The Taite Music Prize is an annual New Zealand music award event. A prize of the same name (sometimes called the Taite Music Main) is one of five to be awarded. It recognises the best New Zealand album from the previous year and was most recently won by Marlon Williams for Te Whare Tīwekaweka.
The prize is named after New Zealand music journalist and broadcaster Dylan Taite, who died in 2003. It was established in 2009 by Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) in conjunction with the Taite family, and first awarded in 2010. The Taite takes its inspiration from international prizes such as the Mercury Prize in the UK and the Australian Music Prize.
The annual event has grown over time and now includes the Independent Music NZ Classic Record award (first awarded in 2013), Best Independent Debut Award (2017), Independent Spirit Award (2019), and Outstanding Music Journalism Award (2022).
The Taite Music Prize
The award carries a cash prize of NZ$12,500 and sponsors' prizes. It is primarily sponsored by Recorded Music NZ (formerly known as PPNZ Music Licensing). The award is judged on originality, creativity, and musicianship displayed on an album, rather than on sales or commercial factors.
Each award cycle begins with open nominations. Self-nominations are accepted. Albums must be: At least 6 songs or 25 minutes long. Original (no rereleases, no more than 25% covers). Released in the previous calendar year (e.g. the 2026 award is for albums released in 2025). Attributed to one artist or group – no compilations. Recorded by artists who are New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. For bands, at least half of members must qualify. Either self-released, or owned by a recording label that is NZ-owned or has an office in New Zealand.
The prize shortlist is decided by votes from a group of over 1,000 musicians (APRA members), industry figures and IMNZ members. The size of the shortlist has varied, but since 2019 there have been 10 albums each year. The winner is decided by a judging panel chosen by IMNZ.
Trophy and logo The Taite Music Prize's T-shaped logo and trophy were designed by Stephen McCarthy. The intersecting linestrokes, one solid and one striped, represent commercial and independent music. A new trophy, made of metal and weighing eight kilograms, is made each year.
Other awards
A second award was added at the 2013 Taite Music Prize. The Independent Music NZ Classic Record award honours a record that is at least 20 years old and now considered a classic. It aims to "acknowledge New Zealand’s rich history of making fine records that continue to inspire us and that also define who we are". Winners are selected by music media and industry specialists without any public nomination process or wider vote. The inaugural recipient of the Classic Record award was the Gordons' 1981 album The Gordons.
In 2017, a third award was added to the Taites. The Best Independent Debut Award ( known as the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award) honours the best debut release of an artist or group on a member label of Independent Music New Zealand. The winner receives $2000 cash and other sponsors' prize. Like the Taite Music Prize award cycles begin with an open call for nominations (including self-nominations). The same judging panel selects the winners of both awards. Unlike the main Taite, entrants must be IMNZ members and EPs of at least 4 tracks are eligible. The first winner was Merk for Swordfish.
Since 2019 the Independent Spirit Award has been given to an individual to acknowledge their support for the local music industry and their personal contribution to its growth. The winner is selected by the IMNZ Board.
An Outstanding Music Journalism Award, sponsored by NZ On Air, was added in 2022. The winner receives a $2500 cash prize. The first recipient was RNZ music journalist Tony Stamp. Each year three or four finalists are announced ahead of the award ceremony. Documentary directors, podcasters, radio journalists and website creators have all been nominated for the award.
History The Taite Music Prize was first awarded in 2010. In 2009 Independent Music New Zealand, Phonographic Performances New Zealand (which has evolved into Recorded Music New Zealand) and members of Dylan Taite's family, notably his music executive son John, worked together to establish and fund the award. John has remained closely involved with the Prize, often as a judge.
Explaining why the award was named after Dylan Taite, Dylan Pellet of IMNZ compared him to John Peel. "He didn't care how much a record sold or what genre it was. If he loved it, he'd try to convince others to give it a listen. He was an enthusiastic champion of music he believed in, so naming this award after him was a good fit. The timing seemed right, too; these sorts of awards - celebrating artists rather than sales - are becoming more common around the world, with things like the Mercury Prize in the UK, the Polaris Prize in Canada, the Australian Music Prize and the Scottish Album of the Year."
