19th Golden Melody Awards


Ceremonies of the 19th Golden Melody Awards were held in Taipei, Taiwan in 2008. Nominees were announced on 22 May, 2008, and the award winners in 12 traditional music categories and 23 popular music categories were selected by a panel of 33 judges after four rounds of jury meetings. Initially, there were 10,632 submissions from 185 companies in the music industry, making it the largest submission pool in the Awards' history.
Winners for artistic and traditional music categories were announced on 21 June, 2008, at Taipei County Hall in a ceremony separate from that for popular music categories. It was the second consecutive year that the ceremony for this category group was held separately, and it did not attract as much media attention as the ceremony for the popular music categories. By contrast, artists from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Canada attended the awards ceremony for popular music categories, which was held at the Taipei Arena on 5 July, 2008. Actress sisters Barbie and Dee Shu, former news anchor Patty Hou, and actress Matilda Tao hosted this event, whose list of award presenters included Canadian recording artist Daniel Powter and Japanese drama stars Akito Kiriyama, Junta Nakama, and Yuya Takaki. Both events were broadcast on the satellite cable Azio Television channel on June 28 and July 5, respectively.
Malaysian singer Gary Chaw and Singaporean singer-songwriter Tanya Chua were named Best Mandarin Male and Female Singers in the popular music category, respectively. Chua won the Best Mandarin Female Singer award for the second time; she last won the award in the 17th Golden Melody Awards. Chua's record seven nominations for her album Goodbye & Hello are the most received by a female artist. Taiwanese musician and singer Jay Chou, who received a record-breaking eight nominations for his album On the Run and film Secret, was not able to attend the event due to his tour in China. Chou's primary lyricist Vincent Fang was present to receive the award of Best Lyricist for the song "Blue and White Porcelain". Pop rock band Sodagreen received its second consecutive award as Best Band for its album Incomparable Beauty.

Nominees and winners

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.

Popular music categories

Best song

Blue and White Porcelain – On the Run – Jay Chou

Best Mandarin album

L!VE IS...KAREN MOK – Karen Mok

Best Taiwanese album

Love Songs – Ricky Hsiao

Best Hakka album

2007 Banana – Ayu Huang
  • * An Old Tree, New Branches – Liu Jung-chang
  • * Hair Bun Flower – Cheng Chao-fang
  • * In Love with Old Mountain Railway – Chiu Hsing-yi and Chiu Li-ling

Best aboriginal album

Ipay Buyci – Ipay Buyci
  • * Auba! The Most Beautiful Tribe
  • * Chalaw Passiwali – Chalaw Passiwali
  • * My Name Is Bai Lang – Bai Lang
  • * Nasi – Sauniaw
Ipay Buyci is a self-titled album in the Atayal language.

Best composer

Jay Chou – Blue and White Porcelain, sung by Jay Chou

Best lyricist

Vincent Fang – Blue and White Porcelain, sung by Jay Chou

Best arrangement

Hsiao An – Agent J, for Jolin Tsai
  • * Chen Chien-chi – j'Adore, for Fish Leong
  • * Chung Hsing-min – Blue and White Porcelain, for Jay Chou
  • * Huang Chung-yueh – Darwin, for Tanya Chua
  • * Martin Tang – Against the Light, for Stefanie Sun
  • * Tu Hui-yuan – Wake-up Song, for Gary Chaw
  • * Wu Ching-feng, Shih Chun-wei, Hsieh Hsing-i, Liu Chia-kai, He Ching-yang, Kung Yu-chi, Lin Wei-tse – Incomparable Beauty, for Sodagreen

Best album producer

Tanya Chua – Goodbye & Hello, released by Tanya Chua
  • * Terry Chan – L!VE IS..., released by Karen Mok
  • * Gary Chaw and Tu Hui-yuan – Super Sunshine, released by Gary Chaw
  • * Ayu Huang – 2007 Banana, released by Ayu Huang
  • * Tsao Teng-chang – Ipay Buyci, released by Ipay Buyci

