The highly anticipated fourth annual Caribbean Music Awards officially kicked off its 2026 edition on June 10, launching the largest celebration of Caribbean sonic talent in the event’s history and opening public voting for fans across the globe. This year’s installment marks a major milestone for the awards platform, which has grown rapidly from a regional recognition event to a global cultural movement highlighting the expanding influence of Caribbean music worldwide.
Organizers have unveiled a record-breaking nominee slate for 2026, featuring more than 250 nominated artists and works across over 40 award categories. In a move to deepen its commitment to genre inclusivity and cultural representation, the awards have introduced nine new and expanded categories this year, shining a dedicated spotlight on underrepresented Caribbean subgenres including Dennery, Zess, Konpa, Chutney Soca, and Jab, alongside a new category for French Caribbean music. These additions solidify the Caribbean Music Awards’ position as the most comprehensive global platform honoring the full diversity of Caribbean musical expression.
Leading the pack of 2026 nominees is cross-genre standout Lady Lava, who secured an unprecedented nine nominations spanning Soca, Zess, Chutney Soca, and performance categories, cementing her status as one of the region’s most versatile rising stars. Close behind Lady Lava, a trio of industry heavyweights – Ayetian, Machel Montano, and V’ghn – each earned seven nominations, reflecting their wide-ranging impact across Dancehall, Soca, and collaborative projects. Hitmakers Shenseea and Skillibeng follow with six nominations apiece, while Masicka, Popcaan, Valiant, Vybz Kartel, and Yung Bredda each take five nominations, reinforcing the enduring global dominance of leading Dancehall and Soca voices. A second tier of top contenders including Full Blown, Jesse Royal, Joé Dwèt Filé, Kes, Lila Iké, Lola Doll, Mical Teja, Mikado, and Voice each earned four nominations, highlighting the depth and competitive balance of talent across Reggae, Soca, Konpa, and other core genres.
On the track side, the collaborative hit *Shake It to the Max (Fly) Remix* featuring Moliy, Skillibeng, Shenseea, and Silent Addy emerged as the most nominated song of 2026, taking three nominations across multiple categories. Its cross-category success underscores the track’s broad cultural resonance across Dancehall, collaborative work, and music video, making it one of the year’s defining Caribbean records. Other top-nominated tracks include *Wah Yo Deh Pon*, *Passenger Princess*, *Jab Decisions*, and *4 Kampé II*, all of which reflect 2026’s trend of cross-regional collaboration and genre fusion.
Public voting for the 2026 awards opened immediately alongside the nominee announcement on June 10, and will remain open for global fans to cast their support through August 10, 2026. Fans can view the full list of nominees and submit votes via the official awards website, caribmusicawards.com. Organizers note that an extended voting window was chosen to give fans across all time zones and regions ample opportunity to support their favorite artists and cultural icons. Additional details about the in-person awards ceremony and its official date will be announced in the coming months.
The 2026 installment builds on the breakthrough momentum of 2025’s event, which marked the first time the Caribbean Music Awards premiered on BET, expanding the platform’s global reach to millions of new viewers and establishing it as a mainstream cultural force far beyond the Caribbean region. More than just an awards ceremony, the event has evolved into a global cultural movement that amplifies both established industry legends and emerging underrepresented voices, connecting Caribbean cultural identity to audiences worldwide through shared sonic storytelling.
The Caribbean Music Awards is managed by Caribbean Elite Group (CEG), an organization dedicated to advancing Caribbean culture through media, cultural initiatives, and community programming. CEG also oversees Caribbean Elite Magazine, a leading print and digital publication that showcases Caribbean talent across entertainment, culinary arts, fashion, entrepreneurship, and travel, and the Caribbean Elite Foundation, which supports cultural preservation efforts across the region.
Fans can stay updated on the latest awards announcements by following the official Caribbean Music Awards accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, as well as Caribbean Elite Magazine’s social channels.