Nominations open for New Zealand Music Awards 2007

News release nominations – 1
April 26, 2007

Nominations open for New Zealand Music Awards 2007

Nominations have been called for the New Zealand Music Awards 2007.

Nominations for the awards in October are now open at www.nzmusicawards.co.nz, with finalists announced in Auckland on Wednesday 5 September.

For a recording to be eligible it must have been commercially released between 1 June 2006 and the end of May 2007. Nominations close on 15 June.

A new category – The Legacy Award – will debut this year, and be awarded to New Zealand musicians who have earned a special place in Kiwi’s music collections. The remainder of categories are unchanged.

The 42nd New Zealand Music Awards ceremony takes place in the ASB Theatre. Aotea Centre - The EDGE on Thursday 18 October.

RIANZ chief executive Campbell Smith is especially pleased to announce the new Legacy Award. Awarded by the RIANZ board, the Legacy gong will recognise the greatest musicians New Zealand has produced.

“It’s important we honour and recognise the best of the best. New Zealand has a proud musical heritage and it’s time we celebrated this.

I’m sure this award will become highly anticipated each year, and I look forward to the first winner being announced come October.”

All judging for the music awards again takes place online and nominations can be submitted via the official website, www.nzmusicawards.co.nz. More information is also available at the award’s MySpace page: www.myspace.com/nzmusicawards

Copies of the conditions of entry are available from www.nzmusicawards.co.nz

The Tuis presented at the New Zealand Music Awards 2007 ceremony are for:

Album of the Year; Single of the Year; Best Group; Best Male Solo Artist; Best Female Solo Artist; Breakthrough Artist of the Year; Highest Selling NZ Album; Highest Selling NZ Single; Best Music Video; Best Rock Album; Best Urban/Hip Hop Album; Best Dance/Electronica Album; Best Aotearoa Roots Album; Best Maori Album; Best Gospel/Christian Album; Best Classical Album; International Achievement Award, Legacy Award and Outstanding Achievement.
- No finalists are announced for the Highest Selling NZ Single or Highest Selling NZ Album Awards.
- The International Achievement, Legacy Award and Outstanding Achievement awards are judged by the RIANZ Board and awarded at the Board’s discretion. No finalists are announced for these categories.

Technical Award Categories (presented at the Finalists Announcement 5 September) are for:
- Best Producer
- Best Engineer
- Best Album Cover

Other awards:
Awards that are presented at separate events and acknowledged at the NZ Music Awards 2007 are:
- Best Folk Album Tui 2006 awarded to Ben The Hoose for “The Little Cascade” at the Auckland Folk Festival in January 2007.
- Outstanding Contribution to NZ Music on NZ Radio Tui to be presented at the NZ Radio Awards 28 April 2007.
- Best Pacific Music Album Tui to be presented at the Pacific Music Awards 31 May.
- Best Country Music Album Tui to be presented at the Gold Guitar Awards in Gore 1 June.
- Best Jazz Album Tui 2006 awarded to The Vaughn Roberts Big Band for “Grrreat Stufff” at the Wellington International Jazz Festival in November 2006.

ENDS

About Rianz: The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand Inc (RIANZ) is a non-profit organisation representing major and independent record producers, distributors and recording artists throughout New Zealand. RIANZ works to protect the rights and promote the interests of creative people involved in the New Zealand recording industry.

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