The Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) has officially revealed the nominees for the 31st South African Music Awards (SAMA31). The announcement was made during a virtual showcase.
Nominees for the Top Five Categories will be unveiled in September 2025, while the main awards ceremony will take place in November 2025, presented in a new hybrid format.
Below is the full list of nominees across 25 categories:
Best Adult Contemporary Album
- uKhisimusi – An African Christmas — Just 6
- Seven — Melanie Scholtz
- Room For Everyone — Tony Drake
- Nonyezi Nue — Sam Nosipho Khuzwayo
- Look At You Now The Morning After — Dirk Klut
Best African Adult Contemporary Album
- UMI — Zamajobe Sithole
- Sankofa — Thandiswa Mazwai
- Nomthandazo — Zoe Modiga
- Isibusiso Sami — Ndu Shezi
- Indumiso YabeNguni — Mthuthu
Best Afro Pop Album
- Twenty Four — Nomfundo Moh
- Malik — Malik
- Isibuko (Deluxe) — Sjava
- Inkanyezi (Live) — Sjava
- Collaborations With Friends — Dalom Kids
Best Alternative Album
- Unyazi — Yoav & Jabulile Majola
- Perspective: Black — Zādok
- Hindsight 2020 — Francis Soal
- Emlotheni — Th&o.
- Berge — Spoegwolf
Best Amapiano Album
- Your Piano Is Not My Piano — Vigro Deep
- Sewe — Kelvin Momo
- Ntsako — Kelvin Momo
- Midnight in Sunnyside 3 — Mellow & Sleazy
- Inja Ye Game — Zee Nxumalo
Best Classical/Instrumental Album
- In the Morning — John Lundun
- By Alle Skone Dinge — Chris Vale, Eugene Joubert & Franco Prinsloo, Marlize Hattingh
- Ballaké Sissoko & Derek Gripper — Derek Gripper
- A Season in Paradise — Vox Chamber Choir & Franco Prinsloo
- Awake for 22 Hours — Orecchiette
Best Collaboration
- Waze Wamuhle — Kelvin Momo
- Takala — Black Motion
- Ematshwaleni — Kususa
- Stay With Me — Matt Davies
- Amalanga — Mas Musiq, Lawd Weezy & DJ Maphorisa ft TO Starquality, Chley & Kabza De Small
Best Dance Album
- The Cradle Of Art — Black Motion
- Finally Famous Too — Dlala Thukzin
- Cr4zy!!.. — MÖRDA
- Dreaming — Shimza
- Caiiro — Caiiro
Best Engineered Album
- The Cradle Of Art — Black Motion
- Sankofa — Thandiswa Mazwai
- Isibuko (Deluxe) — Sjava
- Reawakening — Keenan Meyer
- Feathers & Stone — Jeremy Loops
Best Gqom Album
- Tronics Land 3 — Mr Thela
- The Rebellion — DJ Lag
- Play At Your Own Risk — Goldmax
- Nande 3.0 — DJ Sandiso
- Next Level — Lelowhatsgood
Best Hip Hop Album
- See U Soon (Delux) — Blxckie
- Red October: Induction — Tony Dayimane
- Pray 4 Pitori — Loatinover Pounds
- Audio 2D; Dear Darkie — Sizwe Alakine
- Loyal To The Plug: The Life & Times of Don Kilograms — 25K
Best Jazz Album
- uNomkhubulwane — Nduduzo Makhathini
- Terra Solus — Nick Ford
- Ndilapha — Nomfundo Xaluva
- Hope Dies Last — Peter Auret
- Apho Kungenje — Ncesh Nonxishi
Best Maskandi Album
- Ngathi Nguye — Umafikizolo
- iPolotiki — Phuzekhemisi
- Angidlali Nezingane — Khuzani
- Alingeni — Ntencane
- Amathambo Kagogo — Imithente
Best Produced Album
- UMI — Zamajobe
- The Cradle Of Art — Black Motion
- Sankofa — Thandiswa Mazwai
- Reprise on 2nd Avenue — Qü
- iLadi — Linda Sikhakhane
Best Produced Music Video
- Umbuzo — Soa Mattrix
- Gucci (Official Music Video) ft MaWhoo — Mthandeni SK
- Tshwala Bam (Remix) — TitoM & Yuppe
- South — Blxckie
- Risk — Shekhinah ft Moliy
Best R&B/Soul Album
- Too Many Promises — Mikhalé Jones
- Stone Cold Heart — Elaine
- On Air — Filah Lah Lah
- It’s Clear To See — Clxrity
- Heartbreak Hotel (Deluxe) — The Big Hash
Best Reggae Album
- Mekwei — Dread Lloyd
- The Rise — Anela Jahmena
- Flaws in Frame — Dimahr
- After All — Luwe Da Lion
- Area Code — Botanist Mr Lamington
Best Rock Album
- Vir Mekaar — Bloumoord
- These Blues Might Get You Too — MaxX & Love
- The World We Know — Prime Circle
- Old Wounds — The Man Motels
- Look At You Now The Morning After — Dirk Klut
Best Traditional Faith Music Album
- Uyinqaba Yam (Jehovah Nissi) — Betusile
- The Journey (Part 1) — Tebs David
- The Full Circle Revival — Malusi Mbokazi
- Rofhiwa Dzina — Rofhiwa Manyaga
- According to Grace, A One Man Show — Ayanda Ntanzi
Best Traditional Music Album
- O Moleele — Keitumetse Mangate Production
- Mmakgodu — MmaAusi
- Miracle Child (Deluxe) — Makhadzi Entertainment
- Kwanomthandazo — Sabu Jiyana
- Bakokota (EP) — Pleasure Tsa Manyalo
Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album
- Vaalsand — Pietman Geldenhuys
- Niemandsland — Ampie
- Eindbestemming — Spoegwolf
- Land & Sand — Neil Sandilands
- Geraamtes — Majo
Remix of the Year
- Tshwala Bam — TitoM
- Skuta — Woodblock DJs
- Mngani — Jnr SA
- Iza Mawala — Tycoon
- Hlala — Mpho.Wav
Rest of Africa Award (South Africans Excluded)
- The Year I Turned 21 — Ayra Starr
- The Party & After Party — Bensoul
- Morayo — Wizkid
- Born In The Wild — Tems
- Adedamola — Fireboy DML
Best African Indigenous Faith Album
- Re Kgoeletsa Magodimong — Wacha Mkhukhu Wachumlilo
- Morena Re Ya Leboga — JTG Gospel Choir
- Busa Jeso — House Of Mercy
- Ikutana Barongoa Ba Morena — Zanele J. Naledi
- Nkapese Ka Maatla — Di Bruin Gospel Projects
Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
- Crosspower Experience 4 — Jabu Hlongwane
- The Glory — Takie Ndou
- Heavenly Psalms Level 2 (Live at Goshen City Church 2023) — SbuNoah
- Lindiwe — Nontokozo Mkhize
- Living Word — Mmangaliso
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