Best single producer

Adia – Agent J, released by Jolin Tsai

Best mandarin male singer

Gary Chaw – Super Sunshine

Best taiwanese male singer

Ricky Hsiao – Love Songs

Best mandarin female singer

Tanya Chua – Goodbye & Hello

Best taiwanese female singer

Chan Ya-wen – Life Highway
  • * Chen Si-an – Appreciation
  • * Liu I-chun – Lonesome Moon
  • * Showlen Maya – Homesickness
  • * Sun Shu-may – ''Chance to Love You''

Best hakka singer

Ayu Huang – 2007 Banana
  • * Sinco Chiu and Aileen Chiu – In Love With Old Mountain Railway
  • * Lin Tzu-chun – Hakka Girl
  • * Liu Jung-chang – ''An Old Tree, New Branchesso justu''

Best aboriginal singer

Ipay Buyci – Ipay Buyci
  • * Amoy – Beautiful Voice of Aboriginal Music
  • * Bai Lang – My Name Is Bai Lang'
  • * Chalaw Passiwali – Chalaw Passiwali
  • * Sauniaw – Nasi
Ipay Buyci, the winner of this category, is a member of the ethnic Atayal people.

Best band

Sodagreen – Incomparable Beauty
  • * Cherry Boom – Goody Goody
  • * Kou Chou Ching – Kou! It's Coming Out!!!
  • * Mavis Fan and 100%樂團 – 2007 Breakthrough Album
  • * Mrs. This – Who
  • * Won Fu – ''Youth Dance''

Best singing group

Da Mouth – Da Mouth

Best newcomer

Debbie Hsiao – Shuo's Map Album
  • * Lo Si-rong – Everyday
  • * Connie Lu – Moment of Love
  • * WOW – The Big Hits
  • * Chris Wu – Stay Up
  • * Olivia Yan – ''Silly Child''

Best instrumental album

Fantasia of Tuscany – Lee Cin-yun
  • * Mr Bebu – Chipin & Kaiya
  • * Secret – Jay Chou
  • * Sizhukong – Peng Yu-wen

Best instrumental album producer

Jay Chou – Secret
  • * Denise Juan – Sunshine Costa
  • * Lee Cin-yun – Fantasia of Tuscany
  • * Peng Yu-wen – ''Sizhukong''

Best instrumental composer

Jay Chou and Terdsak Janpan – Secret
  • * Chang Shih-he – The Expedition soundtrack
  • * Lee Cin-yun – Fantasia of Tuscany
  • * Denise Juan – ''Sunshine Costa''

Best music video director

Chou Ke-tai – j'Adore, sung by Fish Leong
  • * Chen Hung-yi – Learned, sung by Ivana Wong
  • * Chu Hsueh-yi – Why, sung by Mavis Fan and 100%樂團
  • * Chung Wei-chuan – This is Me, sung by Paul Wong
  • * Hsu Yun-hsuan – Left Side, sung by Sodagreen

Lifetime contribution award

  • '''Chen Chih-yuan '''

Artistic and traditional music categories

Best traditional music album

Sepiuma's Songs
  • * Cheng Rom-shing Music Album
  • * Quest for the Garden Saunter and the Interrupted Dream
  • * The Ultimate of Peking Opera: Wei Haimin Performance Mei Lanfang School
  • * ''Tu Ju-sung Bamboo Flute Solo Album''

Best classical music album

Capriccio Pine Breeze: Hsieh Wan-chen's Oboe Album

Best children's music album

Traditional Children's Music of Tsou Tribe
  • * Learning Hakka
  • * ''Shine Like a Star''

Best religious music album

Apocalypse : The Future That Amazes
  • * Dharma Flower ''Yangjin Lamu
  • * Realizing the Self in Resonance
  • * Song of Praises III: Liu Chih-ming's Sacred Music
  • * The Lord Is My Shepherd''

