What characteristics should an entertainment industry gala pursue? Transcendence, glamour, humour, emotion, drama, perhaps some controversy. There was none of this last night at the Ifema Conference Center, Madrid. Of course, the first edition of the Academy of Music Awards (ACAMUS) was original, a new attempt to reproduce musical Goya. At the moment they have been born timid and with such low intensity that it is difficult to bet on a splendid future. Well, the Grammys began their journey in a hotel restaurant. But that was in 1959.
On a Monday, in June (shouldn’t they take place in the first months of the year, since they correspond to what happened in 2023?), without television broadcasts or on digital platforms and with little attendance from great music figures. This is how these awards were born, which are supposed to be the most important in the sector. Not even the musical stars who appear as members in the organization chart of the Academy of Music were willing to stop by. No sign of Alejandro Sanz, Pablo Alborán, Luz Casal or Manuel Carrasco. Nor did it seem like a good plan to start the week for new Spanish pop stars, such as Quevedo, Aitana or C. Tangana, although all three won awards.
The favorites were Arde Bogotá with 9 nominations and they triumphed in this unique first edition with up to six awards. The second most added were the Granada-based La Plazuela, who captured four out of five nominations.
The music industry continues to seek its awards. They envy the film sector, which is better organized and has enough pragmatism to bury (or conceal) its internal wars for the common good. Spanish music, traditionally, has always been a disunited sector and neglected by institutions, something that is not so evident with cinema. It lacks, let’s say, a basic union component. In search of those musical Goyas, the Music Awards, the Amigo, the Odeón have been organized… They have all lacked impact and continuity. In the meantime, there are the Independent Music Awards (MIN), which are now in their 15th edition and growing every year.
Behind these new awards that were awarded last night is the Academy of Music, which was founded in January 2024 with the involvement of important groups in the music sector. Luis Cobos (head of the AIE, the management entity for music performers) serves as president, and the two heavyweights on the board of directors are Antonio Onetti (president of the SGAE) and Antonio Guisasola (president of Promusicae, the company that prepares the sales lists of albums and songs). Record companies do not appear in the main organs, which did happen in other awards. In any case, it is a “founding board” that will be dissolved in the coming weeks and elections will be called immediately.
The Academy currently has 900 representatives (about 2,000 of the Goyas), including musicians, record company executives, managers, sound engineers, journalists, promoters… “A screening has been done, but anyone who has a career in music can belong to the Academy,” say sources from the organization. Of these 900, about 600 voted for the awards. Up to 43 categories, around 200 nominated artists selected from the 2,600 nominations.
In true Grammy fashion, most of the awards (70 percent) were awarded at a sit-down gala. Many of the winners did not show up for this pre-gala, so the day did not start well. For the night, 13 categories were left, the supposedly most important ones. Actresses Abril Zamora and Andrea Guasch, and music journalists Ángel Carmona and Johann Wald served as presenters. The four came out of the trance as best they could, taking into account the weak material they had. The auditorium, with about 1,400 seats (for guests only), was not full.
The ceremony, which lasted about 90 minutes, was tedious due to the lack of surprises and emotion. Four performances were offered: Mikel Izal tried to live up to a song by Antonio Vega, I had to run; Maria Toledo paid tribute to Camarón, and María José Llergo and Iván Ferreiro performed songs from their songbook. The four of them left quickly, as if in a hurry. Within the monotony of the presentation of the candidates and the speeches, the words of Sílvia Pérez Cruz stood out, who dedicated one of her three awards to her daughter: “Because I fight every day so that she understands things. And, if not, let him invent them. “Long live the imagination.” She also managed to break the tedium of María José Llergo, who by collecting the Best Folk Album for Ultrabelleza, She said: “I just remember the times they called me crazy when I said I wanted to be a singer.”
It was notable that Aitana will win the award for Best Electronic Music Song for The Angels. Either we don’t take electronic music seriously or something strange happened in that category. It was also surprising that Arde Bogotá’s album, Cowboys of the A3, beat The air takes us away, by Robe. Even the Murcian group itself will feel terrible shame.
The only revulsion that occurred in the stalls was when the public address system said that the next prize would be given by “Nacho García Vega and Sabina…”, to be quickly rectified with “Sabino Méndez”. Without a doubt, the presence of Joaquín Sabina would have enlivened the ceremony. When the presenters said thank you very much and that there were free drinks on the fourth floor, everyone there ran away. That’s when the fun started…
– Artist of the Year
• Father
• Bogotá burns (winner)
• Guitarricadelafuente
• María José Llergo
• Quevedo
• Silvia Pérez Cruz
– Album of the year
• Boycott (Artist: Alizzz)
• Cowboys of the A3 (Artist: Arde Bogotá): winner
• Ultrabeauty (Artist: María José Llergo)
• The air is taking us away (Artist: Robe)
• Pilgrimage Manual (Artist: Rodrigo Cuevas)
• A lifetime, one day (Artist: Slívia Pérez Cruz)
– Song of the Year
• Madrid City (Artista: Ana Mena)
• Los Perros (Artist: Arde Bogota): winner
• To return to? (Artist: Coke Malla)
• I Hit It (Artist: Delaporte)
• The Fool (Artist: Lola Indigo, Quevedo)
• The root (Artist: Valeria Castro)
– Best New Artist
• Bogotá burns: winner
• Jimena Amarillo
• The Plazuela
• Tanjugueiras
• Valeria Castro
– Composer of the Year (Song)
• Bogotá Burns (Song: La Salvación)
• Coke Malla (Song: Will it come back?)
• Iván Ferreiro (Song: In the trenches of Pop culture): winner
• María José Llergo (Song: Superpoder)
• Nathy Peluso (Song: Salvaje)
• Valeria Castro (Song: The root)
– Best Pop Album
• Alpha (Artist: Aitana)
• Bellodrama (Artist: Ana Mena): winner
• Change Before (Artist: Bureau)
• The Dragon (Artist: Lola Indigo)
• Almost Perfect (Artist: Nena Daconte)
– Best Alternative Music Album
• Casa Linda (Artist: Cala Vento)
• RONEO FUNK CLUB (Artist: La Plazuela): winner
• 10 Years of Flowers, Wind and Fue (Artist: Bierdo)
• PO2054AZ (Vol.I) (Artist: Sen Senra)
• Thirst (Artist: Bizarre Love Triangle)
– Best Rock Album
• Aftermath (Artist: Angelus Apatrida)
• Cowboys of the A3 (Artist: Arde Bogotá): winner
• The air is taking us away (Artist: Robe)
• Vol. 2 (Artist: Tarque)
• Love Of Any Kind (Artist: Viva Sweden)
– Best Rock Song
• Los Perros (Artist: Arde Bogotá): winner
• I’m left with evil (Artist: Johnny Garso)
• The Power of Art (Artist: Robe)
• Confetti (Artist: Rulo y la Contrabanda)
• I have returned to see you burn (Artist: Tarque)