The BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music was an award given to world music artists between 2002 and 2008, sponsored by BBC Radio 3. The award was thought up by fRoots magazine's editor Ian Anderson, inspired by the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Until 2006, the awards panel was chaired by Charlie Gillett and the awards shows co-ordinated by Alex Webb.
Categories
Award categories included: Africa, Asia/Pacific, Americas, Europe, Mid East and North Africa, Newcomer, Culture Crossing, Club Global, Album of the Year, and Audience Award. Initial lists of nominees in each category were selected annually by a panel of several thousand industry experts. Shortlisted nominees were voted on by a twelve-member jury, which selected the winners in every category except for the Audience Award category. These jury members were appointed and presided over by the BBC.
Award ceremonies
The annual awards ceremony was held at various venues including the Ocean in Hackney, Sage in Gateshead, the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, the Brixton Academy and finally at the BBC Proms. Winners were given an award called a "Planet," designed by Croatian sculptor Anita Sulimanovic in 2003.
In March 2009, the BBC made a decision to axe the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music.
2003 winners
The Awards concert took place on 24 March 2003. The award recipients were as follows: Africa Winner: Orchestra Baobab Runners-up: Bembeya Jazz, Kassé Mady Diabaté, Tony Allen Asia/Pacific Winner: Mahwash & Ensemble Kaboul Runners-up: Te Vaka, Trilok Gurtu, Alka Yagnik
Americas
Winner: Los de Abajo
Runners-up: Susana Baca, Yusa, Lila Downs
Europe
Winner: Mariza
Runners-up: Ojos de Brujo, Kimmo Pohjonen, Sergey Starostin
Middle East and North Africa
Winner: Samira Said. Runners-up: Kayhan Kalhor, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Yair Dalal
Newcomer
Winner: Gotan Project
Runners-up: DuOuD, Mariza, Yusa
Boundary Crossing
Winner: Ellika & Solo
Runners-up: Papa Noel & Papi Oviedo, Oi Va Voi, Gotan Project
Critics Award
Winner: Orchestra Baobab
Runners-up: Eliza Carthy, Salif Keita, Youssou N'Dour
Sources: 2003 nominees and winners
2004 winners
Africa
Winner: Daara J
Runners-up: Cesária Évora, Oumou Sangaré, Rokia Traoré
Asia/Pacific
Winner: Sevara Nazarkhan
Runners-up: Huun-Huur-Tu, Trilok Gurtu, Munojot Yo‘lchiyeva
Americas
Winner: Ibrahim Ferrer
Runners-up: Omar Sosa, Caetano Veloso, Tribalistas
Europe
Winner: Ojos de Brujo
Runners-up: Kroke, Radio Tarifa, Tamara Obrovac
Middle East and North Africa
Winner: Kadim Al Sahir
Runners-up: Mercan Dede, Khaled, Souad Massi
Newcomer
Winner: Warsaw Village Band
Runners-up: Ojos de Brujo, Cibelle, Sevara Nazarkhan
Boundary Crossing
Winner: Think Of One
Runners-up: Bob Brozman, Manu Chao, DuOud
Club Global
Winner: DJ Dolores and Orchestra Santa Massa
Runners-up: Mercan Dede, Panjabi MC, Zuco 103
Critics Award
Winner: Rokia Traoré
Runners-up: Abyssinia Infinite, John Spiers and Jon Boden, Oi Va Voi
Audience Award
Winner: Kadim Al Sahir
Runners-up: Cesária Évora, Sevara Nazarkhan, Tamara Obrovac
Source: 2004 winners and nominees
2005 winners
The hosts for the BBC Awards for World Music 2005 Poll Winners' Concert were Eliza Carthy and Benjamin Zephaniah. The award recipients were as follows: