# 2016 New Zealand Music Awards

The 2016 New Zealand Music Awards was the 51st holding of the annual ceremony featuring awards for musical recording artists based in or originating from New Zealand. It took place in November 2016 at Vector Arena in Auckland and was hosted by comedy duo Jono Pryor and Ben Boyce. The awards show was broadcast live on TV3 and The Edge TV.
Nominations for the 2016 New Zealand Music Awards opened on 20 June 2016, and cover artists who have had commercial recordings released between 1 July 2015 and 31 July 2016. Nominations closed on 3 August 2016. The nominees were announced on 13 October, along with the 2016 Legacy Award recipient and the Critics' Choice Prize shortlist.

## Early awards

While most of the awards were presented at the main awards ceremony held in November, five genre awards are presented earlier in the year at ceremonies of their field.
* The first was awarded in February, with the Tui for Best Folk Album presented at the Auckland Folk Festival in Kumeu to Queenstown singer-songwriter Holly Arrowsmith for her debut album For the Weary Traveller.
* The Tui for Best Jazz Album was presented in March at the National Jazz Festival in Tauranga to Phil Broadhurst Quintet for their album Panacea.
* The Best Country Music Album Tui was presented in June at the New Zealand Country Music Awards in Gore to The Warratahs for their album Runaway Days.
* The Tui for Best Pacific Music Album was presented in June at the Vodafone Pacific Music Awards to the performance group Te Vaka for their album Amataga.
* The Tui for the Best Children's Music Album was presented in August on What Now to Itty Bitty Beats for their album Lay Your Head Down.
In addition, the artisan awards (previously known as the technical awards) were presented on 20 October at a cocktail event at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland. The Critics' Choice prize event and winner announcement will be held on 2 November at the Tuning Fork bar in Auckland.

## Nominees and winners

New for 2016, the technical awards have been renamed the artisan awards, and the Best Electronica Album award is now named Best Electronic Album. Broods dominated the awards, picking up Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Best Group, Best Pop Album and the People's Choice Award. R&B singer Aaradhna won Best Urban/Hip Hop Album, but refused to accept the award as she felt a category that included both R&B and rap acts was putting the two genres together for racial reasons. She then informally presented the award to rap group SWIDT. Recorded Music NZ still lists Aaradhna as the winner of the category. Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.

