Jay Chou strikes gold at Melody awards

Peng Shui-kuang (彭水光) provided the most colorful and musical acceptance speech for his award for best Aboriginal singer by dressing in full Rukai Aborigine gear and walking onto the stage carrying his elderly frail mother on his back in a traditional display of filial piety.

Popular music garners the greatest amount of attention at the awards, with 16 categories, but 10 awards are also given to artists working in religious music, children's music, and classical styles of music.

This year's awards tried to put the best face on an industry that has seen its revenues decline by almost two thirds since its peak in 1998.

The decline in album sales as a result of pirating is the most important issue facing the industry, but no mention of these ills throughout the evening's proceedings.

15th Golden MelodyAward Winners

Best Album: Yeh Huei-mei by Jay Chou (周杰倫)

Best musical director: Kuang Sheng (鄺盛) for work on Yeh Huei-mei (葉惠美) by Jay Chou (周杰倫)

Best instrumental album: Crystal Boys (孽子), Fan Zong-pei (­范宗沛)

Best composer: Hsieh Hsiao-juan (謝曉娟) for Love Hurts by A-sun (阿桑)

Best lyricist: Shawn Song (宋岳庭)

Best arrangement: Chong Hsing-min (鍾興民) for work on Magic by Jolin Tsai (蔡依林)

Best producer: Lee Hom Wang (王力宏)

Best Mandarin male singer: Sky Wu (伍思凱)

Best Taiwanese male singer: Chang Yu-wei (張羽偉)

Best Mandarin female singer: Faye Wong (王菲)

Best Taiwanese female singer: Showlen Maya (秀蘭瑪雅)

Best Hakka singer: Xie Yu-wei (謝宇威)

Best Aboriginal singer: Peng Shui-kuang (彭水光)

Best band: Mayday (五月天)

Best singing group: Ah-bao (阿爆) and Brandy

Best newcomer: Lin Junjie (林俊傑)