# Aotearoa Music Award for Best Solo Artist

Best Solo Artist is an Aotearoa Music Award that honours solo artists for outstanding work. The award can either apply to solo performers or a singer who performs with a band.
The award was originally divided by gender, with separate prizes going to male and female artists. The awards were first presented in 1978 at the relaunched New Zealand Music Awards. The awards were then called Top Male Vocalist and Top Female Vocalist. In 1985 they became Best Male Vocalist and Best Female Vocalist, then in 2004 they were renamed Best Male Solo Artist and Best Female Solo Artist. In 2017, following a revamp of the awards, the two awards were amalgamated into the one award called Best Solo Artist.
Dave Dobbyn has won the award six times and been nominated a further six times. Bic Runga has won the award four times and been nominated once more. Jon Toogood of Shihad has won the award three times and been nominated a further six times. The award has also been won by three members of the same family: brothers, Neil Finn and Tim Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House and Neil's son Liam Finn.

## Winners
### Top Male Vocalist and Top Female Vocalist (1978 to 1984)

| Year | Winner | Other finalists |
| 1978 | John Rowles | — |
| 1978 | Sharon O'Neill | — |
| 1979 | Rob Guest | — |
| 1979 | Sharon O'Neill | — |
| 1980 | Jon Stevens | — |
| 1980 | Sharon O'Neill | — |
| 1981 | Dave McArtney (Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos) | Deane Waretini Hammond Gamble |
| 1981 | Suzanne Prentice | Jenny Morris Tina Cross |
| 1982 | Dave Dobbyn (DD Smash) | Malcolm McNeill Murray "Monte Video" Grindlay (Monte Video and the Cassettes) |
| 1982 | Patsy Riggir | Suzanne Prentice Trudi Green (The Neighbours) |
| 1983 | Dave Dobbyn (DD Smash) | Malcolm McNeill Murray "Monte Video" Grindlay (Monte Video and the Cassettes) |
| 1983 | Suzanne Prentice | Trudi Green Patsy Riggir |
| 1984 | Jordan Luck (Dance Exponents) | Andy Dickson (The Narcs) Andrew Fagan (The Mockers) |
| 1984 | Patsy Riggir | Jodi Vaughan Suzanne Prentice |

### Best Male Vocalist and Best Female Vocalist (1985 to 2003)

| Year | Winner | Album | Other finalists | Ref. |
| 1985 | Andrew Fagan (The Mockers) | — | Malcolm Black (Netherworld Dancing Toys) Pat Urlich (Peking Man) | |
| 1985 | Margaret Urlich | — | Patsy Riggir Jacqui Fitzgerald | |
| 1986 | Pat Urlich (Peking Man) | — | Malcolm McNeill Sonny Day | |
| 1986 | Margaret Urlich | — | Betty Monga Annie Crummer | |
| 1987 | Dave Dobbyn | — | Charlie Tumahai (Herbs) Martin Phillipps (The Chills) | |
| 1987 | Shona Laing | — | Betty-Anne Monga (Ardijah) Patsy Riggir | |
| 1988 | Dave Dobbyn | — | Charlie Tumahai (Herbs) Barry Saunders (The Warratahs) | |
| 1988 | Shona Laing | — | Aishah Annie Crummer | |
| 1989 | Tim Finn | — | Howard Morrison Barry Saunders (The Warratahs) | |
| 1989 | Margaret Urlich | — | Moana Jackson Aishah | |
| 1990 | Barry Saunders (The Warratahs) | — | John Grenell Barry Saunders (The Warratahs) | |
| 1990 | Margaret Urlich | — | Patsy Riggir Aishah | |
| 1991 | No awards held | No awards held | No awards held | No awards held |
| 1992 | Jordan Luck (The Exponents) | — | Mikey Havoc (Push Push) Shayne Carter (Straitjacket Fits) | |
| 1992 | Fiona McDonald (Headless Chickens) | — | Moana Ngaire | |
| 1993 | Greg Johnson (Greg Johnson Set) | — | Jordan Luck Paul Ubana Jones | |
| 1993 | Annie Crummer | — | Patsy Riggir Shona Laing | |
| 1994 | Shayne Carter (Straitjacket Fits) | — | Jon Toogood (Shihad) Chris Matthews (Headless Chickens) | |
| 1994 | Fiona McDonald (Headless Chickens) | — | Annie Crummer Shona Laing | |
| 1995 | Dave Dobbyn | — | David Kilgour Greg Johnson (Greg Johnson Set) Jon Toogood (Shihad) | |
| 1995 | Fiona McDonald (Strawpeople) | — | Emma Paki Stephanie Tauevihi | |
| 1996 | Jon Toogood (Shihad) | — | Greg Johnson (Greg Johnson Set) Dave Dobbyn | |
| 1996 | Teremoana Rapley | — | Sulata Jan Hellriegel | |
| 1997 | Che Fu | — | Jeremy Eade (Garageland) Jon Toogood (Shihad) | |
| 1997 | Bic Runga | — | Emma Paki Fiona McDonald (Strawpeople) | |
| 1998 | Jon Toogood (Shihad) | — | Greg Johnson Booga Beazley (Head Like a Hole) | |
| 1998 | Bic Runga | — | Sulata Annie Crummer | |
| 1999 | Neil Finn | — | Dave Dobbyn James Reid (The Feelers) | |
| 1999 | Betty-Anne Monga (Ardijah) | — | Sulata Foai (Te Vaka) Alesha Siosiua (Urban Pacifika) | |
| 2000 | Jon Toogood (Shihad) | — | Dave Dobbyn Don McGlashan (The Mutton Birds) | |
| 2000 | Boh Runga (Stellar) | — | Betty-Anne Monga (Ardijah) Zara Clark (Deep Obsession) | |
| 2001 | Nathan King (Zed) | — | Jon Toogood (Shihad) Dave Dobbyn | |
| 2001 | Julia Deans (Fur Patrol) | — | Renee Brennan (Tadpole) Libby Huirua (The Parachute Band) | |
| 2002 | Che Fu | Navigator | Neil Finn - One Nil Tiki Taane (Salmonella Dub) - Inside the Dub Plates | |
| 2002 | Anika Moa | Thinking Room | Boh Runga (Stellar) - Magic Line Hayley Westenra - Hayley Westenra | |
| 2003 | Che Fu | "Misty Frequencies" | Jon Toogood (Pacifier) - Pacifier Te Awanui Pine Reeder (Nesian Mystik) - "For the People" | |
| 2003 | Bic Runga | Beautiful Collision | Anika Moa - "Falling In Love Again" Kirsten Morrell (Goldenhorse) - Riverhead | |