Best crossover music album

Wolf Totem
  • * Capriccio Pine Breeze: Hsieh Wan-chen's Oboe Album
  • * Soundtrack for ''Ciao Ci-chao''

Best songwriter

He Xuntien – Images in Sound – Mili Pattern
  • * Hsu Ya-min – Apocalypse : The Future That Amazes – Apocalypse : The Future That Amazes
  • * Huang Yan-chung – Harvest Festival of Music – ''Harvest Festival''

Best lyricist

– Travel in Dream – A Plate of Poetry

Best composer

Yiu-Kwong Chung – Aboriginal Rhythm – Kao Yi-sheng's Song
  • * Chen Yi-hui – Ciao Ci-chao soundtrack – ''Spring Time''

Best producer

Wang Chih-ping – Quest for the Garden Saunter and the Interrupted Dream

Best traditional music interpretation

Wei Hai-min – The Ultimate of Peking Opera: Wei Haimin Performance Mei Lanfang School
  • * Cheng Rom-shing – Cheng Rom-shing music album
  • * Kung Ai-ping – Quest for the Garden Saunter and the Interrupted Dream
  • * Sepiuma Group – Sepiuma's Songs
  • * Tu Ju-sung – ''Tu Ju-sung Bamboo Flute Solo Album''

Best vocalist

Taipei Male Choir – In Love With You
  • * Formosa Singers – Formosa Singers and Gary Graden
  • * Jeannie Voce – Summertime
  • * Taipei Artist Choir – Because of Love
  • * Wang Xinxin – ''Realizing the Self in Resonance''

Best music performer

Yen Chun-chieh – Chun-Chieh Yen Debut Album

Jury special mention

  • '''Lin Yu-chih '''

Lifetime contribution award

Presenters and performers

Presenters

Presenters for the popular music categories at the ceremony:
  • Taiwan singer Rainie Yang, along with Japanese drama stars Akito Kiriyama, Junta Nakama, and Yuya Takaki, presented the awards for Best Composer and Best Singing Group.
  • Singers Jia-jia and Samingad, both members of the ethnic Puyuma people, presented the awards for Best Aboriginal Singer and Best Aboriginal Album.
  • Entertainer Kang Kang and singer Frankie Kao presented the awards for Best Arrangement and Best Song.
  • Television host Hsiao Chung, along with Hakka singers and past winners Liu Shao-hsi and Hsieh Yü-wei, presented the awards for Best Hakka Singer and Best Hakka Album.One Million Star top 10 finalist Aska Yang and musician Kay Huang presented the awards for Best Music Video Director and Best Newcomer.
  • P'eng Ch'ia-ch'ia, entertainer Pai Bing-bing, and Hsü Hsiao-shun presented the awards for Best Taiwanese Male Singer and Best Taiwanese Female Singer.
  • "Queen of Taiwanese music" Jody Chiang and lyricist Vincent Fang presented the award for Best Taiwanese Album.
  • Musicians Ni Fang-lai and Ma Yü-fen presented awards for the instrumental music categories of Best Album Producer, Best Composer, and Best Album.
  • Record producer Huang Kuo-lun and Taiwan's "Queen of Pub" Tiger Huang presented the awards for Best Single Producer and Best Album Producer.
  • Taiwan musicians Lo Ta-yu and Chang Chen-yue presented the awards for Best Lyricist and Best Band.
  • Aboriginal Taiwanese pop singer A-mei and Cantopop singer Eason Chan presented the award for Best Mandarin Male Singer.
  • Taiwan pop singer Jolin Tsai and Canadian recording artist Daniel Powter presented the award for Best Mandarin Female Singer.
  • Hong Kong singer and actor Wakin Chau and Taiwan record producer Jonathan Lee presented the award for Best Mandarin Album.
  • Vanessa Shih, a minister at the Government Information Office, presented the Lifetime Contribution Award.

Performers

There were six performance segments during the ceremony: