RECOGNITION
The Royalty Network Inc returns as Excellence in Music Ceremony 2026 to honour creatives
The Royalty Network Inc will once again be on board for Back 2 Da Future Music Limited’s annual music recognition ceremony, which returns to Jamaica on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at The Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston under its new name, the Excellence in Music Ceremony 2026.
Formerly known as the Grammy Certificate Ceremony, the event has been renamed and expanded to reflect a broader recognition platform for the artistes, musicians, producers, songwriters, engineers, vocalists, and creative contributors whose work has helped shape reggae, dancehall, and global music history.
The 2026 staging will continue to recognise contributors connected to Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated projects, while also introducing British Phonographic Industry (BPI)-certified discs as part of the expanded ceremony format. Through this addition, selected honorees will receive BPI-certified silver, gold and platinum discs, alongside Grammy Certificates.
From left: Frank Liwall, CEO, Royalty Network Inc, pause for the camera at the 2025 staging of the Grammy Certificate Ceremony in Jamaica with Kennedy Mensah, of Back 2 Da Future Music Limited, and Danny Abowd, president and general counsel, Royalty Network Inc..
The return of The Royalty Network Inc, the New York-based music publishing company, further strengthens the ceremony’s international connection and continued focus on rights, recognition, documentation and legacy. The company’s involvement forms part of the event’s growing relationship with music publishing networks and international partners committed to acknowledging the contributions of music creators and rights holders.
“We’re proud to once again partner with our old friends at Back 2 Da Future in our shared mission of honouring and amplifying the brilliance of the creators who have devoted their talents not just to planting the seeds for reggae and dancehall music to blossom over the years, but also to ensuring that Jamaican and Caribbean music and musicians will remain at the heart of the global music scene for generations to come,” said Frank Liwall, president, The Royalty Network Inc.
The BPI disc presentations were first introduced on a smaller scale in 2025 for Steely and Clevie, and later for Robert Browne at the Florida staging in January 2026. The upcoming Excellence in Music Ceremony 2026 will now expand those presentations, further strengthening the event’s role as a platform for international music recognition.
From left: Frank Liwall, CEO, Royalty Network Inc; award-winning music producer Christopher Birch; and Danny Abowd, president and general counsel, Royalty Network Inc, share a moment with at the 2025 staging of Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd.’s Grammy Certificate Ceremony. .
“Our ceremony aims to formally give flowers to creatives in recognition of the living legacy of their service to music. We honour the mostly unsung heroes whose passion, innovation, and lasting contributions have enriched the global music landscape across every genre. Preferably whilst they are here to smell them; if unfortunately not, then for their families to help consolidate their legacy,” said Kennedy Mensah, founder of Back 2 Da Future Music Limited.
For them, the expanded format represents a continued commitment to identifying and celebrating music contributors whose work has travelled across borders and generations.
The ceremony will also continue to connect Jamaica’s music heritage with international music markets, publishing networks, certification bodies, media partners, sponsors, and fans, while creating a platform that gives unsung contributors their night in the spotlight.