### Best Male Solo Artist and Best Female Solo Artist (2004 to 2016)

| Year | Winner | Album | Other finalists |
| 2004 | Scribe | The Crusader | Greg Johnson - Here Comes the Caviar Nathan Haines - Squire For Hire |
| 2004 | Brooke Fraser | What to Do with Daylight | Bic Runga - Live in Concert with the Christchurch Symphony Hayley Westenra - Pure |
| 2005 | P-Money | Magic City | Savage – Moonshine SJD – Southern Lights |
| 2005 | Yulia | Into the West | Debbie Harwood – Soothe Me Jordan Reyne – Passenger |
| 2006 | Dave Dobbyn | Available Light | Don McGlashan - Warm Hand Che Fu - Beneath the Radar |
| 2006 | Bic Runga | Birds | Aaradhna - I Love You Anika Moa - Stolen Hill |
| 2007 | Tim Finn | Imaginary Kingdom | Paul McLaney - EDIN Greg Johnson - Anyone Can Say Goodbye |
| 2007 | Hollie Smith | Long Player | Brooke Fraser - Albertine Hayley Westenra - Treasure |
| 2008 | Liam Finn | I'll Be Lightning | SJD - Songs From a Dictaphone Tiki Taane - Past, Present, Future |
| 2008 | Anika Moa | In Swings the Tide | Aaradhna - Sweet Soul Music Annabel Fay - Annabel Fay |
| 2009 | Savage | Savage Island | Don McGlashan (Don McGlashan & The Seven Sisters) - Marvellous Year Dave Dobbyn - Anotherland |
| 2009 | Ladyhawke | Ladyhawke | Boh Runga - Right Here Ladi6 - Time Is Not Much |
| 2010 | Dane Rumble | The Experiment | Connan Mockasin - Please Turn Me Into the Snat J. Williams - Young Love |
| 2010 | Anika Moa | Love in Motion | Gin Wigmore - Holy Smoke Hollie Smith - Humour and the Misfortune of Others |
| 2011 | Tiki Taane | In the World of Light | David Dallas – The Rose Tint Stan Walker – From the Inside Out |
| 2011 | Ladi6 | The Liberation Of... | Brooke Fraser – Flags Julia Deans – Modern Fables |
| 2012 | Ruban Nielson (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) | Unknown Mortal Orchestra | Bulletproof – Dub Me Crazy Seth Haapu – Seth Haapu |
| 2012 | Kimbra | Vows | Gin Wigmore – Gravel & Wine Ladyhawke – Anxiety |
| 2013 | Lawrence Arabia | The Sparrow | Ruban Nielson (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) – II Willy Moon – Here's Willy Moon |
| 2013 | Aaradhna | Treble & Reverb | Iva Lamkum - Black Eagle Jamie McDell - Six Strings and a Sailboat |
| 2014 | David Dallas | Falling Into Place | Liam Finn – The Nihilist Stan Walker – Inventing Myself |
| 2014 | Lorde | Pure Heroine | Ladi6 - Automatic Tiny Ruins - Haunts |
| 2015 | Marlon Williams | Marlon Williams | Stan Walker – Truth & Soul Ruban Nielson (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) – Multi-Love |
| 2015 | Gin Wigmore | Blood to Bone | Brooke Fraser - Brutal Romantic Anika Moa - Queen at the Table |
| 2016 | Maala | Composure | Avalanche City – We are for the Wild Places Dave Dobbyn – Harmony House Lawrence Arabia – Absolute Truth |
| 2016 | Aaradhna | Brown Girl | Tami Neilson - Don't Be Afraid Ladyhawke - Wild Things Hollie Smith - Water of Gold |

### Best Solo Artist (2017 to present)

| Year | Winner | Album | Other finalists |
| 2017 | Lorde | Melodrama | Aldous Harding – Party Kings – Kings EP Nadia Reid – Preservation |
| 2018 | Marlon Williams | Make Way for Love | Julia Deans – We Light Fire Kimbra – Primal Heart Tami Neilson – Sassafrass! |
| 2019 | | | |
| 2020 | | | |
| 2021 | | | |
| 2022 | | | |
| 2023 | | | |
| 2024 | Marlon Williams | | Avantdale Bowling Club Fazerdaze Kaylee Bell Princess Chelsea Stan Walker |