2013 New Zealand Music Awards


The 2013 New Zealand Music Awards is the 48th holding of the annual ceremony featuring awards for musical recording artists based in or originating from New Zealand. The main awards event will be held on 21 November 2013 at Vector Arena, Auckland and will again be hosted by Shannon Ryan, along with new host Stan Walker. Nominations opened on 27 May 2013 and closed on 8 July 2013. Eligible works were those released between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013. The ceremony will be broadcast on television channel Four, as will a red carpet special hosted by Drew Neemia and Sharyn Casey.
The technical award winners, legacy award recipient and the Critics' Choice Prize shortlist were announced on 22 October at the Pullman hotel, Auckland. The Critics' Choice Prize winner was announced at the Critic's Choice Showcase at the King's Arms bar on 6 November.

Early awards

While most of the awards are presented at the main awards ceremony held in November, four genre awards are presented earlier at ceremonies of their field. The first was awarded in January, with the Tui for Best Folk Album presented at the Auckland Folk Festival in Kumeu to Auckland alt-country group Great North for their album Halves. The Tui for Best Jazz Album was presented in March to Nathan Haines at the National Jazz Festival in Tauranga for his album The Poet's Embrance. The Tui for Best Pacific Music Album was presented to Aaradhna at the Pacific Music Awards in May for her album Treble & Reverb. The Best Country Music Song Tui was presented to Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams for their album Sad but True – The Secret History of Country Music Songwriting Vol. 1 at the Gold Guitar Awards, also in May.
In addition, the three technical awards are presented at the ceremony on 22 October 2013. Nominees for the technical categories were announced on 10 October.

Nominees and winners

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.
;Key
Album of the Year†Single of the Year†
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Sponsored by Vodafone
  • Lorde – "Royals"
  • * Aaradhna – "Wake Up"
  • * Shapeshifter – "In Colour"
  • * Stan Walker – "Take It Easy"
  • * Unknown Mortal Orchestra – "So Good at Being in Trouble"
    • Best Group†Breakthrough Artist of the Year†
    Sponsored by Steinlager Pure
  • Shapeshifter – Delta
  • * Fat Freddy's Drop – Blackbird
  • * The Phoenix Foundation – Fandango
    • Sponsored by Westpac Hotpoints
  • Lorde – The Love Club EP
  • * Jamie McDell – Six Strings and a Sailboat
  • * Willy Moon – Here's Willy Moon
    • Best Male Solo Artist†Best Female Solo Artist†
    Sponsored by Spotify
  • Lawrence Arabia – The Sparrow
  • * Unknown Mortal Orchestra – II
  • * Willy Moon – Here's Willy Moon
    • Sponsored by Spotify
  • Aaradhna – Treble & Reverb
  • * Iva Lamkum – Black Eagle
  • * Jamie McDell – Six Strings and a Sailboat
    • Best Rock Album†Best Pop Album†
    Sponsor
  • Villainy – Mode. Set. Clear.
  • * Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire
  • * The Datsuns – Death Rattle Boogie
    • Sponsored by The Edge
  • Jamie McDell – Six Strings and a Sailboat
  • * Anika Boh&Hollie – Peace of Mind
  • * Kids of 88 – Modern Love
    • Best Urban/Hip Hop Album†Best Roots Album†
    Sponsor
  • Aaradhna – Treble & Reverb
  • * At Peace – Girl Songs
  • * P-Money – Gratitude
    		• Sponsor
  • Fat Freddy's Drop – Blackbird
  • * Latinaotearoa – Sondido de Latinaotearoa
  • * Soljah – Aotearoa
    • Best Alternative Album†Best Māori Album†
    Sponsor
  • Unknown Mortal Orchestra – II
  • * Lawrence Arabia – The Sparrow
  • * The Phoenix Foundation – Fandango
    • Sponsored by Numa Trust
  • Maisey Rika – Whitiora
  • * Kirsten Te Rito – Te Rito
  • * Ngatapa Black – I Muri Ahiahi
    • Best Music Video†Best Electronica Album†
    Sponsored by NZ On Air
  • Joel Kefali – "Royals"
  • * Nick Dwyer – "In Colour"
  • * Thunderlips – "Frankenstein"
    		• Sponsor
  • Shapeshifter – Delta
  • * K+LAB – Space Dirt
  • * Sola Rosa – Low and Behold, High and Beyond
    • Best Gospel / Christian Album†Best Classical Album†
    Sponsor
  • Strahan – Posters
  • * Edge Kingsland – Edge Vol.2: Due North
  • * Go Stop Go – Go Stop Go
    		• Sponsor
  • Michael Houstoun – Lilburn
  • * Gillian Whitehead – Arapatiki
  • * Helen Webby – Pluck
    • People's Choice Award†Critics' Choice Prize†
    Sponsored by Vodafone
  • Lorde
  • * Shapeshifter
  • * Aaradhna
  • * Stan Walker
  • * Titanium
    • Sponsored by Hallensteins Brothers
    Presented 6 November 2013
    • Sheep, Dog & Wolf
    • * Janine and the Mixtape
    • * Paquin
    Highest selling New Zealand Single†Highest selling New Zealand Album†
    Sponsored by Vodafone
    No finalists are announced in this category.

    Sponsored by FOUR
    No finalists are announced in this category.

    Radio Airplay Record of the Year†International Achievement Award†
    Sponsored by NZ On Air
    No finalists are announced in this category.
    • Stan Walker – "Take It Easy"
    Sponsored by Xbox
    No finalists are announced in this category.

    • Lorde
    Legacy Award†Best Album Cover‡
    Sponsored by The New Zealand HeraldNo finalists are announced in this category.

    Announced 22 October 2013
    		Presented 22 October 2013
  • Gina Kiel and Harry A'Court for Fat Freddy's Drop – Blackbird
  • * Heather Liddell for Strahan – Posters
  • * Nick Keller for Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire
    • Best Engineer‡Best Producer‡
    Presented 22 October 2013
  • Brett Stanton / Lee Prebble / The Phoenix Foundation for The Phoenix Foundation – Fandango
  • * Lee Prebble for Iva Lamkum – Black Eagle
  • * Neil Baldock for Eden Mulholland – Feed the Beast
    		• Presented 22 October 2013
  • The Phoenix Foundation / Lee Prebble / Brett Stanton for The Phoenix Foundation – Fandango
  • * Fat Freddy's Drop for Fat Freddy's Drop – Blackbird
  • * Sam McCarthy, Jaden Parkes, Jordan Arts for Kids of 88 – Modern Love
  • * Shapeshifter and The Upbeats for Shapeshifter – Delta
    • Best Folk Album†Best Jazz Album†
    Presented 27 January 2013
  • Great North – Halves
  • *Brenda Liddiard – Box of Memories
  • *French For Rabbits – Claimed By the Sea
    		• Presented 31 March 2013
  • Nathan Haines – The Poet's Embrace
  • *Jennifer Zea – The Latin Soul
  • *Whirimako Black – The Late Night Plays
    • Best Country Music Song†Best Pacific Music Album†
    Presented 30 May 2013
  • Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams – Sad but True –
    • The Secret History of Country Music Songwriting Vol. 1
    • *Donna Dean – Tyre Tracks and Broken Hearts
    • *The Eastern – Hope and Wire
    		Presented 30 May 2013
  • Aaradhna – Treble & Reverb
  • *Home Brew – Home Brew
  • *Tomorrow People – One

    • Presenters and performers

    Presenters

    Presenters of awards:
    Performers at the ceremony: