From Dave Dobbyn to David Dallas, the 20 artists battling it out for this year's Apra Silver Scroll award are as varied as they can get.
But Apra's Anthony Healey says they all have one thing in common: they're all good.
"These songs come from the new and old, the north and south and span all genres," he says.
"They are connected only by the fact they've been written here in New Zealand and each is, in their own unique way, excellent."
Voting on the shortlist, confirmed today, will take place from now until August 14 by Apra's 10,000 members.
The award will be presented at at Auckland's Vector Arena on September 29.
Previous winners have included Lorde, Bic Runga, Don McGlashan, Stephanie Brown, Shona Laing and Neil Finn.
SILVER SCROLL TOP 20
10 Years
- Seth Haapu
A Lake
- Lawrence Arabia
All Eyes in the Room
- Gareth Thomas
All Over You
- Leisure
August Song
- The Sami Sisters
Buried by the Burden
- Pacific Heights ft. Louis Baker
Don't Rate That
- David Dallas
Dream
- Lydia Cole
Give Up Your Dreams
- The Phoenix Foundation
Harmony House
- Dave Dobbyn
If I Move to Mars -
Thomas Oliver
Love Will Be A River - Holly Arrowsmith with Fly My Pretties
March
- Electric Wire Hustle ft. Deva Mahal
One Question
- Yoko-Zuna ft. Laughton Kora
Pedestrian Support League
- Street Chant
- Miloux
Stuck in Melodies
- Andrew Keoghan
The First Man
- Tami Neilson
The Hours
- Mice On Stilts
We Will Rise Again
- Shayne P. Carter