With prize money originally set at $10,000 (and since raised to $12,500), the award was designed to focus on originality, creativity and musicianship. It was compared to the APRA Silver Scroll, which awards similar aspects of singles rather than albums.
The first ceremony included the smallest ever shortlist, five albums. The number has varied between seven and ten ever since. From 2019 on there have been ten finalists.
A record of 92 nominations was set in 2018, while the smallest (known) longlists contained 52 albums in 2014 and 2016. There were 83 in 2026.
Notable winners Lawrence Arabia won 2010's inaugural Taite Music Prize, accepting it via video link from London.
In 2014, Lorde asked that the $10,000 cash prize, studio time and other sponsors' prizes be split among the seven other nominees, saying, "I think everyone is kind of sick of me winning stuff at the moment and other people are in more in need of the funds and exposure right now."
Brothers Ruban and Kody Nielson, both formerly of The Mint Chicks, have each won the Taite Music Prize for different music projects – Ruban as Unknown Mortal Orchestra in 2012 and Kody as Silicon in 2016. In 2026 The Mint Chicks' Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! won the Classic Record Award in the first year it was eligible.
In 2019 Tom Scott of Avantdale Bowling Club won after being shortlisted for a record fifth time (which he extended to eight in 2026). His acceptance speech began, "Um. Fuck. I’ve lost this thing four times already."
The first album in te reo Māori to be honoured was WAEREA by Mokotron in 2025.
Venues Auckland has hosted every live ceremony, with 2020's event having been held online. In 2026 the ceremony moved to the New Zealand International Convention Centre and, for the first time, offered tickets to the public.
Plaything Gallery, 2010 Sale Street Bar, 2011 Q Theatre, 2012, 2019, 2021-2025 Galatos Live, 2013–2016 The Wintergarden, Civic Theatre, 2017–18 Online only (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), 2020 New Zealand International Convention Centre, 2026
Winners and finalists
YearWinnerPortraitFinalistsLonglist sizeRef(s) 2010 Lawrence Arabia – Chant Darling The Checks – Alice by the Moon David Dallas – Something Awesome Kerretta – Vilayer Shapeshifter – The System Is a Vampire 2011 Ladi6 – The Liberation Of... Dudley Benson – Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne Connan Mockasin – Please Turn Me Into the Snat Julia Deans – Modern Fables Die! Die! Die! – Form The Naked and Famous – Passive Me, Aggressive You The Phoenix Foundation – Buffalo Street Chant – Means 73 2012 Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra Andrew Keoghan – Arctic Tales Divide Beastwars – Beastwars David Dallas – The Rose Tint She's So Rad – In Circles The Bats – Free All the Monsters Tiny Ruins – Some Were Meant For The Sea 87 2013 SJD – Elastic Wasteland @peace – @Peace Aaradhna – Treble & Reverb Collapsing Cities – Strangers Again Home Brew – Home Brew Lawrence Arabia – The Sparrow OPOSSOM – Electric Hawaii 75 2014 Lorde – Pure Heroine Unknown Mortal Orchestra – II Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire Sheep, Dog & Wolf – Egospect The Phoenix Foundation – Fandango David Dallas – Falling Into Place @peace – Girl Songs Jonathan Bree – The Primrose Path 52 2015 Jakob – Sines @peace – @peace and the Plutonian Noise Symphony Aldous Harding – Aldous Harding Delaney Davidson – Swim Down Low Electric Wire Hustle – Love Can Prevail Grayson Gilmour – Infinite Life! Kimbra – The Golden Echo Tiny Ruins – Brightly Painted One Mulholland – Stop & Start Again Tami Neilson – Dynamite! 