The Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) Board has rolled out a new initiative called the “Swing Period,” designed to ensure that songs released towards the end of the year are not overlooked during the awards selection process.

This policy, effective for the 27th edition of the awards, permits songs released in December to be considered for the subsequent awards year if they meet certain eligibility criteria.

The TGMA Board explained that this move comes after extensive consultations over the past three years with key stakeholders in the industry, demonstrating their commitment to fairness and adapting to the dynamic nature of Ghana’s music sector.

To qualify for this policy, a song must:

"Be launched in December of the eligibility year, Exhibit measurable impact during the year under review, Not have been nominated in the preceding edition of the awards."

As a result of this new policy, two tracks have already received nominations for the 27th TGMA. These songs include "Messiah" by Sarkodie featuring Kweku Flick and "Excellent" by Kojo Blak featuring Kelvyn Boy.

Both songs have shown considerable audience interaction and traction post-release, highlighting the type of situation that the Swing Period policy seeks to address.

The TGMA Board is confident that this initiative will bolster the awards’ mission of recognising outstanding achievements and honouring the full influence of Ghanaian music while remaining responsive to shifts in music release strategies, digital consumption behaviours, and global audience trends.