2017 New Zealand Music Awards


The 2017 New Zealand Music Awards was the 52nd holding of the annual ceremony featuring awards for musical recording artists based in or originating from New Zealand. It took place on 16 November 2017 at Spark Arena in Auckland and it was hosted by Jono Pryor and Ben Boyce. The awards show was broadcast live nationally on Three.
Nominations for the 2017 New Zealand Music Awards opened on 21 June 2017, and cover artists who have had commercial recordings released between 1 August 2016 and 31 July 2017. Nominations closed on 2 August 2017, and the nominees were announced on 5 October. The artisan award winners will be awarded on 25 October 2017.

Early awards

While most of the awards will be presented at the main awards ceremony held in November, five genre awards are presented earlier in the year at ceremonies of their field.
A number of changes have been made to the award categories for 2017:
Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.
;Key
Album of the YearSingle of the Year
Sponsored by Godfrey Hirst

Sponsored by Vodafone
  • Lorde – "Green Light"
  • * David Dallas – "Fit In"
  • * Ladi6 – "Royal Blue"
  • * MAALA – "In My Head"
  • * SWIDT – "Player of the Day"
  • * Theia – "Roam"
    • Best GroupBreakthrough Artist of the Year
    Sponsor
  • SWIDT
  • * Devilskin
  • * Leisure
  • * Shapeshifter
    		• Sponsor
  • Aldous Harding
  • * Fazerdaze
  • * Nadia Reid
  • * TEEKS
    • Best Solo ArtistBest Hip Hop Artist
    Sponsored by Three
  • Lorde
  • * Aldous Harding
  • * Kings
  • * Nadia Reid
    		• Sponsor
  • SWIDT
  • * David Dallas
  • * KINGS
    • Best Rock ArtistBest Pop Artist
    Sponsor
  • Devilskin
  • * Clap Clap Riot
  • * Graham Brazier
    • Sponsored by The Edge
  • Lorde
  • * Mitch James
  • * Theia
    • Best Soul/RnB ArtistBest Roots Artist
    Sponsor
  • Ladi6
  • * TEEKS
  • * Tommy Nee
    		• Sponsor
  • Israel Starr
  • * Sons of Zion
  • * Tomorrow People
    • Best Alternative ArtistBest Māori Artist
    Sponsor
  • Aldous Harding
  • * Fazerdaze
  • * Nadia Reid
    • Sponsored by Te Māngai Pāho
  • TEEKS
  • * Alien Weaponry
  • * Maisey Rika
    • Best Worship ArtistBest Classical Artist
    Sponsor
  • Curate Music
  • * Josh & Amberley Klinkenberg
  • * Juliagrace
    		• Sponsor
  • NZTrio
  • * Jenny McLeod
  • * Te Kōkī Trio
    • Best Electronic ArtistLegacy Award
    Sponsor
  • Truth
  • * Chaos in the CBD
  • * K+Lab
    • Sponsored by The New Zealand HeraldNo finalists are announced in this category.

    • Sharon O'Neill
    People's Choice Award
    Sponsored by Vodafone
  • Lorde
  • * Kings
  • * Maala
  • * SWIDT
  • * Theia
    		• Sponsor
    Highest selling New Zealand SingleHighest selling New Zealand Album
    Sponsored by Vodafone
    No finalists are announced in this category.

    • Kings - "Don't Worry 'Bout It"
    		Sponsor
    No finalists are announced in this category.

    Radio Airplay Record of the YearInternational Achievement Award
    Sponsored by NZ On Air
    No finalists are announced in this category.
    • Kings - "Don't Worry 'Bout It"
    		Sponsor
    No finalists are announced in this category.

    • Opetaia Foa'i
    • Lorde
    Best Music Video‡Best Album Cover‡
    Sponsored by NZ On Air
    Presented 25 October 2017
  • Dan Watkins – "Her"
  • Joel Kefali – "Got It Bad"
  • Sam Kristofski – "Lucky Girl"
    		• SponsorPresented 25 October 2017
    • Dean Poole & Tyrone Ohia – Stars"
    • Henrietta Harris – Otherness
    • Jamie Robertson – String Theory
    Best Engineer‡Best Producer‡
    SponsorPresented 25 October 2017
    • Ben Edwards – Preservation
    • Chris Chetland – A Place to Stand
    • Clint Murphy – Be Like The River
    Sponsored by Massey University
    Presented 25 October 2017
  • Ben Edwards – Preservation
  • Leisure – LEISURE
  • SmokeyGotBeatz – Stoneyhunga
    • Best Folk AlbumBest Children's Music Album
    Presented 29 January 2017
  • Guy Wishart – West By North
  • * Graeme James – News From Nowhere
  • * Luke Thompson – Hosts
    		• Presented 5 March 2017
  • Anika Moa – Songs for Bubbas 2
  • * Claudia Gunn – Little Wild Lullabies
  • * Itty Bitty Beats – On the Move
    • Best Country Music AlbumBest Pacific Music Album
    Presented 1 June 2017
  • Jody Direen – Shake Up
  • * Hamilton County Bluegrass Band – These Old Hands
  • * Phil Doublet – Endless Highway
    		• Presented 1 June 2017
  • Aaradhna – Brown Girl
  • * Kings – Kings EP
  • * Unity Pacific – Blackbirder Dread
    • Best Jazz Album
    Presented 11 June 2017
  • Jonathan Crayford – East West Moon
  • * Mike Nock Trio & NZ Trio – Vicissitudes
  • * Myele Manzanza – OnePointOne''