View source for GMA Dove Award

{{Short description|American award for achievements in Christian music}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox award
| name           = Dove Award
| current_awards = 56th GMA Dove Awards
| image          = GMA Dove Awards Logo.jpg
| caption        = Dove Awards logo
| awarded_for    = [[Christian music industry]] achievement award
| presenter      = [[Gospel Music Association]]
| country        = United States
| year           = 1969
| website        = {{URL|http://doveawards.com/}}
}}
A '''Dove Award''' is an accolade by the [[Gospel Music Association]] (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the [[Christian music]] industry. The awards ceremonies presented annually and have been held in [[Nashville, Tennessee]] except in 2011 and 2012 when they were held in [[Atlanta]], Georgia. The ceremonies feature live musical performances and are broadcast on [[TBN (TV channel)|TBN]].

The awards were established in 1969 and represent a variety of musical styles including [[Christian rock|rock]], [[Contemporary Christian music|pop]], [[Christian hip hop|hip hop]], [[Christian country music|country]], and [[Urban contemporary gospel|urban]].<ref name="abouthistory">{{Cite web |url=http://christianmusic.about.com/od/doves/a/dovehistory.htm |title=GMA Dove Awards History |last=Jones, Kim |publisher=[[About.com]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405225224/http://christianmusic.about.com/od/doves/a/dovehistory.htm |archive-date=April 5, 2015 |access-date=April 5, 2012 }}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|sure=yes|date=April 2020}}<ref name="cp43rd">{{Cite news |url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/dove-awards-2012-lineup-announced-71085/ |title=Dove Awards 2012 Lineup Announced |last=Koonse |first=Emma |date=March 8, 2012 |work=[[The Christian Post]] |access-date=April 5, 2012}}</ref>

==History==
{{Gospel music articles}}
[[File: Stellar kart dove award.jpg|thumb| [[Stellar Kart]] at a press conference after the GMA Dove Awards in [[Nashville, Tennessee]], USA, in 2007]]
The Dove Awards were originally conceptualized by [[Gospel music|Gospel]] singer and songwriter [[Bill Gaither]] at a [[Gospel Music Association]] board meeting in 1968. The idea of the award being represented by a dove is credited to Gaither and the design for the award itself is credited to gospel singer [[Les Beasley]] and designer Bob McConnell.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://doveawards.com/dovestatuette/|title=Dove Statuette &#124; The 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards|accessdate=August 26, 2021}}</ref> The first GMA Dove Awards were held at the [[Peabody Hotel]] in [[Memphis, Tennessee]] in October 1969. In 1971, the awards moved to Nashville.

The [[3rd GMA Dove Awards]] of 1971 were deemed invalid due to apparent [[ballot stuffing]] by the [[southern gospel]] group [[the Blackwood Brothers]] and that year is still not considered an official awards year by the Gospel Music Association. There were no awards held in 1979 due to a decision by the Gospel Music Association to move the awards from autumn to spring. Every ceremony since then has been held in the spring. The first televised ceremony was the [[15th GMA Dove Awards]] of 1984 which aired on the [[Christian Broadcasting Network]].<ref name="encyc">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3jqjSKHKcwC |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music: Pop, Rock, and Worship |last=Cusic |first=Don |publisher=ABC-CLIO, LLC |year=2010 |location=[[Santa Barbara, California]] |pages=111–113 |isbn=9780313344268 |access-date=April 6, 2012}}</ref>

The awards were held in Nashville until 2011 before being presented at the [[Fox Theatre (Atlanta, Georgia)|Fox Theatre]] in [[Atlanta]], Georgia in 2012.<ref name="cp43rd" /><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110216/us-music-dove-awards/ |title=Chris Tomlin, TobyMac lead Dove Award nominations |last=Landrum|first=Jonathan Jr. |date=February 16, 2011 |work=[[The Huffington Post]] |access-date=April 6, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125155704/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110216/us-music-dove-awards/|archive-date=January 25, 2013}}</ref> They returned to Nashville in 2013, and have been held at the [[Allen Arena]] on the campus of [[Lipscomb University]] since.<ref name="2013 GMA Press Release">{{Cite web |url=http://www.doveawards.com/return-of-dove-awards-nashville/ |title=GOSPEL MUSIC ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES RETURN OF THE LEGENDARY GMA DOVE AWARDS TO NASHVILLE |date=March 19, 2013 |website=GMA Dove Awards |publisher=[[Gospel Music Association]]|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707063747/http://www.doveawards.com/return-of-dove-awards-nashville/ |archive-date=July 7, 2015 |access-date=July 6, 2015 }}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=April 2020}}<ref name="Dove FAQs">{{Cite web |url=http://www.doveawards.com/faqs/ |title=FAQs |website=GMA Dove Awards |publisher=[[Gospel Music Association]]|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707055236/http://www.doveawards.com/faqs/ |archive-date=July 7, 2015 |access-date=July 6, 2015 }}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=April 2020}}

==Categories==
[[File:BrittNicole2008DoveAwards.jpg|thumb|[[Britt Nicole]] at the 2008 Dove Awards]]
Because of the large number of award categories (42 in 2012), and the desire to feature several performances by various artists, only the ones with the most popular interest are presented directly at the televised version of the award ceremony.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.doveawards.com/nominees.php |title=Nominees for the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards... |publisher=[[GMA Dove Awards]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710145827/http://www.doveawards.com/nominees.php |archive-date=July 10, 2011 |access-date=April 2, 2012 }}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=April 2020}}