65 2016 Silicon – Personal Computer Anthonie Tonnon – Successor Marlon Williams – Marlon Williams Nadia Reid – Listen to Formation, Look for the Signs The Phoenix Foundation – Give Up Your Dreams Princess Chelsea – The Great Cybernetic Depression SJD – Saint John Divine Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Multi-Love 52 2017 Street Chant – Hauora Aaradhna – Brown Girl Hopetoun Brown – Look So Good Lawrence Arabia – Absolute Truth Leisure – LEISURE Lontalius – I'll Forget 17 Pacific Heights – The Stillness Shayne P Carter – Offsider 70 2018 Aldous Harding – Party Nadia Reid – Preservation Grayson Gilmour – Otherness Fazerdaze – Morningside TEEKS – The Grapefruit Skies EP Kane Strang – Two Hearts and No Brain Mermaidens – Perfect Body The Bads – Losing Heroes 92 2019 Avantdale Bowling Club – Avantdale Bowling Club Alien Weaponry – Tū Jonathan Bree – Sleepwalking Julia Deans – We Light Fire Marlon Williams – Make Way For Love Mel Parsons – Glass Heart Tami Neilson – SASSAFRASS! The Beths – Future Me Hates Me Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food Wax Chattels – Wax Chattels 67 2020 Troy Kingi – Holy Colony Burning Acres Aldous Harding – Designer Beastwars – IV JessB – New Views L.A.B. – L.A.B. III Lawrence Arabia – Lawrence Arabia's Singles Club Louis Baker – Open Mermaidens – Look Me In The Eye Miss June – Bad Luck Party Tiny Ruins – Olympic Girls 54 2021 Reb Fountain – Reb Fountain Anna Coddington – Beams L.A.B – L.A.B IV Nadia Reid – Out Of My Province Ria Hall – Manawa Wera Tami Neilson – Chickaboom! The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers The Phoenix Foundation – Friend Ship Troy Kingi – The Ghost of Freddie Cesar Wax Chattels – Clot 2022 Anthonie Tonnon – Leave Love Out of This Dianne Swann – The War On Peace of Mind French For Rabbits – The Overflow Lips – I Don't Know Why I Do Anything Luke Buda – BUDA Reb Fountain – IRIS Sheep, Dog & Wolf – Two-Minds Team Dynamite – Respect the Process Troy Kingi – Black Sea Golden Ladder Vera Ellen – It's Your Birthday 2023 Princess Chelsea – Everything Is Going To Be Alright Aldous Harding – Warm Chris Avantdale Bowling Club – Trees Erny Belle – Venus Is Home Fazerdaze – Break! Hans Pucket – No Drama Marlon Williams – My Boy Tami Neilson – Kingmaker TE KAAHU – Te Kaahu O Rangi The Beths – Expert In A Dying Field 61 2024 Vera Ellen – Ideal Home Noise Dick Move – Wet Ebony Lamb – Ebony Lamb Erny Belle – Not Your Cupid Home Brew – Run It Back Mermaidens – Mermaidens Shepherd's Reign – Ala Mai Tiny Ruins – Ceremony Unknown Mortal Orchestra – V Tom Lark – Brave Star 68 2025 Mokotron – WAEREA Anna Coddington – Te Whakamiha DARTZ – Dangerous Day to be a Cold One Delaney Davidson – Out of My Head Earth Tongue – Great Haunting Fazerdaze – Soft Power Georgia Lines – The Rose of Jericho Holly Arrowsmith – Blue Dreams Mel Parsons – Sabotage Troy Kingi – Leatherman & the Mojave Green 81 2026Marlon Williams – Te Whare Tīwekaweka Dick Move – Dream, Believe, Achieve Geneva AM – Pikipiki Reb Fountain – How Love Bends MĀ – Blame It On The Weather Jazmine Mary – I Want to Rock and Roll Phoebe Rings – Aseurai Ringlets – The Lord Is My German Shepherd (Time for Walkies) Tom Scott – ANITYA Womb – One Is Always Heading Somewhere83
Acts with three or more shortlisted albums