Award categories included: Africa, Asia/Pacific, Americas, Europe, Mid East and North Africa, Newcomer, Culture Crossing, Club Global, Album of the Year, and Audience Award. Initial lists of nominees in each category were selected annually by a panel of several thousand industry experts. Shortlisted nominees were voted on by a twelve-member jury, which selected the winners in every category except for the Audience Award category. These jury members were appointed and presided over by the BBC.
The annual awards ceremony was held at various venues including the Ocean in Hackney, Sage in Gateshead, the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, the Brixton Academy and finally at the BBC Proms. Winners were given an award called a "Planet," designed by Croatian sculptor Anita Sulimanovic in 2003.
In March 2009, the BBC made a decision to axe the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music.
The Awards concert took place on 24 March 2003. The award recipients were as follows:
AfricaWinner: Orchestra BaobabRunners-up:
Orchestra Baobab, Bembeya Jazz, Kasse Mady Diabate,
Tony AllenAsia/PacificWinner: Mahwash & Ensemble KaboulRunners-up: Mahwash & Ensemble Kaboul,
Te Vaka,
Trilok Gurtu,
Alka YagnikAmericasWinner: Los de AbajoRunners-up:
Los de Abajo,
Susana Baca,
Yusa,
Lila DownsEuropeWinner: MarizaRunners-up:
Mariza,
Ojos de Brujo,
Kimmo Pohjonen, Sergey Starostin
Middle East and North AfricaWinner:
Samira Said.Runners-up: Samira Said,
Kayhan Kalhor, Omar Faruk Tekbilek,
Yair DalalNewcomerWinner: Gotan ProjectRunners-up:
Gotan Project, DuOuD,
Mariza,
YusaSource: 2003 winners, 2003 nominees
AfricaWinner: Daara JRunners-up:
Cesária Évora, Oumou Sangaré, Rokia Traoré
Asia/PacificWinner: Sevara NazarkhanRunners-up:
Huun-Huur-Tu,
Trilok Gurtu, Munojot Yo‘lchiyeva
AmericasWinner: Ibrahim FerrerRunners-up:
Omar Sosa,
Caetano Veloso, Tribalistas
EuropeWinner: Ojos de BrujoRunners-up:
Kroke,
Radio Tarifa,
Tamara ObrovacMiddle East and North AfricaWinner: Kadim Al SahirRunners-up:
Mercan Dede,
Khaled,
Souad MassiNewcomerWinner: Warsaw Village BandRunners-up:
Ojos de Brujo,
Cibelle,
Sevara NazarkhanBoundary CrossingWinner: Think Of OneRunners-up:
Bob Brozman,
Manu Chao, DuOud
Club GlobalWinner: DJ Dolores and Orchestra Santa MassaRunners-up:
Mercan Dede,
Panjabi MC,
Zuco 103Critics AwardWinner:
Rokia TraoréRunners-up: Abyssinia Infinite, John Spiers and Jon Boden,
Oi Va VoiAudience AwardWinner: Kadim Al SahirRunners-up:
Cesária Évora,
Sevara Nazarkhan,
Tamara ObrovacSource: 2004 winners and nominees
The hosts for the BBC Awards for World Music 2005 Poll Winners' Concert were Eliza Carthy and Benjamin Zephaniah. The award recipients were as follows:
AfricaWinner: TinariwenRunners-up:
Thandiswa Mazwai, Rokia Traore,
Youssou N'DourAsia/PacificWinner: Kaushiki ChakrabartyRunners-up:
Faiz Ali Faiz,
Sainkho Namtchylak, Sevara Nazarkhan
AmericasWinner: LhasaRunners-up:
Bebel Gilberto, Bajofondo Tango Club,
Lila DownsEuropeWinner: AmparanoiaRunners-up:
Enzo Avitabile & Bottari, Ivo Papasov, Ojos de Brujo
Middle East and North AfricaWinner: KhaledRunners-up:
The Chehade Brothers, Mercan Dede,
Souad MassiNewcomerWinner: Chango SpasiukRunners-up:
Ba Cissoko,
Amparanoia,
Yasmin LevyBoundary CrossingWinner:
Bebo Valdés and Diego El CigalaRunners-up:
Björk, Clotaire K,
LhasaClub GlobalWinner: Clotaire KRunners-up:
Gilles Peterson,