===General===
The "General Field" includes seven awards which are not restricted by genre:

* [[Dove Award for Song of the Year|Song of the Year]] is awarded to the songwriter and the publisher.
* [[Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year]] (since 2015 two awards have been given in this category: one for a songwriter who is an artist, and one who is a non-artist)
* Male Vocalist of the Year
* Female Vocalist of the Year
* Group of the Year
* Artist of the Year
* [[Dove Award for New Artist of the Year|New Artist of the Year]]
* Producer of the Year

Other awards are given for performances in specific genres as well as for other contributions such as artwork and video. As of the 43rd Dove Awards, these include:

===Inspirational===
* Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year
* Inspirational Album of the Year

===Pop===
* Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
* [[Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year|Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year]]

===Southern Gospel===
* [[Southern Gospel]] Recorded Song of the Year
* Southern Gospel Album of the Year

===Gospel (soul/black)===
* Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
* Traditional Gospel Album of the Year
* Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
* Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year

===Musicals===
* [[Musical theatre|Musical]] of the Year
* Youth/Children's Musical of the Year

===Praise & Worship===
* [[Contemporary worship music|Worship]] Song of the Year
* Worship-Recorded Song of the Year
* [[Dove Award for Worship Album of the Year|Worship Album of the Year]]

===Country & Bluegrass===
* [[Christian country music|Country]] Recorded Song of the Year
* Country Album of the Year
* [[Bluegrass music|Bluegrass]] Recorded Song of the Year
* Bluegrass Album of the Year

===Rock===
* [[Christian rock|Rock]] Recorded Song of the Year
* Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
* Rock Album of the Year
* Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year

===Rap/Hip Hop & Urban===
* [[Christian hip hop|Rap/Hip Hop]] Recorded Song of the Year
* Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year
* [[Urban contemporary gospel|Urban]] Recorded Song of the Year

===Miscellaneous===
* Instrumental Album of the Year
* Children's Music Album of the Year
* Spanish Language Album of the Year
* Special Event Album of the Year
* Christmas Album of the Year
* Choral Collection of the Year
* Recorded Music Packaging
* Short Form Music Video of the Year
* Long Form Music Video of the Year
* Inspirational Film of the Year

==Eligibility rules==
In 1998, the GMA published a new definition of what music was eligible for a Dove Award, holding that all nominees had to be:

* Substantially based upon historically orthodox Christian truth contained in or derived from the Holy Bible
* An expression of worship of God or praise for His works
* Testimony of relationship with God through Christ
* Obviously prompted and informed by a Christian worldview<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4XJQD4O_TkC&q=%22Substantially+based+upon+historically+orthodox+Christian+truth%22&pg=PA619 |title=Encyclopedia of Radio |last=Sterling |first=Christopher H. |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2004 |location=[[New York City]] |page=619 |isbn=9780203484289 |access-date=April 6, 2012}}</ref>

Prior to the definition, the only requirement was for a record to be sold in [[CBA (Christian trade association)|Christian Booksellers Association]] affiliated stores. ''[[The New York Times]]'' later attributed these stricter rules to backlash over the [[Amy Grant]] album ''[[Behind the Eyes (Amy Grant album)|Behind the Eyes]]'' winning the award for Pop/Contemporary album earlier that year, whose lyrics ''[[Christianity Today]]'' argued were effectively secular in nature.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/11/us/religion-journal-a-chastened-singer-returns-to-christian-basics.html|title = Religion Journal; A Chastened Singer Returns to Christian Basics|date = May 11, 2002|accessdate = May 16, 2025|last = Rabey|first = Steve|page = A15|url-access = limited|newspaper = [[The New York Times]]}}</ref> The new standards resulted in complaints by some fans and artists after thirteen entries were disqualified as being too secular in the 1999 Dove Awards. The rules were rescinded afterwards and many groups disqualified by the rulings in 1999 were winners in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.av1611.org/crock/gmalyrics2.html |title=GMA's "new" definition for Gospel music |last=Watkins, Terry |publisher=Dial-the-Truth Ministries |access-date=April 6, 2012}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|sure=yes|date=April 2020}} 

{{As of|2019}}, the GMA's policy stipulates that eligible music is "based upon the historically orthodox Christian faith contained in or derived from the Holy Bible or apparently prompted and informed by a Christian world-view".<ref>{{cite web |title=GMA Dove Awards: 2019-2020 Policies & Procedures Manual |url=https://doveawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2020-Policies-and-Procedures.pdf |website=doveawards.com |access-date=April 10, 2020 |pages=2–3 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Evangelical Christianity|}}
* [[Christian pop culture]]
* [[GMA Canada|Gospel Music Association of Canada]] [[Covenant Awards]]
* [[List of religion-related awards]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://doveawards.com}}
* [http://www.gospelmusic.org/ GMA website]

{{Dove Award years}}
{{Musicawards}}
{{Contemporary Christian Music}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gma Dove Award}}
[[Category:GMA Dove Awards| ]]
[[Category:Culture of Nashville, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1969]]
[[Category:American music awards]]
[[Category:1969 establishments in Tennessee]]