Awards Program Eligibility Policies & Submission FAQs
In addition to eligibility requirements specific to each program, below are some policies and definitions used in our awards programs to determine eligibility for awards based on aspects or characteristics of the performing group/artist.
The CARAs and AVAs categories included in the final list of nominees are based upon the volume and the types of submissions each year. The CARAs and AVAs teams reserve the right to add, remove, or combine categories as needed.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, please contact Jessica Chen, Director of Awards, at [email protected].
Group Type Definitions
Middle school
Groups that submit to the middle school category should consist of students who are full-time middle school students at any middle school or homeschool. This may include groups that are affiliated with a middle school, as well as groups that are not affiliated with a school where all participants are otherwise full-time students at any middle school or homeschool.
High school
Groups that submit to the high school category should consist of students who are full-time high school students at any high school or homeschool. This may include groups that are affiliated with a high school, as well as groups that are not affiliated with a school where all participants are otherwise full-time students at any high school or homeschool.
Collegiate category
Groups that submit to the collegiate category should consist of students who are enrolled at your school or university. However, if your school or university allows outside members to participate, you can include them in your submission materials.
Non-Scholastic group category
Groups that submit to the Non-Scholastic category can include post-collegiate groups, semi-professional groups, community groups, choirs, solo performers, and anyone in between. Membership can be full- or part-time, auditioned or non-auditioned, paid or as a hobby.
Professional group category
Any group that submits to the professional group category should consist of members who are in your group on a full-time basis (i.e., actively engaged and receiving regular payment, as a primary source of income).
Voicing
Upper Voices
Any group that sings in an upper vocal range, such as SSAA (previously “Best Female Collegiate Category”)
Mixed Voices
Any group that sings in a mix of upper and lower vocal ranges, such as SATB (previously “Best Mixed Collegiate Category”)
Lower Voices
Any group that sings in a lower vocal range, such as TTBB (previously “Best Male Collegiate Category”)
Performance Status
Group Performs Regularly
Any group that performs together regularly in a live setting. This classification will apply to most groups.
Collaborative or Studio Project
Usually used to describe a short-term project that is a collaborative work between multiple artists or individuals, where the specific configuration does not perform together regularly in a live setting.
Solo Performer
This is used to indicate that the all audio in the work submitted for consideration is provided by a single individual.
Albums, EPs, Singles and Compilations
Submissions for any given awards season are specific to a calendar year. Release dates for albums or singles must be between January 1 and December 31 of the calendar year in order to be eligible. However, there are some scenarios where you may be submitting a collection of singles from the year in a single submission, or perhaps have a track that is being re-released on an album that has been on a previous album or was a single released in a previous year. Please review the various types of information we request below to make sure we categorize each submission correctly.
Album "Release Type"
When creating a submission to the CARAs, you will see the "release type" field. Please review these definitions to choose the most appropriate option:
- Released As Album: Choose this option if the submission represents a full Album released during the calendar year, either as an album from a single artist or a compilation album of various artists.
- Collection of Singles Released Separately: Choose this option if the submission contains multiple individual tracks that were released as singles on various dates throughout the calendar year.
Genre Definitions
Alternative
Music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s, distinct from mainstream or commercial rock or pop.
Barbershop
Music in the style of a cappella close harmony characterized by consonant four-part chords for every melody note in a primarily homorhythmic texture.
Big Band
Music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section.
Classical
Music that is characterized by the use of orchestral instruments, as well as from its emphasis on complex musical combinations and compositions that convey emotion, are descriptive in nature, or tell stories.
Country
Music originating in the rural southern US, traditionally a mixture of ballads and dance tunes played characteristically on fiddle, guitar, steel guitar, drums, and keyboard.
Disco
Music whose sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric piano, synthesizers, and electric rhythm guitars.
Electronic
Music that employs electronic instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation.
Experimental
Music that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions.
Folk
Music that is typically passed down through families and other social groups from generation to generation.
Funk
Music that is rhythm-driven, danceable, and syncopated that embraces elements from jazz, blues, and soul.
Global (formerly World)
Music which uses distinctive ethnic scales, modes and musical inflections, and which is often performed on or accompanied by distinctive traditional ethnic instruments.
Hip-Hop
Music with stylized rhythms (usually built around drum beats) that often accompanies rapping.
Holiday
Music that is typically heard in celebration of a given holiday event, and generally not heard again until that event.
Humor
Music that is comical, comedic or humorous in nature.
Jazz
Music that is characterized by swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation.
Indie
Music that strays away from commercial conventions. Often features lyrics that are earnest and emotive, with cultural and sociopolitical references.
Latin
Music from Ibero-America, which encompasses Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and the Latino population in Canada and the United States, as well as music that is sung in either Spanish and/or Portuguese.
Pop
Music that is popular in the mainstream.
R&B
Music with elements of blues, jazz, rhythmic, and gospel that originated within African-American communities in the 1940s.
Religious
Music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence.
Rock
Music that is characterized by a strong rhythm, amplified instruments, and often centered around the electric guitar.
Show Tunes
Music originally written as part of the score of a work of musical theater or musical film.
Soundtrack
Music recorded to accompany the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television program, or video game.
Theme Song
Music written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, or closing credits.
Traditional
Music that functions as a marker of identity for a particular cultural group and that has grown out of their oral tradition or that has been composed using musical characteristics derived from oral tradition.