The 33 nominated artists were voted for by delegates of WOMEX (World Music trade fair), held in October at The Sage Gateshead - and in the Album of the Year category, by a world panel of critics organised by fRoots Magazine.

Winners will be announced early in 2006 and the Poll Winners’ Concert, featuring many of the winners, returns to London after two years away and will be held at Brixton Academy on Friday 7th April 2006. The concert will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and on TV by BBC Four, as well as being made available online.

Voting for one final category, the Audience Award, begins on January 1 2006. The winner of this category will be announced on the night of the Poll Winners Concert.

The BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music now enjoy a new name alongside the official title - the Planet Awards - after the planet-like trophies received by the winners. Past winners of Planet Awards include many of the greatest figures in World Music - such as Mariza, Khaled Manu Chao, Gotan Project and the late Ibrahim Ferrer.

The 2006 nominations:

Africa: Ali Farka Toure (Mali); Amadou & Mariam (Mali); Emmanuel Jal (Sudan); Lura (Cape Verde)

Americas: Ry Cooder (USA); Seu Jorge (Brazil); Omar Sosa (Cuba); Carlos Vives (Colombia)

Middle East & North Africa: Ilham Al Madfai (Iraq); Souad Massi (Algeria); Rachid Taha (France/Algeria)

Asia Pacific: Faiz Ali Faiz (Pakistan); Susheela Raman (India/UK); Sain Zahoor (Pakistan); Yat-Kha (Tuva)

Europe: Armenian Navy Band (Armenia); Enzo Avitabile e Bottari (Italy); Fanfare Ciocarlia (Romania); Mariza (Portugal/Mozambique)

Newcomer: Dobet Gnahore (Ivory Coast); Konono No.1 (Congo); Lura (Cape Verde); Daby Toure (Mauritania)

Culture Crossing: Asha Bhosle & Kronos Quartet (India; USA); Yasmin Levy (Israel); Kimmo Pohjonen (Finland); Nitin Sawhney (India/UK)

Club Global: Mercan Dede (Turkey); M.I.A. (Sri Lanka/UK); DJ Shantel (Ukraine/Germany); Cheb I Sabbah (Algeria)

Album of the Year: Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate: In The Heart of The Moon (World Circuit); Amadou & Mariam: Dimanche à Bamako (Because Music); Salif Keita: M’Bemba (Universal Jazz France); Thione Seck: Orientations (Stern’s)

A compilation cd will be released on the Manteca label in March next year featuring all the nominees for 2006.

The Awards is a collaboration between BBC Radio 3, WOMEX, fRoots, Songlines, the Rough Guides and Serious and the aim is to provide a showcase for the very best in world music.

POLL WINNERS’ CONCERT: FRIDAY 7TH APRIL 2006
Box office: 0870 771 2000

Biographies and further information on the artists can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/radio3