Music Group & Chairman & CEO, Warner Music UK
2017: Sarah Stennett, CEO & Co-Founder, First Access Entertainment

ENTRY GUIDELINES

2025 CATEGORIES

CRITERIA: