Single of the Year () is an Aotearoa Music Award that honours New Zealand music artists for outstanding singles. For the purpose of the award, a single is defined as a song released separately from an album, either for sale or as a music video serviced to New Zealand television. The award was first awarded in 1973, following the Loxene Golden Disc award from 1965-1972. Lorde is the biggest winner in this category with five victories.
The award is sponsored by Spotify.
Recipients
Loxene Golden Disc (1965-1972)
Year Artist Song Award 1965 Ray Columbus & the Invaders "Till We Kissed" rowspan="5" 1966 Maria Dallas "Tumblin' Down" 1967 Mr Lee Grant "Thanks to You" 1968 Allison Durbin "I Have Loved me a Man" 1969 Shane "Saint Paul" 1970 Craig Scott "Let's Get a Little Sentimental" Solo Hogsnort Rupert "Pretty Girl" Group and Golden Disc 1971 Craig Scott "Smiley" Solo and Golden Disc Chapta "Say a Prayer" Group 1972 Suzanne "Sunshine Through a Prism" Solo Creation "Carolina" Group and Golden Disc
Single of the Year (1973-current)
Year Winner Song Other finalists 1973 John Hanlon "Damn the Dam" rowspan="4" 1974 John Hanlon "Is It Natural" 1975 Rockinghorse "Through the Moonlight" 1976 colspan="2" 1977 colspan="4" 1978 Golden Harvest "I Need Your Love" rowspan="3" 1979 Th' Dudes "Be Mine Tonight" 1980 Jon Stevens Montego Bay 1981 Coup D'État "Doctor, I Like Your Medicine" Blam Blam Blam - "No Depression in New Zealand" Screaming Meemees - "See Me Go" 1982 Prince Tui Teka "E Ipo" 1983 DD Smash "Outlook For Thursday" Monte Video and the Cassettes -"Shoop Shoop Diddy Wop Cumma Cumma Wang Dang" Coconut Rough - "Sierra Leone" 1984 The Narcs "You Took Me Heart and Soul" Pātea Māori Club and Dalvanius Prime - "Aku Raukura" Dance Exponents - "I'll Say Goodbye (Even Though I'm Blue)" 1985 Netherworld Dancing Toys "For Today" The Mockers - "Forever Tuesday Morning" Peking Man - "Lift Your Head Up High" 1986 Peking Man "Room That Echoes" Ardijah - "Give Me Your Number" Pātea Māori Club featuring Dalvanius - "E Papa" 1987 Dave Dobbyn "You Oughta Be In Love" Shona Laing - "(Glad I'm) Not a Kennedy" The Chills - "Leather Jacket" 1988 Holidaymakers "Sweet Lovers" Dave Dobbyn - "Love You Like I Should" Tex Pistol/Rikki Morris - "Nobody Else" 1989 Margaret Urlich "Escaping" Fan Club - "I Feel Love" Double J and Twice the T/Ray Columbus - "She's a Mod/Mod Rap" 1990 The Chills "Heavenly Pop Hit" Margaret Urlich - "Number One" Ngaire - "To Sir With Love" 1991 colspan="4" 1992 The Exponents "Why Does Love Do This To Me" Headless Chickens - "Cruise Control" Push Push - "Trippin'" 1993 The Mutton Birds "Nature" Annie Crummer - "See What Love Can Do" Greg Johnson Set - "Isabelle" 1994 Headless Chickens "Juice"/"Choppers" Strawpeople - "Love Explodes" Straitjacket Fits - "Cat Inna Can" 1995 Purest Form "Message to My Girl" 3 The Hard Way - "Hip Hop Holiday" Headless Chickens - "George" Sisters Underground - "In the Neighbourhood" Supergroove - "Can't Get Enough" 1996 OMC "How Bizarre" D-Faction - "Down in the Boondocks" Herbs - "French Letter '95" Jan Hellriegel - "Manic (Is a State of Mind)" The Exponents - "La La Lulu" Strawpeople - "Sweet Disorder" 1997 DLT featuring Che Fu "Chains" Bic Runga - "Drive" Garageland - "Beelines to Heaven" Strawpeople - "Taller Than God" The Mutton Birds - "She's Been Talking" 1998 Bic Runga "Sway" Shihad - "Home Again" The Feelers - "Pressure Man" Darcy Clay - "Jesus I Was Evil" Moizna - "Just Another Day" 1999 Che Fu "Scene III" The Feelers - "Venus" Ardijah - "Love So Right" 2000 Stellar "Violent" AKA Brown - "Something I Need" Shihad - "My Mind's Sedate" The Mutton Birds - "Pulled Along By Love" Breathe - "Landslide" 2001 Fur Patrol "Lydia" Eye TV - "One Day Ahead" Shihad - "Pacifier" Tadpole - "Alright" Zed - "Renegade Fighter" 2002 Che Fu "Fade Away" Aaria - "Kei A Wai Ra Te Kupu" Anika Moa - "Youthful" Nesian