NZ Music Month / Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa: Week 2 Highlights

The 25th anniversary of NZ Music Month Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa boasts a big variety of free live events, workshops, initiatives, panel discussions plus much more to tuck into up until the end of May. Brought to you by the fabulous team at NZ Music Commission, you can get your mitts on the classic bullseye / speaker NZMM tee and snazzy new 25th anniversary design HERE, to show your love for Aotearoa's gloriously diverse sonic culture — "all profits from purchasing the official NZMM tees go to MusicHelps so they can continue to support people who make music possible in Aotearoa". 

We have joined the party, introducing our UTR Roundup Playlist — a rolling playlist keeping you in the loop with every new Aotearoa release we've featured on the site over the past month (updated weekly). Listen up and follow HERE.

New Zealand Music Month highlights happening THIS WEEK — check out the UTR gig guide HERE and the revamped NZMM gig guide HERE for lots of live shows and more events nationwide.

NZ Music Month is launching Tee Me Up 2025 (from noon today)
Bands or artists can submit a design for a new tour t-shirt to be in to win 50 printed t-shirts that they can sell, giveaway or use however they wish! This is possible all thanks to AS Colour and Karousel Printing

Palmy May Music Month (many events free)
A huge schedule of 66 events scheduled to take place in Palmerston North! This week you could check out Te Kura Huia – three mean mana wahine dropping dirty bass and factual bars; the soulful and sultry vocals of Preeti; the garage and jungle sounds of Te Papaioea electronic project Showponi; take the Secret Library Music Tour with laid-back acoustic artist Laura Evans in the library’s Fiction Zone and much, much more.

Beyond The Beat new web series
Each week, a rising star meets with a musical legend to turn their most iconic tune on its head - giving a unique glimpse into music production and Aotearoa’s next generation of artists. The first episode featured Reiki Ruawai and MELODOWNZ. Track 2 is being revealed on George FM tonight, featuring MazbouQ & Cee Blu + Sly Chaos.

Thursday Nights Live at Sky City, Auckland ft. Brandn Shiraz, MOKOMOKAI, DJs Dusty & Ghos - 8th May (free)
Every Thursday night, we're bringing you the best in Aotearoa's music scene—from rising stars to legendary voices. Get ready for a lineup of epic live acts and DJs who'll bring the beats, the vibes, and the unmistakable energy of NZ Music Month. Hosted by MC Slave (Fat Freddy's Drop), this is your chance to soak up the sounds of Aotearoa's finest in an electric setting.

BUY NOW Book Launch & Eyeliner Performance at Flying Nun Records, Wellington - 8th May (free, 5pm to 7pm)
We're pleased to be hosting the launch of the latest addition in the famed 33 1/3 series of books, this time focussing on Eyeliner's groundbreaking BUY NOW album. Come and celebrate at our Wellington store, with author Michael Brown and a special musical performance by Eyeliner (aka Disasteradio) himself!

95bFM presents Fancy New Band ft. CCTV, Community Treatment Order, Lipstick Cherry, Lucian Rice, Midnight Green at The Tuning Fork, Auckland - 9th May (all-ages)
Every year we sniff out some of the freshest new local bands, have them play on Morning Glory, then once a year during New Zealand Music Month (NZMM) we bring a bunch of them together for an epic showcase! Tickets are pay What You Can on the door. If you can't make it, the showcase will be broadcast live on-air via 95.0FM / 95bFM.com and online via our YouTube Channel.

Freak The Sheep DJs at Public Bar, Auckland - 9th May (free, 8pm to midnight)
95bFM Freak The Sheep co-hosts Taylor MacGregor and Chris Cudby spinning NZ only / Kiwi bangers.

Heretaunga Hastings Music Trail, Hastings CBD - 10th May (free, 11am to 8pm)
Think of it as an art trail, but for your ears: a way to explore the city, discover new talent, and enjoy Hastings hospitality – all to the soundtrack of homegrown sounds. Follow the A-Side trail, B-Side trail – or mix it up across the 18 performances.

Titirangi Folk Music Club May Music Month Performance at Titirangi Library - 10th May
Drop in and out or stay for the whole day – we've got a jam-packed line-up of performances from the amazing members of the Titirangi Folk Music Club! Bring your friends and enjoy a day of great music and good vibes. All welcome, tea and coffee provided.

NZ Music Month Library Choir at Tautoru / TSB Space, Hapori | Community, Tūranga (Chch Central Library), Christchurch - 11th May (2pm to 3pm, register in advance)
Ever wondered what Tūranga would sound like to sing in? You can find out by joining our multi-storied Library Choir! Guided by musician LA Mitchell and friends, let’s unify our voices in this life affirming celebration of New Zealand music.

NZ Music Month ft. The Reveal at Ōamaru Library - 13th May (free, 12.30pm)
Munch on your sandwiches and tap your toes a bracket of classic Kiwi music from the 1960s to 2020, with local covers band, The Reveal.

Happening throughout NZMM:

OUTPLAY - all May
A campaign focusing attention on artists such as Kaylee Bell, Princess Chelsea, Alien Weaponry and LEISURE who are succeeding internationally and getting local Kiwi audiences to match their success by ‘outplaying’ the great streaming numbers that they have in cities around the globe.

OurAuckland Celebrates New Zealand Music Month - all May (free)
It’s time to turn up the volume and celebrate our local sounds this May in the city centre! This New Zealand Music Month, the city centre is the place to be, with an exciting lineup of free live performances, outdoor gigs, talks with industry leaders, morning raves and a vibrant Midtown Street Party.

FromThePit 2024 New Zealand Music Photography Exhibition - all May
A curated collection of live music photography, focusing exclusively on Aotearoa musicians performing in local venues. This year, 59 photographers have contributed their recent mahi, providing a rich view of the nation’s diverse music landscape. FromThePit 2025 will be accessible online and at locations across the motu during Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa NZ Music Month.

More notable NZMM events / initiatives coming up:

NZ Music Month Summit at The Tuning Fork, Auckland - 24th May (10.45am to 4.30pm), to secure a free ticket for the in-person event register in advance
A free day of panel discussions / think tank conversations aiming to help artists (at all levels) navigate the often opaque world of local music. Presented by MMF Aotearoa and the NZ Music Commission, with support from industry organisation partners APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ, NZMMS 2025 hosts a diversity of veterans and rising stars from our community (including myself this year), sharing firsthand insights on Touring 101, Promoting Your Show, Pulling Together The Show, Put Your Best Pitch Forward, and Stories From The Road.

The Country Music Honours at SBS St James Theatre, Gore - 23rd May

Aotearoa Music Awards at Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland - 29th May

NZ Music T-Shirt Day - 30th May
MusicHelps’ annual fundraising initiative NZ Music T-Shirt Day is back for another year on Friday 30th May 2025, rounding off New Zealand Music Month. NZ Music T-Shirt Day is all about celebrating great New Zealand music, showing your support of local music by sporting your favourite artist or band tee and donating to contribute to the mahi of MusicHelps.

TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA is run by the NZ Music Commission, with support from APRA AMCOS, Creative New Zealand, Independent Music NZ, Independent Music Venues Aotearoa, the Māori Music Industry Collective, MusicHelps, the Music Managers Forum, Music Production Guild NZ Aotearoa, NZ On Air, OneMusic, Recorded Music NZ, SoundCheck Aotearoa, SOUNZ and Te Māngai Pāho. The purpose of TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA is to celebrate music from New Zealand, and the people who make it.