2025 Aotearoa Music Awards


The 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards was the 58th holding of the annual ceremony featuring awards for New Zealand music recording artists, and the 60th anniversary of the awards. The ceremony took place on 29 May 2025 at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland and was hosted by Radio NZ presenters Jesse Mulligan and Kara Rickard.
The awards were live streamed by Radio New Zealand, and made available to watch the next day on TVNZ+.
The event was notable due to an incident where Chris Bishop was recorded calling a performance by Stan Walker "a load of crap" and the audience applause "performative acclaim". Bishop declined to apologise for the comments, saying he was frustrated by the "politicisation" of the performance, but admitted he should have kept it to himself. Bishop acknowledged he had consumed alcohol but denied he was intoxicated.

Nominees and winners

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger.
Album of the Year
Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau		Single of the Year
Te Tino Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau
Fazerdaze '– Soft Power
Lorde '– "Girl, So Confusing featuring Lorde"
  • * Cassie Henderson – "Seconds To Midnight "
  • * CHAII – "We Be Killing It"
  • * Fazerdaze – "Cherry Pie"
  • * Georgia Lines – "The Letter"
  • * JessB – "Power"
  • * Kaylee Bell – "Cowboy Up"
  • *
  • * MOKOMOKAI – "KUPE" feat. MELODOWNZ
  • * Reb Fountain – "Come Down"
  • * Stan Walker – "Māori Ki Te Ao"
  • * Theia – "BALDH3AD!"
  • * Troy Kingi – "Silicone Booby Trap"
    • Best Solo ArtistTe Tino Reo o te TauBest Group
    Te Tino Kāhui Manu Taki o te Tau
    Fazerdaze – Soft Power
    		Earth Tongue – Great Haunting
  • * Corrella – Skeletons
  • * DARTZ – Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One
  • * Foley
  • * L.A.B – L.A.B VI
  • * SKILAA – Tiger In The River
    • Best Māori ArtistTe Manu Taki Māori o te TauMana Reo
    Te Mangai Pāho Mana Reo
    Stan Walker
    		Stan Walker – "Māori Ki Te Ao"
  • * Anna Coddington – Te Whakamiha
  • * Haami Tuari – Taku Kaenga
  • * Jordyn with a Why – "Reia"
  • * TAWAZ – "Tātarakihi"
  • * Tuari Brothers – "Higher"
    • Breakthrough Artist of the YearTe Iti Rearea o te TauBest Pop Artist
    Te Manu Taki Arotini o te Tau
    Hori Shaw
    		Cassie Henderson – The Yellow Chapter
  • * Frankie Venter
  • * Georgia Lines – The Rose Of Jericho
    • Best Alternative ArtistTe Manu Taki Whanokē o te TauBest Soul / RnB Artist
    Te Manu Taki Manako o te Tau
    Jim Nothing '– Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn
    • * Louisa Nicklin – The Big Sulk
    • * Vera Ellen – heartbreak for jetlag
    		Aaradhna – Sweet Surrender
  • * Sam V
  • * Stan Walker
    • Best Hip Hop ArtistTe Manu Taki Ātete o te TauBest Roots Artist
    Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau
    David Dallas – Vita
    • * Jujulipps – Superstar
    • * RNZŌ
    		Corrella – Skeletons
  • * Christoph El Truento – Dubs From The Neighbourhood
  • * Lomez Brown
    • Best Rock ArtistTe Manu Taki Rakapioi o te TauBest Electronic Artist
    Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau
    DARTZ – Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One
  • MOKOTRON – WAEREA
  • * CHAII – Safar
  • * Lee Mvtthews – EXIT
    • Best Classical ArtistTe Manu Taki Tuauki o te TauTe Manu Mātarae
    Jian Liu – Where Fairburn Walked
    		9livesL.A.B'''

    Additional awards

    The following awards were also presented:
    Best Country Artist
    Te Manu Taki Tuawhenua o te Tau    		Best Folk Artist
    Te Manu Taki Ahurea o te Tau
    Tami Neilson '– Neilson Sings Nelson
    		Holly Arrowsmith – Blue Dreams
  • * Kerryn Fields – The Folk Singer
  • * Mel Parsons – Sabotage
    • Best Children's Music ArtistTe Manu Taki Kerekahu o te TauBest Jazz Artist
    Claudia Robin GunnLucien Johnson – Ancient Relics'
    • * Thabani Gapara – Dzindza
    • * Umar Zakaria – Family Music