2020 Aotearoa Music Awards


The 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards was the 54th holding of the annual ceremony, featuring awards for musical recording artists based in or originating from New Zealand. It took place on 15 November 2020 at Spark Arena in Auckland and was hosted by Jesse Mulligan, Sharyn Casey, and Jayden King.
The awards show was broadcast live nationally on The Edge TV from 7pm until 8:30pm, and Three from 8:30pm until 10:30pm.
Previously known as the New Zealand Music Awards, the awards were rebranded in 2020 as the Aotearoa Music Awards.
WWW aotearoamusicawards.nz

Nominees and winners

Finalists for the awards were announced 8 October, 2020.
Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.
Album of the Year
Te Pukaemi o te Tau		Single of the Year
Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau

  • BENEE – "Supalonely"
  • *Drax Project featuring Six60 – "Catching Feelings"
  • *Jawsh 685 – "Savage Love"
  • *Six60 – "Please Don't Go"
  • *Troy Kingi – "All Your Ships Have Sailed"
    • Best GroupTe Roopu ToaBreakthrough Artist of the Year
    Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau

  • Jawsh 685
  • * CHAII
  • *MELODOWNZ
  • *Paige
    • Best Solo ArtistTe Kaipuoro Takitahi ToaBest Māori Artist
    Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa

  • Maimoa
  • *Ria Hall
  • *Stan Walker
    • Best Pop ArtistTe Kaipuoro Arotini ToaBest Alternative Artist
    Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa

  • The Beths
  • *Mermaidens
  • *Reb Fountain
    • Best Soul / RnB ArtistTe Kaipuoro Awe ToaBest Hip Hop Artist
    Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa

  • Church & AP
  • *Choicevaughan
  • *Raiza Biza
    • Best Roots ArtistTe Kaipuoro Taketake ToaTe Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Award

  • Mōhau
  • *Maimoa
  • *Six60
    • Best Electronic ArtistTe Kaipuoro Tāhiko ToaBest Rock Artist
    Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa

  • City of Souls
  • *Devilskin
  • *Villainy
    • Best Worship ArtistTe Kaipuoro Kairangi ToaBest Classical Artist
    Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa

    • Mōhau
    • *Kane Adams
    • *Te Rautini
  • Andrew Beer & Sarah Watkins
  • *Klara Kollektiv
  • *Matthew Marshall
    • Peoples' Choice AwardTe Kōwhiri o te NuingaRecorded Music NZ Legacy Award
    Tohu Whakareretanga

    • L.A.B.
  • Johnny Cooper
  • Max Merritt
  • Peter Rosa, Dinah Lee
  • The Chicks and Larry's Rebels
    • Highest selling ArtistTe Toa Hoko TeiteiNZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of the Year
    Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau
    No finalists were announced in this category.Drax Project featuring Six60No finalists were announced in this category.Drax Project
    Recorded Music NZ International Achievement
    Tohu Tutuki o te Ao    		Best Folk Artist
    Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa
    No finalists were announced in this category.BENEEJawsh 685
    • Mel Parsons – Glass Heart
    • *Victoria Vigenser & Lindsay Martin – The Gap
    • *Paper Cranes – Voices
    Best Pacific Music AlbumTe Pukaemi Toa o Te Moana Nui a KiwaBest Country Artist
    Te Kaipuoro Tuawhenua Toa

    • Olivia Foa’i – Candid
    • *Church & AP – Teeth
    • *POETIK – HAMOFIED 2 EP
  • Delaney Davidson & Barry Saunders – Word Gets Around
  • *Katie Thompson – Bittersweet
  • *Kendall Elise – Red Earth
    • Best Jazz ArtistTe Kaipuoro Tautito ToaBest Children's Artist
    Te Kaipuoro Waiata Tamariki Toa

    • Dixon Nacey – The Edge of Chaos
    • *ALCHEMY – ALCHEMY
    • *Michal Martyniuk – Resonate
  • Anika Moa – Songs For Bubbas 3
  • *Captain Festus McBoyle
  • *Chris Sanders
    • Massey University Best ProducerTe Kaiwhakaputa ToaBest Engineer
    Te Kaipukaha Toa

    		Simon Gooding - Reb Fountain by Reb Fountain
    NZ On Air Best Music VideoTe Puoro Ataata ToaBest Album Artwork
    Te Toi Ataata Pukaemi Toa

    • Anahera Parata - Bunga by SWIDT
    		Lily Paris West - Look Me In They Eye by Mermaiden
    Recorded Music NZ Manager of the YearKaiwhakahaere Puoro o te Tau-

    • Paul McKessar from CRS Management
    		-