### Key

    ‡ – Artisan award
| Album of the Year | Single of the Year |
| Sponsored by Godfrey Hirst Broods – Conscious Aaradhna – Brown Girl Fat Freddy's Drop – Bays Hollie Smith – Water or Gold Tami Neilson – Don’t Be Afraid The Phoenix Foundation – Give Up Your Dreams | Sponsored by Vodafone Broods - Free Aaradhna - Brown Girl Kings - Don't Worry Bout It Maala - Kind of Love Shapeshifter - Stars The Naked and Famous - Higher |
| Best Group | Breakthrough Artist of the Year |
| Sponsor Broods – Conscious Fat Freddy's Drop – Bays Sol3 Mio - On Another Note The Phoenix Foundation – Give Up Your Dreams | Sponsor Kings - Don't Worry Bout It Leisure – All Over You Nomad – Oh My My Sachi – Lunch with Bianca |
| Best Male Solo Artist | Best Female Solo Artist |
| Sponsor Maala – Composure Avalanche City – We are for the Wild Places Dave Dobbyn – Harmony House Lawrence Arabia – Absolute Truth | Sponsor Aaradhna - Brown Girl Hollie Smith – Water or Gold Ladyhawke – Wild Things Tami Neilson – Don’t Be Afraid |
| Best Rock Album | Best Pop Album |
| Sponsor Villainy - Dead Sight Beastwars - The Death of All Things Jordan Luck Band - Not Only… But Also | Sponsored by The Edge Broods – Conscious Avalanche City – We Are for the Wild Places Maala - Composure |
| Best Urban/Hip Hop Album | Best Reggae/Roots Album |
| Sponsor Aaradhna – Brown Girl SWIDT – SmokeyGotBeatz Presents SWIDT vs EVERYBODY PNC – The Luke Vailima EP | Sponsor Unity Pacific – Blackbirder Dread Fat Freddy's Drop – Bays Rob Ruha – Pūmau |
| Best Alternative Album | Best Māori Album |
| Sponsor Lawrence Arabia – Absolute Truth The Phoenix Foundation – Give Up Your Dreams Silicon – Personal Computer | Sponsor Rob Ruha – Pūmau Dennis Marsh – Maori Songbook 2 Kirsten Te Rito – Āiotanga |
| Best Worship Album | Best Classical Album |
| Sponsor Edge Kingsland - Edge Vol. 3: The Common Good Grace Vineyard Music - Seek You LIFE Worship - By My Spirit | Sponsor Anthony Ritchie and Ross Harris – Fjärren: In the Distance Kenneth Young – Shadows and Light Zephyr – Zephyr |
| Best Electronic Album | Legacy Award |
| Sponsor Pacific Heights – The Stillness Electric Wire Hustle – Aeons Opiuo – Omniversal | Sponsored by The New Zealand Herald No finalists are announced in this category. Announced 13 October 2016 Bic Runga |
| People's Choice Award | Critics' Choice Prize |
| Sponsored by Vodafone Broods Fat Freddy's Drop Kings Maala Sol3 Mio | Sponsored by NZ on Air Presented 2 November 2016 Scuba Diva Kane Strang Spycc & INF |
| Highest selling New Zealand Single | Highest selling New Zealand Album |
| Sponsor No finalists are announced in this category. Six60 - White Lines | Sponsor No finalists are announced in this category. Sol3 Mio - On Another Note |
| Radio Airplay Record of the Year | International Achievement Award |
| Sponsored by NZ on Air No finalists are announced in this category. Six60 - White Lines | Sponsor No finalists are announced in this category. Fat Freddy's Drop |
| Best Music Video | Best Album Cover‡ |
| Sponsored by NZ on AirPresented 20 October 2016 Chris Lane – Inside Out (Avalanche City) Sam Peacocke – Buried by the Burden ([Pacific Heights Ft. Louis Baker) Simon Oliver – Secret Lives of Furniture (Ha the Unclear) | Sponsor Presented 20 October 2016 Anns Taylor – Absolute Truth (Lawrence Arabia) Henrietta Harris – I'll Forget 17 (Lontalius) Simon Faisandier – Road To You (Arise) |
| Best Engineer‡ | Best Producer‡ |
| Sponsor Presented 20 October 2016 Joel Little – Conscious (Broods) Miller & Phil Yule – Shoot Me in the Heart (Miller Yule) Samuel Flynn Scott & Lee Prebble –Harmony House (Dave Dobbyn) | Sponsored by Massey UniversityPresented 20 October 2016 Joel Little – Conscious (Broods) Devin Abrams – The Stillness (Pacific Heights) Josh Fountain – Composure (Maala) |
| Best Folk Album | Best Jazz Album |
| Presented 7 February 2016 Holly Arrowsmith - For The Weary Traveller Nadia Reid - Listen to Formations, Look for the Signs Amiria Grenell - Autumn | Presented 26 March 2016 Phil Broadhurst Quintet - Panacea Michael Houstoun and the Rodger Fox Big Band for Concerti Kevin Field - The A List |
| Best Country Music Album | Best Pacific Music Album |
| Presented 2 June 2016 The Warratahs - Runaway Days Eb & Sparrow - Sun/Son Jody Direen - Breaks Out | Presented 9 June 2016 Te Vaka - Amataga Annie Grace - The Journey Sol3 Mio - On Another Note |
| Best Children's Music Album | |
| Presented 9 August 2016 Itty Bitty Beats - Lay Your Head Down Anna van Riel - Cooking up a Song Peter Weatherall - Lollipop Man | |
* ↑ While the 2016 award was formally awarded to Aaradhna for Brown Girl, she refused to accept it and informally presented it to fellow nominee SWIDT. "Aaradhna claims racism, gives away Tui at NZ Music Awards". NZ Herald. NZME. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2018.