2009 New Zealand Music Awards


The 2009 New Zealand Music Awards was the 44th holding of the annual ceremony featuring awards for musical artists based in or originating from New Zealand. Finalists for the three technical awards were announced on 6 August 2009, with winners announced on 2 September at the Langham Hotel. Finalists for 14 'non-technical' categories were also revealed the same night. Five 'non-technical' awards were presented without a group of finalists being selected. The awards ceremony took place on 8 October 2009 at Vector Arena, Auckland. Broadcast live on television by C4, the ceremony was hosted by comedian Dai Henwood.
Ladyhawke won six awards, including Album and Single of the Year. This was the most awards won at a ceremony since 2004, when Scribe also won six. The People's Choice Award was won by Smashproof, who also claimed the award for the highest selling New Zealand Single. Fat Freddy's Drop were nominated in seven categories, including all three technical categories, and gained the Best Aotearoa Roots Album award. Midnight Youth were finalists in seven categories, and secured awards for Best Group, Best Rock Album and Best Engineer. The highest selling New Zealand Album was , a greatest hits album by rock group The Feelers, while Tiki Taane's "Always on My Mind" achieved the Radio Airplay Record of the Year award. Ray Columbus & the Invaders were awarded the Legacy Award at the announcement of technical award winners, and were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

Nominees and winners

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.
;Key
were awarded the title of Best Group, and their album, The Brave Don't Run, won Best Rock Album.
, the second studio album by Fat Freddy's Drop, received nominations in all three technical categories, and also won the award for Best Aotearoa Roots Album.
' ' was the highest selling album of 2009, shipping over 30,000 units.
won the International Achievement Award, sharing the prize with Ladyhawke.
Album of the YearSingle of the Year
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  • Ladyhawke – Ladyhawke
  • *The Mint Chicks – Screens
  • *Midnight Youth – The Brave Don't Run
  • *Cut Off Your Hands – You and I
  • *Fat Freddy's Drop – Dr Boondigga and the Big BW
Sponsored by Vodafone
  • Ladyhawke – My Delirium"
  • *Midnight Youth – "All on Our Own"
  • *P-Money featuring Vince Harder – "Everything"
  • *Smashproof featuring Gin Wigmore – "Brother"
  • *Kids of 88 – "My House"
    • Best Group†Breakthrough Artist of the Year†
    Sponsored by Steinlager Pure
  • Midnight Youth
  • *Fat Freddy's Drop
  • *The Mint Chicks
    • Sponsored by Pacific Blue Airlines
  • Ladyhawke
  • *Midnight Youth
  • *Smashproof
    • Best Male Solo Artist†Best Female Solo Artist†
    Sponsor
  • Savage
  • *Dave Dobbyn
  • *Don McGlashan and The Seven Sisters
    • Sponsored by Mazda
  • Ladyhawke
  • *Boh Runga
  • *Ladi 6
    • Peoples' Choice Award†Best Rock Album†
    Sponsored by Vodafone
  • Smashproof
  • *Fat Freddy's Drop
  • *Ladyhawke
  • *Midnight Youth
  • *The Black Seeds
    • Sponsored by PPNZ
  • Midnight Youth – The Brave Don't Run
  • *The Mint Chicks – Screens
  • *Cut Off Your Hands – You and I
    • Best Urban / Hip Hop Album†Best Aotearoa Roots Album†
    Sponsored by 42 Below
  • Ladi 6 – Time Is Not Much
  • *Smashproof – The Weekend
  • *Savage – Savage Island
    • Sponsored by Kiwi FM
  • Fat Freddy's Drop – Dr Boondigga and the Big BW
  • *The Black Seeds – Solid Ground
  • *The Woolshed Sessions – The Woolshed Sessions
    • Best Music Video†Best Dance/Electronica Album†
    Sponsored by C4
  • Chris Graham – "Brother"
  • *Sam Peacocke – "I Can't Stop Being Foolish"
  • *Tim van Dammen – "Turn Around"
    		• Sponsor
  • Ladyhawke – Ladyhawke
  • *Antiform – City in Exile
  • *Sola Rosa – Get It Together
    • Best Gospel / Christian Album†Best Classical Album†
  • Mumsdollar – Ruins
  • *Parachute Band – Technicolour
  • *The Ember Days – EP
  • *Primalband – Your Way
  • David Bremner – Gung Ho
  • *Gareth Farr – Gareth Farr: Tangaroa
  • *New Zealand Chamber Soloists – Ahi
    • Highest selling New Zealand Single†Highest selling New Zealand Album†
    No finalists were announced in this category.
  • Smashproof featuring Gin Wigmore – "Brother"
  • The Feelers –
  • Tiki Taane – "Always on My Mind"
    • No finalists were announced in this category.
  • Ladyhawke and Brooke Fraser
    • Legacy Award†Best Album Cover‡
    No finalists were announced in this category.Sponsored by The New Zealand Herald

  • Ruban Nielson – Screens
  • *Otis Frizzell – Dr Boondigga and the Big BW
  • *Sam Young – The Brave Don't Run
    • Best Engineer‡Best Producer‡
    Sponsored by the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand
  • Andrew Buckton – The Brave Don't Run
  • *Chris Faiumu – Dr Boondigga and the Big BW
  • *Lee Prebble – When the Fever Takes Hold
    • Sponsored by the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand
  • Andrew Spraggon – Get it Together '
  • *Don McGlashan and Sean Donnelly – Marvellous Year
  • *Fat Freddy's Drop – Dr Boondigga and the Big BW''

    • Performers

    Performers at the ceremony:
    • Ladyhawke gave her number "My Delirium".
    • Smashproof and Gin Wigmore sang their top selling single "Brother".
    • Midnight Youth performed their tune "All on Our Own".
    • "Turn Around" was sung by Sola Rosa and Iva Lamkum.
    • The Mint Chicks performed a cover of "She's a Mod", originally by Ray Columbus & the Invaders, who received the Legacy Award.
    • John Rowles sang "How Great Thou Art" as a tribute to the late Sir Howard Morrison.
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