Aotearoa Music Awards 2020 Finalists Announced

The freshly rebranded Aotearoa Music Awards have today truly opened up the floodgates, revealing finalists in 21 categories for the annual industry extravaganza formerly known as the New Zealand Music Awards (TAFKANZMAs). Artists up for multiple awards in 2020 include the mega popular Six60, finalists for five prizes following their landmark Western Springs headline event back in February, L.A.B. who are in the running for four awards, Tāmaki Makaurau's The Beths are finalists for Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist, Best Group and Album of the Year, breakout pop sensation BENEE is also up for three Tuis, along with South Island raised songwriter Reb Fountain who is finalist for Album of the Year, Best Solo Artist and Best Alternative Artist. Finalists for two awards this year include UK chart-topping South Auckland producer Jawsh 685, Nadia Reid, Paige and supergroup collective Mōhau.

As befitting tradition, this year's main awards presentation will be a glitzy affair happening at Spark Arena on Sunday 15th November, broadcast live on The Edge TV, Three and streamed via ThreeNow. The accompanying Artisan Awards will be pre-recorded at Massey University’s School of Music and Creative Media Production in Wellington and other key locations around nga motu, and broadcast earlier on Three at 11pm, Friday 13th November.

AMA 2020 Finalists (by category):

1. Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year

L.A.B – L.A.B III Nadia Reid – Out Of My Province
Reb Fountain – Reb Fountain
Six60 – Six60
Tami Neilson – Chickaboom!
The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers

2. Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year

BENEE – ‘Supalonely’
Drax Project ft Six60 – ‘Catching Feelings’
Jawsh685 – ‘Savage Love’ L.A.B – ‘In The Air’
Six60 – ‘Please Don’t Go’
Troy Kingi – ‘All Your Ships Have Sailed

3. Te Roopu Toa | Best Group

L.A.B. – L.A.B. III
Miss June – Bad Luck Party
 Six60 – Six60
The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers

4. Te Kaipuoro Takitahi Toa | Best Solo Artist

BENEE – Stella & Steve
JessB – New Views
Nadia Reid – Out Of My Province
Reb Fountain – Reb Fountain

5. Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year

CHAII
Jawsh685
MELODOWNZ
Paige

6. Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist

Maimoa
Ria Hall
Stan Walker

7. Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist

BENEE
Paige
Six60

8. Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist

Mermaidens
The Beths
Reb Fountain

9. Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist

Haz & Miloux
Lepani
Stan Walker

10. Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist

choicevaughan
Church & AP
Raiza Biza

11. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist

L.A.B
Lomez Brown
Ria Hall

12. Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award

Maimoa
Mōhau
Six60

13. Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist

Lee Mvtthews
State of Mind
Truth

14. Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist

City of Souls
Devilskin
Villainy

15. Te Kaipuoro Kairangi Toa | Best Worship Artist

Mōhau
Kane Adams
Te Rautini

16. Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist

Andrew Beer & Sarah Watkins
Klara Kollektiv
Matthew Marshall

17. Te Kōwhiri o te Nuinga | People’s Choice Award

18. Tohu Whakareretanga | Recorded Music NZ Legacy Award

19. Te Toa Hoko Teitei | Highest Selling Artist

20. Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau | NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year

21. Tohu Tutuki o te Ao | Recorded Music NZ International Achievement

Additional Tuis presented in 2019:

22. Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Folk Artist

Winner: Mel Parsons – Glass Heart
Victoria Vigenser & Lindsay Martin – The Gap
Paper Cranes – Voices

23. Te Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa | Best Pacific Music Album

Winner: Olivia Foa’I – Candid
Church & AP – Teeth
POETIK – HAMOFIED 2 EP

24. Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa | Best Country Artist

Winner: Delaney Davidson & Barry Saunders – Word Gets Around
Katie Thompson - Bittersweet
Kendall Elise – Red Earth

25. Recorded Music NZ Te Kaipuoro Tautito Toa | Best Jazz Artist

Winner: Dixon Nacey – The Edge Of Chaos
ALCHEMY – ALCHEMY
Michal Martyniuk - Resonate

26. Te Kaipuoro Waiata Tamariki Toa | Best Children’s Artist

Winner: Anika Moa – Songs For Bubbas
3 Captain Festus McBoyle
Chris Sanders

Listen to an official AMA playlist featuring the finalists for 2020: