The Aotearoa Music People's Choice Award is an Aotearoa Music Award that honours New Zealand music artists, as chosen by public vote. The five finalists are determined by the Music Awards Committee, based on overall performance during the eligibility period. It is the only New Zealand Music Award decided by public vote.
In 2008, the award attracted controversy, after unknown Dunedin pop-rock band The DFender made the nominations shortlist. The band, who did not have any chart material, had extensively lobbied their fans on MySpace and gained the most votes in the initial nominations round. This prompted the call for the nominations to be chosen by Recorded Music NZ, a change that was eventually made.
The People's Choice Award was first awarded in 2004 to Scribe. Fat Freddy's Drop has won the award twice and been nominated two further times, while Stan Walker has won the award twice, with Walker having been nominated every year from 2010 to 2015. Lorde and Brooke Fraser have each won the award and been nominated a further two times.
Recipients
Year WinnerOther finalistsRef. 2004ScribeBrooke Fraser Goodshirt Elemeno P Steriogram Zed2005Fat Freddy's DropThe Feelers P-Money Savage Shihad2006Fat Freddy's DropFrontline Elemeno P Goodnight Nurse Pluto Bic Runga2007OpshopThe Black Seeds Evermore Brooke Fraser2008Parachute Band Antiform The DFenders Horsemen Family Nesian Mystik2009SmashproofThe Black Seeds Fat Freddy's Drop Ladyhawke Midnight Youth2010Gin Wigmore Dane Rumble Kids of 88 Shapeshifter2011Ladi6 The Naked and Famous Six60 Stan Walker2012Six60Gin Wigmore Kimbra Home Brew Stan Walker2013LordeAaradhna Shapeshifter Stan Walker Titanium2014 Stan Walker Lorde Sol3 Mio David Dallas Broods 2015 Six60 Broods Lorde Sol3 Mio Stan Walker 2016 Broods Fat Freddy's Drop Kings Maala Sol3 Mio 2017 Lorde Kings Maala SWIDT Theia 2018Six602019Six602020L.A.B.2021Te Nutube20222023 colspan="3" 2024Hori Shaw2025Devilskin
References