The Aotearoa Music Awards, conferred annually by Recorded Music NZ, honour outstanding artistic and technical achievements in the recording industry. The awards are among the most significant that a group or artist can receive in New Zealand music, and have been presented annually since 1965. The awards show is presented by Recorded Music NZ. A range of award sponsors and media partners support the event each year.
Anne Crummer is a New Zealand pop singer and songwriter of Cook Islands descent who has seen success in both a solo career and as part of various musical groups.
Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, known professionally as Lorde, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and introspective songwriting.
Jonathan Owen Bree is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and producer, best known for his work as a solo artist, as well as co-founding the indie pop group The Brunettes, in 1998 and Lil' Chief Records, in 2002. He frequently collaborates with label-mates as a musician, engineer, and record producer.
American rapper Macklemore has released three studio albums and two mixtapes as a solo artist. The origin of the name Macklemore is from when Haggerty attended Nathan Hale High School and was required to invent a superhero for an art project. At the beginning of his musical career, he recorded an EP titled Open Your Eyes in 2000 under the name Professor Macklemore, which he distributed himself. This initial work of his was also considered a mixtape, as some of the songs on this EP were written separately. His only official mixtape, The Unplanned Mixtape, released in 2009, consisted of ten songs. Macklemore dropped "Professor" from his name, and released his first official full-length album, The Language of My World in January 2005. He appeared as a featured artist on The Physics' song "Good" in 2009. In 2008, 2009, and 2011, Macklemore performed at Bumbershoot, a major arts and music festival in Seattle. In 2009 he released The Unplanned Mixtape, which reached No. 7 on iTunes. Macklemore's debut single "The Town" was released from The Unplanned Mixtape and later remixed by Sabzi of the Blue Scholars. In 2017, he released his second studio album Gemini, which reached No. 2 on the US Billboard 200.
Glass Animals are an English indie rock band formed in Oxford in 2010. Founded and led by singer, songwriter, and producer Dave Bayley, the group also features his childhood friends Joe Seaward, Ed Irwin-Singer and Drew MacFarlane. Bayley wrote and produced all three Glass Animals albums. Bayley spent his childhood in Massachusetts and Texas before relocating to Oxford, where he met the other band members at school. Their first album, Zaba (2014), spawned the single "Gooey", which was eventually certified platinum in the United States. Their second full album, How to Be a Human Being, received positive reviews and won in two categories at the 2018 MPG Awards for UK Album of the Year and Self Producing Artist of the Year, as well as a spot on the Mercury Prize shortlist. The third, Dreamland, peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and number seven on the US Billboard 200.
Olivia Gail O'Brien is an American singer. She rose to fame in 2016 after collaborating with Gnash on the single "I Hate U, I Love U", which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and number one in Australia. The success resulted in a recording contract with Island Records, with whom she released two extended plays, three mixtapes, and her debut studio album Was It Even Real? (2019).
Mikaela Mullaney Straus, known by her stage name King Princess, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Brooklyn, New York. She is signed to Mark Ronson's label Zelig Records, an imprint of Columbia Records. In February 2018, King Princess released her debut single "1950", from her debut extended play (EP) Make My Bed, released later that year. The song was a commercial success, charting in multiple territories, and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her second single, "Talia", was certified gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). King Princess released her debut studio album Cheap Queen in 2019 to widespread critical acclaim.
"Nothing to Regret" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Robinson. It was first released on 22 February 2018 by Universal Music Group in Australia and New Zealand. The song was written by Robinson, Allie Crystal, and Larzz Principato, while the production was handled by Sam de Jong and Joel Little. Written during a trip to New York City, "Nothing to Regret" is a mid-tempo pop song which details how one should enjoy spending time with their friends. Robinson noticed how different her schedule was from her friends', which she took as inspiration for the track.
Ruby Phillips, known professionally as Ruby Fields, is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Cronulla, New South Wales. In 2018, she released her debut EP Your Dad's Opinion for Dinner, followed by the singles "I Want", "P Plates", and "Ritalin". Her single "Dinosaurs" reached number nine on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2018.
Stella Rose Bennett, better known as Benee and formerly Bene, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter from Auckland. In both 2019 and 2020, she consecutively won Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist and Best Pop Artist at the New Zealand Music Awards. Benee initially gained local prominence with her singles "Glitter" and "Soaked", before her 2019 single "Supalonely" saw international popularity following its success on the video-sharing platform TikTok and YouTube. Benee subsequently released her debut album, Hey U X, in November 2020.
Stella & Steve is the second extended play by New Zealand singer Benee, released on 15 November 2019 by Republic Records.
"In the Air" is a song by New Zealand band L.A.B., released as a single from their album L.A.B. III in November 2019. The song topped the charts in New Zealand, becoming the most successful single of 2020 in the country.
"Help Me Out" is a song by New Zealand musicians Kings and Sons of Zion, which was released as a single in October 2020. The song was a commercial success in New Zealand, receiving a platinum certification and was one of the top New Zealand top 50 singles of 2021.
"All She Wrote" is a song by New Zealand band Six60, released as a single in February 2021, during their Six60 Saturdays tour. The song was a hit for the band, reaching number one in New Zealand.
Harper Finn is a New Zealand singer and musician. He has written and produced ten singles and has announced an EP to be released in 2022. Following the release of his single "Dance Away These Days", Finn was awarded Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Aotearoa Music Awards in 2021.
Kaylee Bell is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. In 2013, she won the Toyota Star Maker award in Australia, and was the first New Zealand-born artist to win since Keith Urban in 1990. She released her debut studio album, Heart First, later that year. Bell has placed multiple singles in the Top 10 of the Australian Country Music Charts. She is currently the 'Most Streamed Female Country Artist' in Australia. Her second album, Silver Linings was released in November 2021. Bell opened for Brad Paisley on his World Tour NZ show late 2022 alongside Australian country singer Morgan Evans and was support act for Ed Sheeran on his Mathematics World Tour in 2023.
Maisey Rika is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and composer, performing in both English and Māori. Her five original albums have each reached the Top 40 in the Official New Zealand Music Chart. She was named an Arts Foundation Laureate in 2021, has received awards at the Waiata Māori Music Awards and APRA Awards, including APRA Best Māori Songwriter in 2010 and 2013, and has twice won Best Māori Language Album at the NZ Music Awards.
"Matemateāone" is a song by New Zealand musician Stan Walker. A bilingual ballad sung primarily in Māori language, the song was released as a single a week before Walker's first album sung in Māori, Te Arohanui. A love ballad, the song's music video celebrates his marriage to his partner Lou Tyson.
Chickaboom! is the seventh studio album by Canadian-New Zealand country singer Tami Neilson, released on 14 February 2020, by Neilson Records and Outside Music. A country album inspired by rockabilly, Chickaboom! was nominated for the Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year and Aotearoa Music Award for Album of the Year at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards. The album debuted at number eight on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.
