KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Malaysia’s premier song competition, Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL), returns tomorrow for its 40th edition, with 10 finalists vying for the coveted Juara Lagu title.

The grand finale will take place at Unifi Arena in Bukit Jalil today, with a live broadcast on TV3 and the Tonton streaming platform from 9pm.

Here is what you need to know about AJL40 and the competition’s journey to the grand finale.

How it works?

AJL is a song competition and should not be confused with Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM), which recognises excellence across the Malaysian music industry.

Since its inception in 1986, AJL has been closely linked to TV3’s weekly chart show, Muzik Muzik, which serves as the main platform for songs seeking a place in the competition.

To be eligible, a song’s composer and lyricist must be Malaysian citizens registered with local rights organisations such as Music Authors Copyright Protection Berhad (MACP) or Public Performance Malaysia (PPM).

The song must also be an officially released commercial single available on digital platforms such as Spotify and YouTube, with lyrics predominantly in Bahasa Malaysia.

While TV3 initially enforced strict language requirements, the criteria have evolved to accommodate regional dialects, minor multilingual elements and broader musical influences.

One example was singer Zubir Khan’s Yennode Macha, a fully Tamil-language song that reached the Muzik Muzik 39 semi-finals in 2024.

A season of Muzik Muzik typically runs for almost a year before reaching the semi-finals (SFMM).

The top 20 songs, selected through a combination of online votes, radio airplay and streaming metrics, are performed live over two to three nights before a professional jury selects the AJL finalists.

The journey culminates in the AJL grand finale, where 10 songs compete for the Juara Lagu title, recognising the country’s composers, lyricists and vocalists.

AJL’s reach

Over the years, AJL has helped local artistes expand their reach while providing a major platform to showcase their creative work.

According to a Nielsen Television Audience Measurement study cited by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in its 2024 Industry Performance Report, AJL38 led linear television ratings in Peninsular Malaysia with an average audience of 3.37 million.

AJL38 also surpassed the Hari Raya Aidilfitri announcement broadcast and TV3’s Buletin Utama, which recorded about 3.12 million and 2.78 million viewers respectively that year.

When nationwide reach and digital platforms such as Tonton were included, Media Prima reported in its 2024 annual report that AJL38 reached 6.4 million viewers, its highest audience exposure since 2021. Social media engagement also reached 3.2 billion impressions, with the show trending for three consecutive days.

However, AJL38 remained the second-most watched edition in the show’s history, behind AJL26 in 2012, which recorded a peak audience of 6.5 million, according to previous reports.

What to expect at AJL40

AJL40 is themed “Meraikan 4 Dekad: Evolusi dan Masa Depan Muzik Malaysia” (Celebrating 4 Decades: The Evolution and Future of Malaysian Music), with the tagline “love your legacy, elevate your future”.

Indonesian maestro Aubrey Suwito will serve as music director, bringing contemporary and world-class arrangements to the show.

Malaysian musician Datuk Hashridz Murshim Hassim, better known as Datuk Acis, served as head of jury for SFMM40 and is expected to return in the same role for AJL40.

Following positive reception at AJL39, Naz Rahman and Sissy Imann will return as the main hosts, while radio presenters Fizi Ali and Fiza Frizzy will host the red carpet and backstage segments.

TV3 has also reminded guests attending AJL40 to adhere to dress codes appropriate to their gender, following public backlash and regulatory scrutiny over a cross-dressing incident at last year’s event.

On the performance front, Ryenald Guntabid’s Lumangad Oku Dika marks a historic milestone as the first Dusun-language song to reach the AJL stage.

First-time finalists include Wani Kayrie, who secured her first AJL entry after 11 years in the industry with Cak Cak Cekuk, and masked rap outfit K.O.I with Tiwikarma.

The remaining finalists include Aina Abdul, Dayang Nurfaizah, Marsha Milan, Amir Masdi, Hazama, Aisha Retno and the collaboration of Kmy Kmo, Luca Sickta and Salammusik.

The AJL40 winner will receive the Juara Lagu title and RM100,000, while the second- and third-place winners will receive RM50,000 and RM30,000 respectively. The prizes will be shared among the composers and lyricists.

Best Vocal, Best Performance and Sponsor’s Choice awards will each carry RM12,000 for the performing artistes, bringing the total cash prize pool to more than RM216,000.

AJL40 finalists

1. Kamu

Performer: Aina Abdul

Composer: Aina Abdul

Lyricist: Aina Abdul 

2. Lemah

Performer: Dayang Nurfaizah

Composer: Hael Husaini

Lyricist: Hael Husaini 

3. Tangisan Seorang Pendosa

Performer: Marsha Milan

Composer: Marsha Milan

Lyricist: Hazama 

4. Semacam Pandora

Performer: Hazama

Composer: Hazama, Genervie Kam and Ritz Metalasia

Lyricist: Zel Hadauan 

5. Nurcinta

Performer: Amir Masdi

Composer: Amir Masdi and Edry Abdul Halim

Lyricist: Amir Masdi and Edry Abdul Halim 

6. Tak Adil

Performer: Aisha Retno

Composer: Aisha Retno and Radi

Lyricist: Aisha Retno 

7. Ke Mana Ni

Performer: Kmy Kmo, Luca Sickta and Salammusik

Composer: Kmy Kmo and Luca Sickta

Lyricist: Kmy Kmo, Luca Sickta and Salam 

8. Lumangad Oku Dika

Performer: Ryenold Guntabid

Composer: Ryenold Guntabid

Lyricist: Ryenold Guntabid 

9. Cak Cak Cekuk

Performer: Wani Kayrie

Composer: Karim Karam, Shane Kennedy and Iqie Hugh

Lyricist: Karim Karam, Shane Kennedy and Iqie Hugh 

10. Tiwikarma

Performer: K.O.I

Composer: Zai Hamzah and Hemo Globin

Lyricist: Achoi Floor 88, Khaza Raflex, Tuan Nicky, Mya Nana and Sapik Sam