National Live Music Awards of 2020
The National Live Music Awards of 2020 were the 5th annual National Live Music Awards in Australia.
The nominees were revealed on 7 September 2020, which is when general public voting commences. The event occurred on 20 October 2020.
The 2020 event was a hybrid digital & physical event in October 2020 due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2020 awards are set to "celebrate the resilience of the live music sector in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic". More than 40 awards have been sidelined from 2019s event, in part due to the difficulties of recognising an industry that was unable to tour for half of the eligibility period. Two new, permanent awards are being added to the event; the first, the finest work by Live Music Journalists in Australia and the second, Best International Tour, will award an Australian promoter for their work on an Australian tour, fronted by an International guest. In July 2020, founding board member Damian Cunningham said "The NLMAs is back to honour not only the fantastic artists and acts that have performed in Australia this year, but to shine a light on excellent the work done within the industry as response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year has highlighted difficulties and hurdles never before seen within our industry which has had devastating effects. But as always, we have risen high and responded across the board, be it within TV or internet based concerts to drive-in style gigs. This industry is one that responds to any situation."
National awards
Nominations and wins below.Live Act of the Year
| Artist | Result |
| Ball Park Music | Nomitated |
| Genesis Owusu | Nomitated |
| Sampa The Great | Won |
| Tropical Fuck Storm | Nomitated |
| WAAX | Nomitated |
Live Voice of the Year
| Artist | Result |
| Montaigne | Nomitated |
| Ngaiire | Nomitated |
| Sampa the Great | Nomitated |
| Stella Donnelly | Nomitated |
| Zaachariaha Fielding | Won |
Live Bassist of the Year
| Artist | Result |
| Fiona Kitschin | Nomitated |
| Grace Barbé | Nomitated |
| Jennifer Aslett | Won |
| Joe Russo | Nomitated |
| Luke Henery | Nomitated |
Live Drummer of the Year
| Artist | Result |
| G Flip | Won |
| Lindy Morrison | Nomitated |
| Talya Valenti | Nomitated |
| Tim Commandeur | Nomitated |
| Tom Bloomfield | Nomitated |
Live Guitarist of the Year
| Artist | Result |
| Bec Goring | Nomitated |
| Courtney Barnett | Nomitated |
| James Tidswell | Nomitated |
| Oscar Dawson | Nomitated |
| Stu Mackenzie | Won |
Live Instrumentalist of the Year
| Artist | Result |
| Kirsty Tickle | Nomitated |
| Silentjay | Nomitated |
| Toby Chew Lee | Nomitated |
| Warren Ellis | Won |
| Zoe Davis | Nomitated |
Best Live Music Festival or Event
| Festival or Event | Result |
| BIGSOUND | Nomitated |
| St Jerome's Laneway Festival | Nomitated |
| WOMADelaide | Nomitated |
| Woodford Folk Festival | Won |
| Yours and Owls Festival | Nomitated |
Best Live Music Photographer of the Year
| Photographer | Result |
| Adrian Thompson | Nomitated |
| Jess Gleeson | Won |
| Lauren Connelly | Nomitated |
| Michelle Grace Hunder | Nomitated |
| Tashi Hall | Nomitated |
Best Live Music Journalist of the Year
| Photographer | Result |
| Hayden Davies | Nomitated |
| Jules LeFevre | Nomitated |
| Kate Hennessy | Nomitated |
| Poppy Reid | Nomitated |
| Sosefina Fuamoli | Won |
Best International Tour in Australia
| Tour and Promoter | Result |
| Elton John | Nomitated |
| Orville Peck | Nomitated |
| Sleaford Mods | Nomitated |
| The 1975 | Nomitated |
| TOOL | Won |
Industry Special Achievement
| Name | Result | Notes |
| Isol-Aid | Won | |
| Listen Up Music | Won | |
| Stephen Wade | Won | |
| Melbourne Digital Concert Hall | Won | |
| Support Act | Won |
Musicians Making a Difference
| Name | Result | Rationale |
| E^ST | Nomitated | For the open and honest lyrics on her album I'm Doing It tackle mental health, her open discussions on the subject and online performances. |
| Guy Sebastian | Won | For the incredible work done by The Sebastian Foundation and for his contributions to Fire Fight Australia and raising $200,000 with The Sony Foundation. |
| L-Fresh the Lion | Nomitated | For his contributions to social change in the community, both in South Western Sydney and through his performances and outreach. |
| Mushroom Vision | Nomitated | For The Sound; the TV program on the ABC uniting the industry to showcase live music during COVID-19. |
| Peking Duk | Nomitated | For their relentless fundraising efforts during the 2019–2020 bushfire crisis and with Support Act, as well as their performance at Fire Fight Australia. |
State and Territory awards
- Note: The State and Territory awards are public voted, and for 2020, a single award for each state and territory will be awarded; the Best Live Act. Voting for these awards ran from 7 September - 24 September.