Stan Walker performs at the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Stijl / Emma Cooper
Stan Walker performs at the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Stijl / Emma Cooper
The Aotearoa Music Awards celebrate 60 years of recognising Kiwi artists and their achievements.
Recorded Music New Zealand CEO Jo Oliver highlights the awards’ role in promoting artists and connecting them with audiences.
This year’s awards takes place on Thursday May 29.
This week’s Aotearoa Music Awards marks 60 years of celebrating Kiwi artists and their songs, albums and achievements.
Jo Oliver, CEO of Recorded Music New Zealand, says for local artists and the music community, the Aotearoa Music Awards (AMAs) are seen as “essential”.
“The event brings the music community togetherto acknowledge, recognise and validate the work of recording artists,” Oliver says. “Winning an award, being a finalist, and having the opportunity to perform live all bring tangible promotional benefits for artists and help them to connect with audiences and fans.
The first iteration of the AMAs was the Loxene Golden Disc award, which was awarded to Ray Columbus and The Invaders in 1965 for the band’s single Till We Kissed.
60 Years of the Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Audioculture
Evolving from a radio-only broadcast to TV and to social media streaming and with the breadth of categories changing with the times over the 60 years, Oliver says one thing remains consistent for the awards – its ability to connect Kiwi artists to audiences and fans.
“In today’s world, where attention is divided, it’s harder than ever to break through,” she says. “AMA provides a powerful promotional platform for artists, including new and emerging acts.”
Chris Caddick, the former chairman of Recorded Music New Zealand, agrees.
“In the past, winning an AMA could mean a significant upsurge in sales, now it is perhaps more useful as a marketing and promotional tool. But above all, it is a lifetime achievement of which any recipient can be proud.”
60 Years of the Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Audioculture
Sarah Owen, the former AMAs manager and now its operations and events liaison, says the awards are also important for an industry not always good at celebrating its own success.
“Aotearoa’s musicians are generally a fairly self-deprecating bunch ... [the AMAs are] a chance to come together and celebrate the year that was and those artists and projects that ‘turned the dial’.”
One of the most significant changes in the awards’ history is the change of name, from the New Zealand Music Awards to the Aotearoa Music Awards, which happened in 2020.
“The change was really well received,” says Oliver, “and just felt right as a reflection of our unique cultural identity.”
Another big change came in 2017, when the best male solo artist and best female solo artist categories became the non-gender-specific Best Solo Artist Tūī.
Damian Vaughan, Recorded Music’s former CEO, recalls “the argument decades ago was that female artists weren’t getting recognised when going up against their male counterparts. But in the first year of the change, I think we had an all-female nomination line-up and Lorde won”.
Lorde pictured at the awards in 2015. Photo / Topic Photography
To mark the AMAs’ 60th anniversary, and before this year’s awards, which take place on Thursday May 29, we’re looking back on seven decades of historic moments.
Seven historic moments from seven decades of the AMAs
1960s
The Best Group and Solo Artist awards were introduced in 1969. The first recipient of the Group award was The Hi-Revving Tongues, for Rain And Tears. The Solo award went to Shane for his similarly grand No 1 smash Saint Paul, which also won the 1969 Loxene Golden Disc. The TV show drew more viewers than that year’s election results.
In 1970, the award presenters were Johnny Devlin, who also performed, and Max Cryer. The show was emceed by Peter Sinclair – as it had been since 1967.
60 Years of the Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Audioculture
1980s
In 1982, Prince Tui Teka won Single of the Year – and Best Polynesian Artist – for E Ipo. The now Sir Dave Dobbyn was awarded Most Promising Male (he was knighted in the 2021 New Year’s Honours list).
1990s
The MK 1 Tūī award debuted in 1995. Designed by Nicola Marshall, the trophy was a stylised design representing New Zealand’s native songbird. 1995 was also the year a fight broke out between members of Herbs and The Exponents; Supergroove killed it with Traction (Album of the Year and Best Group, Music Video, Engineer and Producer); and the Once Were Warriors soundtrack won its category.
60 Years of the Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Audioculture
2000s
2004 was Scribe’s big year – the artist’s debut LP Crusader won no less than eight Tūī. 2025 AMA finalist MOKOTRON says: “They should have just given him a couch on the side of the stage. A victory on so many levels – for Scribe, for hip hop, for the Pacific community and for Aranui.” 2004’s Highest Selling New Zealand Single was, however, They Can’t Take That Away by Ben Lummis, following the artist’s win on the first season of NZ Idol.
60 Years of the Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Audioculture
2010s
Following his Australian Idol win in 2009, 2010 saw Stan Walker’s introduction to the awards and his first-ever Tūī – for Highest Selling NZ Single, Radio Airplay, People’s Choice and International Achievement. Walker has been an awards mainstay in the years since and is one of 2025’s most nominated finalists, alongside CHAII.
2020s
The 2021 Aotearoa Music Awards, which were able to proceed under strict Covid restrictions, saw co-hosts Stan Walker and Hayley Sproull walk the red carpet in New Zealand designer wear, including stylish co-ordinated masks. Walker wore a red Zambesi number, while Sproull wore an outfit designed in collaboration with Sammy Salsa and Judy Gao.
A full list of 60 memorable moments from 60 years of the AMAs will be published on Thursday May 29 on nzherald.co.nz/entertainment.
