Irish singer and composer Enya has received various accolades in recognition of her music, primarily in the Celtic and new-age subcategories. Enya's career spans over four decades, beginning her solo career in 1982. She is the best-selling solo Irish artist—second artist only behind U2— and one of the best-selling artists of all time.
"May It Be" from the 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring garnered her nominations at major ceremonies, including the Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song, in 2002. Enya had won all of her nominated World Music Awards, four Grammy Awards of nine nominations, and became the most nominated Irish artist in history at the Brit Awards. In 2007, Enya was honored by Ulster University with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree and by University of Galway with an honorary Doctor of Music degree. Watermark won twice the RTÉ Choice Music Prize for Classic Irish Album in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Awards and nominations
Award/organization Year Nominee/work Category Result Academy Awards2002"May It Be"Best Original Song Academy of Achievement2002Enya Golden Plate Award American Music Awards2002Enya Favorite Adult Contemporary BDSCertified Spin Awards2002"Only Time"300,000 Spins Billboard Music Awards2001EnyaFemale Albums Artist of the Year Billboard Number-One Awards1989WatermarkTop Pop Album Top Pop Compact DiskTop New Age AlbumEnyaTop Pop Album Artists — FemaleTop New Age Artist BMI London Awards2005"I Don't Wanna Know" Pop Winning Songs Urban Winning Songs2024"Creepin'" Song of the Year BMI Pop Awards1989"Orinoco Flow" Most-Performed Songs 2003"Only Time" Song List 2005"I Don't Wanna Know" Most-Performed Songs BRIT Awards 1989 EnyaBest International Female Solo Artist Best International Breakthrough Act1992Best International Solo Artist1993 Broadcast Film Critics2005"May It Be"Best Song Cash Box Awards1989EnyaTop New Female Artist — Pop Albums Cash Box Year-End Awards1992EnyaTop Female Artist Shepherd MoonsTop Pop Album Critics Choice Association2002"May It Be"Best Original Song ECHO Music Prize1997EnyaBest International Female Artist 2002"Only Time"Best International Pop Song EnyaBest International Female Artist Type, "Enya" if Necessary2006 2016EnyaBest International Female Artist Golden Globes Awards2002"May It Be"Best Original Song Golden Raspberry Awards1993"Book of Days"Worst Original Song Grammy Awards 1990 "Orinoco Flow"Best Music Video Best New Age Performance1993Shepherd MoonsBest New Age Album1997The Memory Of Trees2002A Day Without Rain2003"May It Be"Best Song Written for Visual Media 2007AmarantineBest New Age Album"Drifting"Best Pop Instrumental Performance2017Dark Sky IslandBest New Age Album Hong Kong Top Sales Music Awards2001A Day Without RainTop Ten Best Selling Foreign Albums of the Year Irish Music Awards 2011EnyaTommy Makem Award Irish Recorded Music Awards 1989EnyaBest Irish Female Artist 1993 Ivor Novello Awards1998EnyaInternational Achievement Japan Gold Disc Awards1997Paint the Sky with StarsBest International Pop Album NOTE: Search for "エンヤ"2001A Day Without RainBest International Pop Album Los 40 Pop Awards1992EnyaBest New Age Artist Meteor Ireland Music Awards2009EnyaBest Irish Female MOBO Awards2004"I Don't Wanna Know" Best Ringtone Best Single Music & Media Year-End Awards1992EnyaTop 3 Female Artists — Albums 1996EnyaTop Album Artists Napster Awards 2006EnyaMost-Played World Artist — USA "Only Time"Most-Played World Song — USA NARM Awards1993Shepherd MoonsTop-Selling New Age Recording RTÉ Choice Music Prize2024Watermark Classic Irish Album University of Galway2007EnyaHonorary Doctor of Music (PhD) degree Ulster University2007EnyaHonorary Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degree World Music Awards 2001 EnyaWorld's Best Selling New Age Artist World's Best Selling Irish Artist2002World's Best Selling Female Artist World's Best New Age ArtistWorld's Best Selling Irish Artist 2006 Žebřík Music Awards1993 EnyaBest International Female 1997 2005
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