The below press release was written and provided by Recorded Music NZ.
The Aotearoa Music Awards celebrated a standout group of Tūī winners on Friday night at the Viaduct Events Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau, closing out Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa | New Zealand Music Month with a bang. The event marked 60 years of the Music Awards and 50 years of the Official Music Charts in Aotearoa.
Fazerdaze was awarded the Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of The Year and Te Tino Reo o te Tau | Best Solo Artist Tūī, cutting through in two categories stacked with incredible talent. The artist’s acclaimed 2024 LP Soft Powerhas made an impact both at home and internationally, putting Amelia Murray firmly back in the spotlight.
Stan Walker took home both Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo for his chart-topping anthem ‘Maori Ki Te Ao’ and Te Māngai Pāho Te Manu Taki Māori o te Tau | Best Māori Artist. This follows from his 2024 success as the inaugural recipient of the Te Manu Mātārae award. Walker has a long history with the Awards, having now won 11 Tūī to date and performed and co-hosted on multiple memorable occasions.
L.A.B and 9Lives were both awarded a Te Manu Mātārae Tūī at AMA 2025. The award was introduced in 2024 to recognise artists that have made a significant impact on the music landscape during the eligibility period, but whose success may not be captured by traditional award categories.
L.A.B received the award in recognition of their phenomenal all-round success in 2024. Having long been one of the biggest acts in Aotearoa, it was a truly remarkable year for the group – ranging from their streaming and chart success to a sell-out US tour. The band released its sixth album, L.A.B VI – which went to #1 in the Official Top 40 Albums Chart, one of only two NZ albums to do so in 2024. The group also received the NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Horapa | Radio Airplay Record of the Year Tūī for the second year running, this time for their hit single ‘Casanova’.
Entirely decided by public vote, JD Sports Tā te Iwi | People’s Choice was won by Hamilton rock and metal mainstays Devilskin. The band has earned a formidable reputation and a legion of loyal fans since forming in 2010. This Tūī win is backed by Devilskin’s latest EP, SURFACING.
2025 Taite Music Prize winner MOKOTRON won Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau | Best Electronic Artist with his Sun Return release WAEREA. MOKOTRON is the artist persona of Tiopira McDowell, Head of School of Māori and Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland.
The 2025 Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau | Best Country Music Artist winner, at a time when Country’s really making itself (re)known, is the inimitable Tami Neilson. The genre icon claims the award for the seventh time, this time for her very special homage to Willie Nelson, Neilson Sings Nelson – right after receiving the newly established Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa at the annual Country Music Honours in Gore. Matt Sinclair also won Te Taumata o te Toi | Best Album Artwork for the painting that graces the cover of Neilson Sings Nelson (Tami Neilson).
Aaradhna claimed Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau | Best Soul/RnB Artist for the second year running, for her 2024 return Sweet Surrender. The record saw Aaradhna take full creative control, as both songwriter and producer.
Jim Nothing’s homage to inner city Auckland, Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn won the garage troubadour the 2025 Tūī for Te Manu Taki Whanokē o te Tau | Best Alternative Artist. The self-described green-thumbed, guitar-slinging artist is new to the Awards – 2025 saw both his first finalist nod and win.
Cassie Henderson had a great year on radio, reflected in her win for Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau | Best Pop Artist. Henderson’s Single of the Year-nominated track ‘Seconds To Midnight (11:59)’ spent 15 consecutive weeks at #1 on the RadioScope NZ Airplay Chart from August–December 2024, the longest run by a local female artist since 2017.
Backing up their directors’ Best Music Video Content Tūī, DARTZ took home Te Manu Taki Rakapioi o te Tau | Best Rock Artist for their chart-topping second album Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One. The record debuted at #1 on the Official Aotearoa Music Charts Top 40, a feat achieved by very few others.
Nic Manders won Te Taumata o te Kaiwhakaputa | Best Producer for his work on Georgia Lines’ debut album The Rose Of Jericho, and Simon Gooding won Te Taumata o te Pūkenga Oro | Best Engineer for his contribution to Safar (CHAII).
SIX60 was awarded the first-ever Aotearoa Charts Icon award. The Icon award has been established by Recorded Music NZ to recognise local artists that have had significant success in the Official Charts over an extended period. The hugely successful act was also awarded Te Taumata o te Hokona | Highest Selling Artist for a record-extending seventh time.
“Congratulations to all the winners of the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards. These outstanding artists illustrate the breadth and depth of musical talent we have here in Aotearoa, and the impact our artists and music are having at home and beyond.
“It has been a privilege this year to mark an incredible 60 years of the Music Awards in Aotearoa, and 50 years of the Official Music Charts. Produced by Recorded Music NZ, the Awards and the Charts reflect our rich musical heritage and inspire the next generation of artists and music fans.”
The 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards was co-hosted by Kara Rickard and Jesse Mulligan. The broadcast is now available to stream on TVNZ+.
