The KMEA championships have been held each year in late October and occasionally early November, and with one exception have always been a multi-round contest.
In 1993, snow and the prospect of unsafe, icy roads after dark led KMEA leadership to cancel the final round, and class championships were determined by bands' placements in the semifinals earlier in the day.
Beginning in September all bands have the opportunity to participate in contests held throughout the state that have been sanctioned by KMEA.
Currently, bands that attend at least two sanctioned contests are then allowed to continue to regional quarterfinals competitions within their classes that take place in mid- to late-October.
[1] *Lafayette High School holds the record of highest finalist score in KMEA History with a 97.25.
And in 1991, Paul Laurence Dunbar band's 2nd year of existence, PLD toppled favorites Harrison County and Elizabethtown to win class AAA.
Class AAAA was once again captured by Lafayette for the 2nd consecutive year after trailing GRC earlier in the season.
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School entered class 4A in 1992 to compete with cross-town rival, Lafayette, which rolled to an all-time record of 13-straight state titles from 1990 to 2002.
In 1993 North Hardin returned to the spotlight with a second-place finish based on its semifinals performance—state finals were cancelled that year due to snow.
For various reasons in 2001 North Hardin stopped competing in the state championships, which opened the door for Lafayette's cross-town rivals Tates Creek and Paul Laurence Dunbar to become its star competition.
In 2005, when KMEA introduced the new 1A–5A school-size classification system, Dunbar prevailed victorious over Lafayette once more, becoming KMEA's first ever 5A champion, and winning Dunbar's 3rd consecutive state championship (fourth over-all), thus tying North Hardin's three consecutive titles from the late 1980s.
North Hardin placed 3rd, trailing Madison Central by only a few tenths and Lafayette claimed another state title, bringing its total to 16.
In class 1A, Beechwood regained the governor's cup after Williamstown had won it for three consecutive years, and Mayfield made its second state finalist appearance in school history.
In class 3A, Adair County won another title, winning its 19th state championship and first under former Elizabethtown and John Hardin director Tom Case.
The reigning 4A champion, Madisonville-North Hopkins, was challenged by Grant County, Madisonville placed fourth in the mornings semi-final round, but claimed the championship once again at finals.
Madisonville North-Hopkins won yet another Class 4A championship while Grant County stayed in second, John Hardin finishing in third place and first-time finalist West Jessamine claiming fourth.
In Class 5A, Eastern High School made the finals for the first time, being placed third and knocking out perennial finalist North Hardin.
The 2013 season was moved back to Louisville, Kentucky and was the second year in the contest's history in which all five of the previous state champions defended their titles.
In class 2A, Trigg County was named the second place finalist with two newcomers in third and fourth, Owensboro Catholic and Christian Academy of Louisville.
Class 5A, Lafayette claimed their 18th state championship, trailed by Madison Central, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and North Hardin.
The 2014 championships had been relocated to Roy Kidd Stadium in Richmond for the first time since 1995 and proved to hold a multitude of surprises.
In class 1A, Williamstown finally reclaimed the title from defending champion Beechwood, with Murray and Hazard in third and fourth, respectively.
In the 2015 season, championship titles were reclaimed in classes 1A, 3A & 5A by Beechwood and Adair County and Madison Central bands.
In class 4A, defending champion Grant County was 8th place in semifinals and did not advance to finals, neither did perennial finalist Madisonville North Hopkins.
Larry A. Ryle with new director, Joe Craig edged out Dunbar and returned to state finals for the first time since 2002.
In class 3A, under new leadership by Michael Stone, Bourbon County claimed the state championship even after the retirement of their long-time director, Eric Hale.
In Class 5A, Madison Central claimed their sixth overall state championship with previous champion Lafayette finishing in second, followed by Larry A. Ryle in third, returning competitor Paul Laurence Dunbar in fourth place, and Henry Clay in fifth having made their second-ever state finals appearance (their first appearance being in Class 3A in 2004), and George Rogers Clark in sixth.
In Class 1A, previous champion Washington County defended their title, edging out second-place Mayfield by 0.25 points.
In Class 5A, Lafayette reclaimed the state champion title from previous winner Madison Central, followed by Larry A. Ryle, Paul Laurence Dunbar, George Rogers Clark, and returning finalist North Hardin.
In Class 5A, Lafayette claimed their twenty-fourth title, followed by Madison Central, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Larry A. Ryle, George Rogers Clark, and returning finalist Henry Clay.