For a producer for qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
This person has overall creative and technical control of the entire recording project and the individual recording sessions that are a part of that project. They will have been present (in person or remotely) in the recording studio or at the location recording, and worked directly with the artist and engineer. The producer makes creative and aesthetic decisions that realise both the artist's and label's goals in creating the musical content. Other duties include but are not limited to: keeping budgets and schedules, adhering to deadlines, hiring musicians, singers, studios and engineers.
The following credits are eligible: Producer, Co-Producer, Additional Production.
The following credits are not eligible for Producer categories: Executive Producer, Assistant Producer, Associate Producer, Vocal Producer.
For a producer of qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
This person will have produced AND written or co-written the nominated song(s), but they must NOT be the featured artist for any of the recordings. They have significant creative and technical input into the individual recording or production sessions that are a part of the project. As producer, they will have made creative and aesthetic decisions that realise both the artist's and/or label's goals in creating the musical content. Other duties may include: keeping budgets and schedules, adhering to deadlines, hiring musicians, singers, studios and engineers.
The following credits are eligible: Producer, Co-Producer, Additional Production.
Additionally, the person must hold a confirmed writing credit on the project, which may be shared with other contributors. The following writer credits are eligible: Written by, Co-written by, Lyrics by, Composer, Lyricist.
The following credits are NOT eligible for Producer categories: Executive Producer, Assistant Producer, Associate Producer.
For a producer for qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
This person has overall creative and technical control of the entire recording project and the individual recording sessions that are a part of that project. They will have been present (remotely or in-person) in the recording studio or at the location recording, and worked directly with the artist and engineer. The producer makes creative and aesthetic decisions that realise both the artist's and label's goals in creating the musical content. Other duties include but are not limited to: keeping budgets and schedules, adhering to deadlines, hiring musicians, singers, studios and engineers.
This person should have achieved significantly increased recognition during the current year.
The following credits are eligible: Producer, Co-Producer, Additional Production.
The following credits are not eligible for Producer categories: Executive Producer, Assistant Producer, Associate Producer, Vocal Producer.
For a producer for qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
Projects must have been produced solely by the featured artist*.
This person has overall creative and technical control of the entire recording project and the individual recording sessions that are a part of that project. The producer makes creative and aesthetic decisions that realise the goals in creating the musical content. Other duties include but are not limited to: keeping budgets and schedules, adhering to deadlines, hiring musicians, singers, studios and engineers.
The following credits are eligible: Producer.
The following credits are not eligible for the Self-Producing Artist category: Executive Producer, Assistant Producer, Associate Producer, Vocal Production, Additional Production Strings (or any other instrument).
*Projects that are co-credited with 'additional production' by a third party are eligible. However, projects which are co-credited with 'co-production' or 'also produced by' are ineligible.
For an engineer for qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
This person is present in the recording studio or at the location recording, and is responsible for the process of recording a project and associated technical issues and decisions. They will have operated (or overseen the operation of) the equipment during the recording process and made creative and aesthetic choices to realise the sound and concepts the artist and producer envisage.
The engineer must have recorded all of the releases under consideration.
The following credits are eligible: Recording Engineer, Recorded By, Additional Engineering.
The following credits are not eligible: Digital Audio Workstation Engineer/Operator, Assistant Engineer, Tape Operator, Mix Engineer, Mixed by or Programmer.
Mastering Engineers are eligible only in the category of Mastering Engineer Of The Year and Rising Star.
For a recording engineer, mixer or mastering engineer for qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
This person is present in the recording studio or at another recording, mixing, or mastering location and is responsible for the process of either the recording, mixing, mastering (or any combination of the three) of a project and associated technical issues and decisions. They will have operated (or overseen the operation of) the equipment during the recording, mixing or mastering process and made creative and aesthetic choices to realise the sound and concepts the artist and producer envisage.
This person should have achieved significantly increased recognition during the current year and must have recorded, mixed or mastered (or any combination of the three) all of the releases under consideration.
The following credits are eligible: Recording Engineer, Recorded By, Mix Engineer, Mixed By, Mixer, Recorded and Mixed by, Additional Engineering, Mastering Engineer, Mastered By.
The following credits are not eligible: Digital Audio Workstation Engineer/Operator, Assistant Engineer, Tape Operator, Programmer.
For an engineer for qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
The mixer must have mixed all of the releases under consideration.
This person is responsible for taking previously recorded material and creating a mixdown of the original separate tracks to create a finished product (either stereo or multi-channel) that can then be mastered and distributed.
The following credits are eligible: Mixed By, Recorded and Mixed by, Mixer, Mix Engineer.
For an engineer for qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
The mastering engineer must have been responsible for the processing and preparation of production masters for commercial releases.
The following credits are eligible: Mastering Engineer, Mastered By.
For a Vocal Producer for qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
This person has overall creative control of the vocal recording project and the individual vocal recording sessions relating to that project. They were present (either in person or remotely) in the recording studio or at the location and worked directly with the artist and engineer. The producer makes creative and aesthetic decisions that realise both the artist's and label's goals in creating the vocal performance.
The following credits are eligible: Vocal Producer, Vocal Production.
The following credits are not eligible for the Vocal Producer category: Producer, Co-Producer, Additional Production, Executive Producer, Assistant Producer, Associate Producer.
For qualifying productions available for purchase as a physical product, streamed as a commercial product or as a download as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
A maximum of 3 trophies will be presented to the team, and they usually go to the producer, engineer and mixer. Other eligible team members may purchase additional trophies.