Tami Neilson performs at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Stijl
NZ music stars and industry experts share their favourite AMA moments
Tami Neilson
Any moment the Topp Twins have been on that stage has been a favourite for me to watch. All the too-cool-for-schoolers crack big smiles and pure joy fills the room. It’s a beautiful thing to watch them unite people from every walk of life with humour and music.
The most memorable moment of my own was standing in the wings with [Sir] Dave Dobbyn and watching Mick Fleetwood stop to shake his hand before we walked out on stage to perform. Dave was smiling from ear to ear. Legends recognise legends. Duetting with Dave was a moment I will treasure forever.
Theia is a finalist at this year's Aotearoa Music Awards.
Theia
One of my favourite moments of the last few years was watching Hori Shaw receive the 2024 People’s Choice Award (Tā Te Iwi). I was overseas so couldn’t make the awards that year. But I saw it all over social media. Seeing Hori – a haati bro from Ōpōtiki – on stage in his Red Bands accepting an award chosen by the people was a such a moment. Tū ana te kauae e Hori!
Damian Vaughan, former Recorded Music NZ CEO
In 2015, for the 50th anniversary of the awards, Taika Waititi hosted and, true to form, was one of the funniest and most unpredictable hosts ever.
Neil Finn welcomed The Exponents into the NZ Music Hall of Fame that year. Due to some fortunate touring scheduling, Fleetwood Mac were in the country and Mick Fleetwood graciously accepted our invitation to present Album of the Year, which went to Broods that night.
After the ceremony was over, we thanked Mick for being involved and Neil Finn greeted him with a “I haven’t seen you in ages, how you going?” Not too much later [saw] Neil Finn joining Fleetwood Mac for a few years.
Another favourite moment was orchestrating PM [now Dame] Jacinda Ardern and Lorde to meet each other on stage for the first time in 2017. They had never met each other previously and we had an opportunity for Jacinda to present Lorde with the People’s Choice award live on TV, which was a very special moment. I believe the words uttered by both on stage were ‘mutual fangirl moment’.
Taika Waititi hosted the 2015 Aotearoa Music Awards, the 50th anniversary of the awards. Photo / Topic Photography
Mel Parsons
My favourite thing about the music awards is just to be in a room full of friends and musicians and people who all love music in the same obsessive way. It’s like our annual reminder that even though we’re all working away on our own things, touring, often on our own for long periods – that we do have an amazing and supportive community.
Reb Fountain
In 2018, I won a Tūī for Best Country Album for my record Hopeful & Hopeless. It’s the one and only time I’ve been to the Aotearoa Music Awards and I took my buddy Rohan Evans (who has just taken home the Independent Spirit Award at the 2025 Taite Music Awards). He had produced the album and we recorded it at the infamous Wine Cellar here in Tāmaki Makaurau. We had a great time and I was heartened to hear someone tell then MP Simon Bridges to stop yakking whilst Upper Hutt Posse accepted their lifetime achievement award. It was also the first time I had seen Jess B and Alien Weaponry and my mind was blown.
Aaradhna
My personal favourite Aotearoa Music Awards moment was when I attended for the very first time in 2004. I wasn’t nominated that year but I got to attend and perform Getting Stronger with Adeaze and I was just so excited to be there and to see all the talented artists that I admired.
Aaradhna is a finalist at this year's Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Marissa Findlay
Georgia Lines
One of my all-time favourite moments was back in 2012 when Kimbra performed Come Into My Head. I wasn’t at the awards that year, but I’ve watched that performance many times. Kimbra has always been one of my favourite artists – her songwriting, her stage presence, her vocals, her band – everything about that performance was incredible.
The very first awards I ever went to, I was 19 – and on crutches after rolling my ankle badly on a date the night before. I didn’t want to miss it and luckily I had a pair of crutches stored in the ceiling at home from a previous injury. So I turned up to the awards, walking the red carpet in a dress I’d made in high school, with crutches.
Jo Oliver, CEO, Recorded Music NZ
The highlight for me is the opening moments of the event in 2024, where Stan Walker’s powerful performance filled the Viaduct Events Centre. It was the first full-scale event in four years and relaunched the Aotearoa Music Awards after we took a pause in 2022 to review and reflect on the awards and their purpose. The refreshed event was at a new venue and new time of year and accompanied by an enhanced social strategy that drew a lot of attention to our finalists and winners.
Stan Walker performs at the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards. Photo / Stephanie Holmes
Chris Caddick, former chairman, Recorded Music NZ
Meeting Billy Kristian from Ray Columbus and the Invaders, who brought the original Loxene Golden Disc disc from 1965 to a reception we held just prior to the 50th Awards in 2015.
Kim Boshier, managing director at Sony Music Entertainment NZ
An incredible memory was when Teeks won Best Solo Artist, Best Soul/RnB and Best Māori Artist in 2021. Te Karehana’s No 1 debut album had gone platinum – he’d had an incredible year. It was a Covid year though, we couldn’t attend in person so the team were having a party in our office kitchen. When T.K. won that award, that party took a turn, what a night!
This year’s Aotearoa Music Awards take place on Thursday May 29 at the Viaduct Events Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Follow nzherald.co.nz for live coverage and breaking news from the event. The Awards will be livestreamed on rnz.co.nz and the AMA social media channels and available to stream on TVNZ+ from Friday May 30.
