General

  • The Youth Music Awards 2026 take place in October 2026.
  • All nominations must be submitted via our platform Award Force. Any nominations received outside of this platform will not be accepted. Entry to the Youth Music Awards is free of charge.
  • Nominations for all categories in the Youth Music Awards are now open and will close at 11pm on February 1, 2026.
  • Entrants may only enter each category once, but they can enter as many categories as they like.
  • The Youth Music Awards are open to be won by anyone who has taken part in a project funded by Youth Music over the past five years (i.e. since November 2020).
  • Entrants can nominate themselves or the organisation they've worked for, a friend, a family member, or someone they've worked with on a project.
  • If you are nominating yourself, you must be aged 18 or over.
  • If you are nominating someone else, you must be aged 16 or over.
  • Those who have not taken part in a project funded by Youth Music over the past five years are not eligible to enter or win a Youth Music Award. However, those nominating someone else do not have to have taken part themselves (for example, a parent or carer can nominate a child who took part in a Youth Music project).

Data protection and intellectual property

  • All contact information provided to Youth Music via the Awards entry form will be solely used for Awards administration purposes (notifying entrants that they have been shortlisted etc) in line with Youth Music's data protection policies.
  • Each entry form contains a box to tick to sign up for further information from Youth Music. This box is optional. If entrants do not tick the box they will still be notified about awards administration, but will not be added to Youth Music's newsletters.
  • All submitted music videos, audio tracks and other media may be used by Youth Music as part of Awards promotion, including promotion by Youth Music's Awards partners and sponsors. The author(s) will always be credited, using the information provided in the entry form. Please ensure that you have the permission to share all media with Youth Music, and that you are not violating any copyright laws.

Judging process

  • All Awards nominations submitted by the closing date will be considered for shortlisting by a panel of Youth Music team members and invited guests.
  • The winners of the following Awards will be chosen by a panel of music industry figures: Rising Star Award (Artist), Rising Star Award (Industry), Music Producer Award, Original Track Award (Group), Original Track Award (Solo), Music Video Award and Lyricist Award.
  • The winners of the following Awards will be chosen by a panel of Youth Music team members and invited guests: Social Action Award, Inspirational Music Leader Award, Young Leader Award and Outstanding Project Award.
  • All judges' decisions are final.

Contact

If you have a technical issue with the nomination forms or any questions about the Youth Music Awards, please email events@youthmusic.org.uk