Aotearoa Music Awards 2025 Winners Announced

Our local music industry's gala event since 1965, last night's Aotearoa Music Awards ceremony delivered the goods (plus a couple of curveballs) at Tāmaki Makaurau's Viaduct Events Centre, co-hosted by Kara Rickard and Jesse Mulligan. Recognising "excellence in New Zealand music" with the iconic Tūī trophy, this year is the sixtieth anniversary of the Music Awards — formerly known as the Loxene Golden Disc awards, the Recording Arts Talent Awards, the Clear Music and Entertainment Awards, the Coca-Cola New Zealand Music Awards and the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

Familiar faces on the UTR site amongst this year's winners include Fazerdaze, MOKOTRON (playing tonight's Pulotu Underworld Presents Road To Glasto Fundraiser), Earth Tongue, DARTZ, Jim Nothing, Tami Neilson, Holly Arrowsmith, CHAII, David Dallas, Corrella and Aaradhna.

An odd note was struck when Aotearoa pop icon Lorde was bestowed the Single of the Year accolade for her feature contribution to UK megastar Charli XCX's global hit 'Girl, so confusing featuring lorde' (spinning out from 2024's ubiquitous BRAT), an announcement which in turn sparked confusion amongst online commentators — a category where eligibility could be tightened up for future AMAs (maybe knock out local features for overseas acts)? Less controversially but even more imperative, AMAs debut People's Choice winners Devilskin rightly called for a Metal category to be introduced in future years.

We hope everyone had a fun afterparty (it appears nobody is replying to my messages this morning), here is the list of 2025 Aotearoa Music Award winners...

NZ On Air Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year
Fazerdaze – Soft Power

Spotify Te Tino Waiata o te Tau | Single of the Year
Lorde – ‘Girl, so confusing featuring lorde’ (Charli xcx, Lorde)

Spotify Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist
Fazerdaze – Soft Power

Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau | Best Group
Earth Tongue – Great Haunting

Te Manu Mātārae
9Lives

Te Manu Mātārae
L.A.B

Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo
Stan Walker – ‘Māori Ki Te Ao’

Te Māngai Pāho Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist
Stan Walker

Te Iti Rearea o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Hori Shaw

Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist
Jim Nothing – Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn

Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist
Jian Liu – Where Fairburn Walked

Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau | Best Country Music Artist
Tami Neilson – Neilson Sings Nelson

Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau | Best Electronic Artist
MOKOTRON – WAEREA

Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau | Best Folk Artist
Holly Arrowsmith – Blue Dreams

Te Manu Taki Ātete o te Tau | Best Hip Hop Artist
David Dallas – Vita

Te Manu Taki Tautito o te Tau | Best Jazz Artist
Lucien Johnson – Ancient Relics

Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau | Best Pop Artist
Cassie Henderson – The Yellow Chapter

Te Manu Taki Rakapioi o te Tau | Best Rock Artist
DARTZ – Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One

Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots Artist
Corrella – Skeletons

Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau | Best Soul/RnB Artist
Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender

Te Taumata o te Toi | Best Album Artwork
Matt Sinclair – Neilson Sings Nelson (Tami Neilson)

Te Taumata o te Pūkenga Oro | Best Engineer
Simon Gooding – Safar (CHAII)

NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content
Oscar Keys, Ezra Simons, Kristin Li – ‘Paradise’ (DARTZ)

Te Taumata o te Kaiwhakaputa | Best Producer
Nic Manders – The Rose Of Jericho (Georgia Lines)

Te Taumata o te Hokona | Highest Selling Artist
Six60

NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Horapa | Radio Airplay Record of the Year
L.A.B

JD Sports Tā te Iwi | People's Choice
Devilskin