​GENERAL ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA

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• For artistic categories, the artist (or in the case of a band, at least 50% of its regular/core members) must meet Saskatchewan residency criteria as follows:

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• Potential nominee currently resides in Saskatchewan and has resided here since at least April 1, 2024. If you are temporarily out of the province for study, performance opportunities, or other professional work, but maintain a primary residence in Saskatchewan and still self-identify as being from Saskatchewan, you are eligible.

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• We reserve the right to request proof of residency through either 1) 2023 tax filing indicating you paid taxes as a Saskatchewan resident; and/or 2) two pieces of ID including any of the following: a valid Saskatchewan Health Services card, a valid Saskatchewan driver’s license, a student ID card indicating registration in a Saskatchewan educational facility, or a Status Indian card.

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• For incorporated bands or industry nominees, the company must be prepared to demonstrate residency upon request.

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• ​Where eligibility due to residency or band formation is in dispute (e.g. is this nominee a solo artist who hires side players, or is this nominee a band), we may request more information, and the final decision shall be made by the jury of the category.

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• ​Where songs are a required part of your submission, at least 2 of 3 songs must be original (written by the artist themselves, OR, not previously released by another artist and appropriately licensed by the artist submitting). Exceptions will be made for: Album of the Year; Classical or Broadway Artist of the Year; and submissions of traditional blues; traditional Indigenous; or traditional jazz genres.

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• ​Where 2 or 3 songs are required with artistic submissions, remixes or alternate versions do not count as separate songs. (e.g. An album version, radio edit, and acoustic version are the same song, and only the (one) version that you choose to submit for the jury would count towards your song requirements.)

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• ​Remixes of a song may only stand as one of the artists’ qualifying song releases if the artist was not nominated using a version of that same song in a previous year.​

 

• ​In the case of a duet/collaboration where there is a ‘Featured Artist’ or one-time duo, credit will go to the main artist (not the featured artist) listed on the track/album. In the event of a track with equal billing, both artists could use the track as one of their own qualifying song submissions.

 

• ​All categories are open to non-English language submissions. Lyric translations into English would be appreciated for the benefit of the jury, where applicable.

 

• ​There are no submission fees.

 

• ​Where category nominees are determined through a jury process, there must be a minimum of 4 nominees recommended by the jury in order for that award to be presented in the current year. (The exception is the Indigenous Music Achievement Award, for which only the honouree is named.)

 

• ​Each artist/project will be able to stand as a nominee in one genre-based category. During the submission process, applicant will be asked to select their main, and backup genre categories. If there are insufficient submissions to proceed with a genre category, the artist’s submission may be moved into their backup choice. Staff will not pick your main genre.

 

• ​All applicants must consent to SaskMusic’s Code of Conduct, posted here: https://www.saskmusic.org/about-us/code-of-conduct. Individuals/businesses found to be operating/behaving in a manner that contradicts the Code, in particular having engaged in any forms of harassment including sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying and/or violence, are subject to removal from nomination consideration. This applies to individuals previously found to be in breach of the Code by SaskMusic, as well as those found to be in breach during or after the nomination period by a Code of Conduct review committee.

 

• ​SaskMusic reserves the right to disqualify an applicant for failing to meet any of the guidelines noted herein, and to amend these guidelines as they deem appropriate.

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Unless otherwise noted, a release date is defined as:

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• The first available date that the material is widely available in that it can be purchased by the general public, and/or streamed legally in its entirety by a royalty-generating music service. The primary source used to verify the release date shall be Apple Music; secondary verification methods will be accepted at the discretion of SaskMusic.

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• ​A single is considered released on the day the single or the album on which it is on is first made available for public consumption as noted above, or the date the track was submitted to Canadian radio as a single, as long as that date was not before the current eligibility period. The primary sources used to determine date of release to radio are DMDS and !earshot Distro, but other third-party forms of verification (ie radio tracker contract, media release, etc) will be considered.

 

Use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in submissions (NEW)

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AI-generated music is music that is created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in its creation (composition) or production. AI systems use algorithms and machine learning techniques to analyze vast amounts of existing music data and generate content based on patterns, styles, and structures found in the data. Generative AI has broadly been trained on the intellectual property of artists without their knowledge or consent. It can be impossible to attribute credit to the original copyright owners of art used in AI derivative works.

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AI tools may be used in eligible projects, but AI generations cannot be a primary or core component. Human(s) must be the primary creative contributor(s) of all submitted work(s). Where AI is used, it must be done so in an innovative/creative way that enhances the human art but does not replace human contributions. The completed work must be original and copyrightable* by a human at the time of submission. (*With the exception where pre-existing cover songs are acceptable submissions.)

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Ineligible:

• Where the lead or another primary vocal in a song has been generated by AI;

• Where a lead or another prominent instrument in a song has been generated by AI;

• Where lyrics and/or melody were AI-generated in whole or in part (as opposed to being used only as inspiration towards a final, original lyric or melody).

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Eligible: where AI has been implemented as an editing tool or effect.

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For the music video category:

• The song used in the video must be eligible considering the above;

• Any AI-generated visual elements or voiceovers do not infringe on the voice or likeness of a human actor;

• Any underlying art used in generative AI can be properly attributed and credited. (e.g. original visuals created for the video could be further manipulated using generative AI);

• AI tools may be utilized in the editing process.

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AI-generated elements must be disclosed within the category submission. Final decisions on AI eligibility of a submission will be at the discretion of SaskMusic. Any nominated content later found to be in breach of these guidelines will have their recognition revoked.