PHASE 1 (SUBMISSIONS) FOR THE 2023 DETROIT MUSIC AWARDS IS CLOSED!

HOW PHASE 1 WORKED 

The submission phase is designed to build a list of choices to assist current (or newly registered) Detroit Music Awards voters when casting their votes on the Nomination Ballot during PHASE 2 of the online voting process.  This is the preliminary list, so keep in mind that only one submission is necessary to insure any artist is included.  Multiple entries for the same artist will not count as additional votes or benefit the artist in any way.  Enlisting friends, family or co-workers to send out the same email over and over only slows the process down at this stage and WILL result in disqualification for the artist. 

Be sure to READ CAREFULLY!  There were a number of significant changes in the categories last year, so please review them thoroughly before making your choices.  The submission procedures from the previous 4 years remain in effect and will be strictly enforced.

Please follow the guidelines below and send Phase 1 submissions to:  

submissions@detroitmusicawards.net

• ONE submission per email.  You may make up to ten (10) different submissions, but each must be a separate email. The full entry must be in the BODY of the email, not the subject line.
• Use this format:  YOUR name, followed by submission Last name (or band name), First name, Genre, Category.  If your submission is for an instrumentalist, please include instrument & band(s) affiliation.  If your submission is for a vocalist, please include any band(s) affiliation. 
•  As previously noted, there were significant changes in the categories last year.  *Please refer to the 2023 CATEGORIES page for a list of all genres and categories*
• Per the changes in last year's categories, there are no longer genre-specific categories for Outstanding Vocalist and Outstanding Songwriter.  There is one (1) category for each, open to artists in all genres.
• Similarly, there is one (1) category each for Guitarist, Bassist, Keyboardist, Percussionist, and Specialty Instruments, open to artists in all genres. 
• An individual artist may be nominated in only ONE of the categories. In the case of multiple submissions, the artist's own submission will take precedence. As always, the DMAF balloting committee will approve final category placements.
• Please note the exceptions on the Special Honorees page before submitting your entries.
• The "Outstanding Live Performance" category still includes virtual as well as live performances this year.
• Recordings (physical or digital; single, EP, or album) must have been released on a known streaming platform (e.g. Spotify, Pandora, SoundCloud, etc.), digital retail outlet (e.g. iTunes, Amazon Music, CD Baby, etc.) or available at a physical retail outlet. You must include the title, genre, release date and label (if any) for all submissions or they will be disqualified.
• To be considered as choices for the 2023 Detroit Music Awards, recordings must have been initially released between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.  Re-releases or releases only on social media sites (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) are not eligible. 
• Any deviation from the above format will automatically disqualify the submission.
• Deadline for submissions was 11:59pm EST, on Sunday, January 22, 2023.  Any email received with a time stamp after that time WAS NOT considered for nomination.
• Submitting names or recordings during this phase does NOT nominate the Artist, Group or Recording for the Final Ballot. 
• Names eligible to be considered as choices must have a connection, or perform a body of work, primarily in the Detroit metro area, which, for our purposes, stretches as far north as Flint, as far west as metropolitan Ann Arbor, as far south as the Ohio border, and as far east as the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair. 

PHASE 1 Submissions are CLOSED