Mystik - "Nesian Style" Salmonella Dub - "Love Your Ways" 2003 Goodshirt "Sophie" Che Fu - "Misty Frequencies" Bic Runga - "Get Some Sleep" Anika Moa - "Falling In Love Again" Nesian Mystik - "It's On" 2004 Scribe "Stand Up" Brooke Fraser - "Lifeline Dimmer - "Getting What You Give" Goldenhorse - "Maybe Tomorrow" Goodshirt - "Buck It Up" 2005 Breaks Co-Op "The Otherside" Brooke Fraser - "Arithmetic" Dave Dobbyn - "Welcome Home" Finn Brothers - "Won't Give In" P-Money – "Stop the Music" 2006 Pluto "Long White Cross" Bic Runga - "Winning Arrow" Goldenhorse - "Out of the Moon" Mt Raskil Preservation Society featuring Hollie Smith - "Bathe In the River" The Feelers - "Stand Up" 2007 Evermore "Light Surrounding You" Brooke Fraser - "Deciphering Me" Liam Finn - "Second Chance" Opshop - "Maybe" The Tutts - "K" 2008 Opshop "One Day" Liam Finn - "Gather to the Chapel" Shihad - "One Will Hear the Other" The Phoenix Foundation - "Bright Grey" Tiki Taane - "Always on My Mind" 2009 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" 2010Kids of 88"Just a Little Bit"Dane Rumble – "Cruel" Gin Wigmore – "Oh My" J. Williams featuring Scribe – "You Got Me" The Phoenix Foundation – "Buffalo"2011"Young Blood"Avalanche City – "Love Love Love" Ladi6 – "Like Water" Brooke Fraser – "Something in the Water" Six60 – "Rise Up 2.0"2012Six60"Don't Forget Your Roots"Annah Mac – "Girl in Stilettos" Gin Wigmore – "Black Sheep" Kimbra featuring Mark Foster and A-Trak – "Warrior" The Adults – "Nothing To Lose"2013Lorde"Royals"Aaradhna – "Wake Up" Shapeshifter – "In Colour" Stan Walker – "Take It Easy" Unknown Mortal Orchestra – "So Good At Being In Trouble"2014 Lorde "Team" Broods - "Bridges" David Dallas - "Runnin'" The Naked and Famous - "Hearts Like Ours" Ladi6 - "Diamonds" 2015 Lorde "Yellow Flicker Beat" Avalanche City – "Inside Out" Marlon Williams – "Dark Child" Six60 – "White Lines" Unknown Mortal Orchestra – "Multi-Love" 2016 Broods "Free" Aaradhna - "Brown Girl" Kings - "Don't Worry Bout It" Maala - "Kind of Love" Shapeshifter - "Stars" The Naked and Famous - "Higher" 2017 Lorde "Green Light" David Dallas – "Fit In" Ladi6 – "Royal Blue" Maala – "In My Head" SWIDT – "Player Of The Day" Theia – "Roam" 2018 Drax Project "Woke Up Late" Mitch James – "21" Robinson – "Nothing to Regret" Six60 – "Don't Give It Up" Sons of Zion – "Drift Away" Unknown Mortal Orchestra – "Hunnybee" 2019 Benee "Soaked" Aldous Harding – "The Barrell" The Beths – "Little Death" Church & AP – "Ready or Not" Drax Project – "All This Time" Six60 – "The Greatest" 2020 Benee "Supalonely" Drax Project featuring Six60 – "Catching Feelings" Jawsh 685 – "Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)" L.A.B. – "In the Air" Six60 – "Please Don't Go" Troy Kingi – "All Your Ships Have Sailed" 2021 L.A.B. "Why Oh Why" Harper Finn – "Dance Away These Days" Lorde – "Solar Power" Six60 – "All She Wrote" Teeks – "Remember Me" Troy Kingi – "Sleep (Slumber)" 2022 L.A.B. "Mr Reggae" The Beths – "Silence Is Golden" Reb Fountain – "Lacuna" Ka Hao featuring Rob Ruha – "35" Rob Ruha – "That's Where I'll Be" Marlon Williams – "My Boy" 2023 colspan="4" 2024Avantdale Bowling Club"Friday Night @ The Liquor Store" Aaradhna – "SHE" Corrella – "Blue Eyed Māori" COTERIE – "Always Beside You (ft. Six60)" Fazerdaze – "Bigger" Home Brew – "Run It Back" Kaylee Bell – "Boots 'N All" L.A.B. – "Take It Away" Marlon Williams – "Don't Go Back" Mermaidens – "I like to be alone" Stan Walker – "I AM" The Beths – "Watching The Credits"2025Lorde"Girl So Confusing" – Charli XCX feat. Lorde Cassie Henderson – "Seconds to Midnight" CHAII – "We Be Killing It" Fazerdaze – "Cherry Pie" Georgia Lines – "The Letter" JessB – "Power" Kaylee Bell – "Cowboy Up" Reb Fountain – ‘Come Down’ MOKOMOKAI – ‘KUPE’ feat. MELODOWNZ Stan Walker – ‘Māori Ki Te Ao’ Theia – ‘BALDH3AD!’ Troy Kingi – ‘Silicone Booby Trap
References