Gotan Project, Mercan Dede
Critics AwardWinner: Youssou N'DourRunners-up:
Lhasa,
Tinariwen, Andrew Cronshaw
Audience AwardWinner: Ivo PapasovRunners-up:
The Chehade Brothers,
Enzo Avitabile & Bottari, Mercan Dede
Source: 2005 winners and nominees
AfricaWinner: Amadou & MariamRunners-up:
Emmanuel Jal, Ali Farka Toure,
LuraThe AmericasWinner: Ry CooderRunners-up:
Omar Sosa,
Carlos Vives,
Seu JorgeMiddle East and North AfricaWinner: Souad MassiRunners-up:
Ilham al-Madfai,
Rachid Taha,
Dhafer YoussefAsia/PacificWinner: Sain ZahoorRunners-up:
Faiz Ali Faiz,
Susheela Raman,
Yat-KhaEuropeWinner: Fanfare CiocarliaRunners-up: Armenian Navy Band, Enzo Avitabile and Bottari, Mariza
Club GlobalWinner: DJ ShantelRunners-up: M.I.A,
Cheb i Sabbah, Mercan Dede
Boundary CrossingWinners: Nitin SawhneyRunners-up:
Asha Bhosle and
Kronos Quartet,
Kimmo Pohjonen,
Yasmin LevyNewcomerWinner: Konono N°1Runners-up: Dobet Gnahore, Daby Toure,
LuraAlbum of the YearWinner: Amadou and Mariam -
Dimanche à BamakoRunners-up:
Thione Seck -
Orientation,
Salif Keita -
M'Bemba, Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate -
In the Heart of the MoonAudience AwardWinner: Armenian Navy Band -
How Much is Your’sSource: 2006 winners and nominees
AfricaWinner: Mahmoud AhmedRunners-up: Ali Farka Toure,
Bongo Maffin, Toumani Diabate
The AmericasWinner: Gogol BordelloRunners-up:
Ben Harper,
Fonseca, Lila Downs
Middle East and North AfricaWinner: Ghada ShbeirRunners-up: Les Boukakes,
Natacha Atlas, Yasmin Levy
Asia/PacificWinner: Debashish BhattacharyaRunners-up:
Anoushka Shankar,
Dadawa,
Fat Freddy's DropEuropeWinner: CamilleRunners-up:
Lo'Jo, Mariza, Ojos de Brujo
Club GlobalWinner: Gotan ProjectRunners-up:
Balkan Beat Box,
Cheb i Sabbah, Mercan Dede
Culture CrossingWinner: Maurice El Medioni & Roberto RodriguezRunners-up:
Aida Nadeem,
Ska Cubano, Think of One
NewcomerWinner: K'naanRunners-up:
Etran Finatawa,
Nuru Kane,
Sara TavaresAlbum of the YearWinner: Ali Farka Touré -
SavaneRunners-up:
Bellowhead -
Burlesque, Lila Downs -
La Cantina Narada,
Toumani Diabaté and the Symmetric Orchestra -
Boulevard de l'IndependanceAudience AwardWinner: Ghada Shbeir
Source: 2007 winners, 2007 nominees
AfricaWinner: Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni BaRunners-up:
Simphiwe Dana,
Tinariwen,
Toumani Diabaté and the Symmetric OrchestraThe AmericasWinner: Andy Palacio & The Garifuna CollectiveRunners-up: Bajofondo Tango Club,
Hazmat Modine,
Maria RitaMiddle East and North AfricaWinner: Rachid TahaRunners-up:
Malouma,
Nass El Ghiwane, The Idan Raichel Project
Asia/PacificWinner: Sa DingdingRunners-up:
Anoushka Shankar &
Karsh Kale, Faiz Ali Faiz, Huun Huur Tu
EuropeWinner: Son de la FronteraRunners-up:
Manu Chao, Ojos de Brujo, Thierry 'Titi' Robin
Club GlobalWinner: Transglobal UndergroundRunners-up:
Balkan Beat Box, Bajofondo Tango Club,
Gaudi &
Nusrat Fateh Ali KhanCulture CrossingWinner:
Justin Adams & Juldeh CamaraRunners-up: Balkan Beat Box,
Bole2Harlem, The Idan Raichel Project
NewcomerWinner: Mayra AndradeRunners-up: Balkan Beat Box,
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Vieux Farka Touré
Album of the YearWinner:
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba -
Segu BlueRunners-up:
Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective -
Wátina,
Orchestra Baobab -
Made In Dakar, Tinariwen -
Aman ImanSource: 2008 nominees, 2008 winners
