The Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts (HARA) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax ID number 52-1693387) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Please kōkua and donate today to help our non-profit sustain its mission to preserve, protect, promote and continue to foster Hawai‘i’s music industry.

Current paid HARA members only. Except the "Favorite Entertainer of the Year" award is open to the public for voting.

The HARA Board of Governors do NOT determine the winners, the current paid HARA Membership determines the winners via online voting.

For the technical categories (graphics and liner notes) committees are established to select the five finalists on the final ballot. The accounting firm tabulates the votes for the final ballot and the winners are announced at our award ceremonies.

A committee of Hawaiian language and music specialists selects the adjudicated categories.

The Favorite Entertainer of the Year Award is selected by public voting conducted via an online voting process

There are official guidelines to submit albums, EPs, singles, music videos, and music DVDs for Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards consideration.

Click the link HERE for the Na Hoku Hanohnao Awards submission guidelines.

General Categories (14)

  • Album of the Year (Artist and Producerʻs Award): Best produced album release of the year.
  • EP (Extended Play) of the Year: Best release that contains more than 3 but no more than 8 separate tracks, and is of less than 30 minutes in total playing time.
  • Hawaiian EP (Extended Play) of the Year: Best release that contains more than 3 but no more than 8 separate tracks, and is of less than 30 minutes in total playing time. 75% of the tracks must be in the Hawaiian language.
  • Single of the Year: Best recorded performance of a song released as a single in either physical (CD) or digital format.
  • Hawaiian Single of the Year: Best recorded performance of a song in the Hawaiian language released as a single in either physical (CD) or digital format.
  • Song of the Year (Composer’s Award): Best achievement in creating a first–time recorded song including words and music.
  • Instrumental Song of the Year (Composerʻs Award): Best achievement in creating a first–time recorded instrumental composition.
  • Music Video of the Year: Best performance of music and video. May contain no more than two (2) distinct music tracks.
  • Hawaiian Music Video of the Year: Best performance of music and video. At least 75% of the video music must contain musical performance or content in which the music of Hawai‘i is the subject. May contain no more than two (2) distinct music tracks.
  • Female Vocalist of the Year: Best performance by a female artist.
  • Group of the Year: Best performance by a vocal duo or group.
  • Male Vocalist of the Year: Best performance by a male artist.
  • Most Promising Artist of the Year: Most promising first–recorded effort as a featured artist or group.
  • Favorite Entertainer of the Year: Selected by the general public.

Genre Categories (19)

  • Alternative Album of the Year: Best performance of music in an alternative style.
  • Anthology of the Year: Best album of previously released material.
  • Christmas Album of the Year: Best performance of music with a Christmas theme.
  • Comedy Album or DVD of the Year: Best comedy performance on an album or DVD.
  • Compilation Album of the Year (Producerʻs Award): Best performance of newly released material by a minimum of three distinct artists.
  • Contemporary Album of the Year: Best performance of music in a contemporary style, and predominantly utilizing electric and/or electronic instruments.
  • Contemporary Acoustic Album of the Year: Best performance of music in a contemporary style, and predominantly utilizing acoustic instruments.
  • Hawaiian Album of the Year: Best performance of Hawaiian music.
  • Hip Hop Album of the Year: Best performance of music in a Hip Hop style.
  • Instrumental Album of the Year: Best instrumental performance.
  • Island Music Album of the Year: Best contemporary performance of music of or about Hawai‘i.
  • Jazz Album of the Year: Best jazz performance.
  • Metal Album of the Year: Best metal performance.
  • R&B Album of the Year: Best performance of music in an R&B style.
  • Reggae Album of the Year: Best reggae performance.
  • Religious Album of the Year: Best performance of religious material.
  • Rock Album of the Year: Best rock performance.
  • Slack Key Album of the Year: Best performance of slack key or vocals with slack key accompaniment.
  • ‘Ukulele Album of the Year: Best ‘ukulele performance.

Adjudicated Categories (7)

  • Haku Mele (Composerʻs Award): Best first–released song or chant primarily in the Hawaiian Language.
  • Hawaiian Language Performance (Artist Award): Best performance in the Hawaiian language.
  • General Engineering Award: Best technical achievement in a sound recording and mix-down for all genres of music other than Hawaiian music albums, slack key, and ‘ukulele albums.
  • Hawaiian Engineering Award: Best technical achievement in a sound recording and mix-down for Hawaiian music albums, slack key, and ‘ukulele albums.
  • Liner Notes: Best achievement in album annotation.
  • Graphics: Best achievement in album cover design.
  • International Album of the Year: Best performance by non–US performer(s) on an album or DVD whose tracks are at least 75% in the Hawaiian language or performed in slack key or Island Music styles.

Membership is open to active and retired recording arts and sciences professionals; members of affiliated industries, such as radio, television, record company employees, arts and entertainment writers, and individuals who are not recording industry professionals, but exhibit a strong interest in and/or substantial knowledge of the recorded music of Hawai‘i.

Please click HERE for more membership information and types of membership and application.