This is an open category for anyone, as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
This is an open category, awarded to an individual involved in the recording industry (does not have to be technical), who works tirelessly behind the scenes, and deserves recognition. Nominations may include but are not limited to: studio assistants, bookers, studio managers, managers and management assistants, technicians, campaigners, or anyone who operates behind the scenes in the production process. Nominations will be judged on testimonials only.
All nominees must either be UK passport holders or be able to satisfy the Statutory Residency Test.
For the best commercial studio, which exists primarily as a rental facility for the recording and/or mixing of music. This award is judged by a special panel of professional producers and/or recording engineers who, at their discretion, may individually visit the shortlisted nominees, make their assessments without conferring with the other judges, and vote accordingly. The MPG board determines the assessment criteria.
For qualifying productions available for purchase as a physical product, streamed as a commercial product or as a download as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
A maximum of 3 trophies will be presented to the team, and they usually go to the producer, engineer and mixer. Other eligible team members may purchase additional trophies.
For an album or release that contains a minimum of 51% Original Compositions featured in a complete or edited form in a cinematic, broadcast or streamed release and not previously released in any other format. A maximum of three trophies will be presented for Producer, Recording Engineer and Mixer, at least 50% of whom must be either UK passport holders or be able to satisfy the Statutory Residency Test. If there is no credited Producer, the Producers Award can be presented to the Composer. To avoid doubt, a score release may contain individual songs, but at least 51% of the running time must be an original score. For this purpose, 'score' may be any music used to accompany a picture that is not a standalone, vocal-led song, although it may contain vocals. Soundtracks of filmed live performances are not eligible.
For an engineer for qualifying productions as defined below ("Definitions of Eligibility").
This mix must have been commissioned to create an immersive mix or version.
This mix would be created by taking previously recorded material and creating a mix or version of the original separate tracks (and or) mix stems to create an immersive mix down for the finished product to be distributed.
The following credits are eligible: Immersive Mix engineer. Dolby Atmos Mix, Spatial Audio Mix
The immersive mixer will receive this award.
This is awarded by the Music Producers Guild Awards Committee and will be presented to a person working in production in recognition of abody of work over several years which has significantly inspired others.
The MPG have revealed that producer, songwriter and musician Fraser T Smith is the winner of the PPL Present the Outstanding Contribution To UK Music Award. Fraser is a Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello award winner who has worked with artists such as Adele, James Morrison, Tinchy Stryder, Stormzy, Kano, Sam Smith, and Dave.
The Music Producers Guild have announced that they are presenting recording engineer and producer Bob Clearmountain with the Icon Award
Definitions of Eligibility
1. All projects and music related to the person being nominated, and all nominations for Album Of The Year and Original Score Recording Of The Year must have been commercially released (for the first time and not previously released) for download and/or purchase as a physical or digital product, or streamed as a commercial product, between 1st October 2021 to 30th September 2022. For Score Recording Of The Year, the eligible album’s release date, rather than the film or television programme the music was produced for, must fall in the dates above. Avoiding doubt 'commercially available' means paid for or available as part of a paid-for subscription service. The release must also be unlimited, i.e. a limited edition promo release on limited formats, e.g. 'vinyl only' is ineligible.
2. General Distribution: Works must be released via general distribution, defined as the nationwide release of a recording via brick and mortar, third-party online retailers, and/or applicable digital streaming services. Applicable streaming services are paid subscription, full catalogue, on-demand streaming/limited download platforms that have existed as such within the United Kingdom for at least one full year as of the submission deadline. All recordings entered must have an assigned International Standard Recording Code (ISRC).
3. Apart from the Inspiration Award and the award for Outstanding Contribution, nominees must be either UK passport holders or be able to satisfy the Statutory Residency Test.
4. Recordings must be non-infringing, original works of authorship. To the extent, a recording embodies in whole or in part the copyrighted work of a third party, appropriate authorisation to use and incorporate such copyrighted work must have been obtained. If allegations arise that a recording is unauthorised and does not meet these criteria, MPG Awards Ltd. will consider the allegations and determine, at its sole discretion, the eligibility of such recordings.
5. For the Album Of The Year and Original Score Recording Of The Year categories, the award is presented to a production team, i.e. producer, recording engineer and mix engineer; with at least 50% of whom must be either UK passport holders or be able to satisfy the Statutory Residency Test. For Album Of The Year, in the case that one person was producer, engineer and mixer, then they must be either a UK passport holder or be able to satisfy the Statutory Residency Test. For Original Score Recording, in the event there is no Producer, then the third Award can go to the Composer if they are a UK Passport holder or able to satisfy the Statutory Residency Test. N.B. It is not necessary that the recording artists featured in the Album category hold UK passports or satisfy the Statutory Residency Test. Albums are regarded as eligible as long as they fulfil the definition published by the UK Official Charts company.
6. In the Breakthrough Producer & Rising Star categories, nominees who have been shortlisted in previous years (this includes Breakthrough Engineer) will be regarded as ineligible. In such cases, they will be deemed to have already 'broken through' in a previous year and so cannot 'break through' a second time.
7. Greatest Hits compilations will not be considered unless 50% of the tracks are new material.
8. Re-releases: if a previously released track undergoes a new mix (with possible additional production) and acquires a new ISRC, then it will be eligible for consideration in any of the awards categories. If a track is re-mastered and receives a new ISRC, it will qualify in the Mastering Engineer Of The Year award category.
9. In the event of questions or disputes regarding the eligibility of submissions for the MPG Awards, the decision of the MPG Awards Committee is final.
