South Australian Music Awards
The South Australian Music Awards, also known as SA Music Awards, commonly SAM Awards, formerly Fowler's Live Music Awards, are annual awards that exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary music industry. They take place in Adelaide, South Australia every November. The venue has varied over the years.
Background and history
The South Australian Music Industry Awards concluded in 2005.The inaugural South Australian Music Awards took place in November 2015, after having been known as the Fowler's Live Music Awards from 2012 to 2014, when custodianship was handed to Music SA. Fowler's Live was a popular Adelaide live music venue. Major partners are as of 2019 the South Australian Government's Music Development Office, The Music, Moshtix & Australian Hotels Association.
Eligibility and awards
Eligibility
All applicants must have commercially released the entered work between the eligible period of 1 August to 31 July. All applicants must have at least 50% of their band members residing in South Australia or they must identify and promote themselves as being South Australian. All applicants should be registered with APRA AMCOS. All entered works must be original compositions.Award winners
People's choice awards are 100% voted for by the public via themusic.com.au. For the Industry and Major awards, a judging panel consisting of ten local and five national industry peers is selected each year. The panel includes a diverse range of gender, age and culture.2012–2014: Fowler's Live Music Awards
2012
The 2012 Fowler's Live Music Awards took place at Fowlers on 1 November 2012 to "recognise success and achievement over the past 12 months celebrate the great diversity of original live music" in South Australia. 20 industry and five public voted awards were handed out. The winners are listed below.;Genre awards
- Best Acoustic Artist – The Audreys
- Best Country Artist - Tracey Pans & Claypan
- Best Electronica Artist - The Killgirls
- Best Folk Artist - Heather Frahn
- Best Hip Hop Artist – Hilltop Hoods
- Best Indie Artist – Fire! Santa Rosa, Fire!
- Best Jazz Artist - Bottleneck
- Best Metal Artist - Truth Corroded
- Best New World Artist – Shaolin Afronauts
- Best Pop Artist – Leader Cheetah
- Best Punk Artist – Coerce
- Best Rock Artist - Lady Strangelove
- Best Emerging Blues Artist - Carla Lippis & The Martial Hearts
- Best Emerging Contemporary Music Artist - Johnny McIntyre
- Best Music Initiative - Moving Music
- Best Music Manager - Daisy Brown
- Best Music Organisation or Individual - Alice Fraser
- Best Music Video – "You Should Consider Having Sex with a Bearded Man" by The Beards
- Achievement Awards - Sacha Sewell, El Dorado
- Most Popular SA Release – Tales of Love & Loss by The Borderers
- Most Popular SA Band / Artist - The Borderers
- Most Popular Live Music Venue - The Governor Hindmarsh Hotel
- Most Popular SA Live Music Event – WOMADelaide
- Most Popular Regional Band / Artist – Eviscerate
2013
;Genre awards
- Best Acoustic Artist - Kaurna Cronin
- Best Blues Artist - Don Morrison
- Best Country Artist - Amber Joy Poulton
- Best Electronica Artist - isima
- Best Folk Artist - Heather Frahn
- Best Hip Hop Artist – Jimblah
- Best Indie Artist – Bad//Dreems
- Best Jazz Artist - The Airbenders
- Best Metal Artist - Truth Corroded
- Best Pop Artist - The Beards
- Best Punk Artist – The Mark of Cain
- Best Rock Artist – Tracer
- Best Roots Artist - The Bearded Gypsy Band
- Best Music Initiative - A Band On Boat
- Best Music Manager - Ricky Kradolfer
- Best Music Organisation or Individual – Pilot Records
- Best Music Video – "Desert" by Messrs
- Achievement Awards - Tam & Anne Boakes
- Favourite SA produced and Recorded Artist Release of the Year– One More Tear by Echo & The Empress
- Favourite SA band / Artist - Ice on Mercury
- Favourite SA Live Music Venue - Governor Hindmarsh Hotel
- Favourite SA Live Music Event - WOMADelaide
- Favourite SA Music Media Source – Rip It Up magazine
2014
;Genre awards
- Best Acoustic Artist - Timberwolf
- Best Blues Artist - Lazy Eye
- Best Country Artist - Sandra Humphries
- Best Electronica Artist – Tkay Maidza
- Best Hip Hop Artist – Allday
- Best Indie Artist - Sparkspitter
- Best Jazz Artist – Ross McHenry
- Best Metal Artist - Truth Corroded
- Best Pop Artist - The Beards
- Best Punk Artist - Paper Arms
- Best Rock Artist - Bad//Dreems
- Best Roots Artist - Shaolin Afronauts
- SA Songwriters of the Year - Bad//Dreems
- Best Music Initiative - The Porch Sessions
- Best Music Manager - Jason North & Greg Shaw
- Best Music Organisation or Individual – The Jam Room
- Best Music Video – "Grace" by Timberwolf
- Achievement Awards - Ross McHenry and Gordon Andersen
- Favourite SA Song of the year – "Tempest" by Julia Henning
- Favourite SA band / artist - Julia Henning
- Favourite SA live music venue - Governor Hindmarsh Hotel
- Favourite SA live music event - WOMADelaide
- Favourite SA music media source - Rip It Up magazine
2015–present: SAM Awards
2015
The 2015 South Australian Music Awards took place on 10 November 2015. The Ryan Freeman Live Music Award, created in honour of Ryan Freeman, a live music fan who died in 2009, was awarded to Kelly Menhennett who also received $4000 to assist her career. 2015 marks Music SA's inaugural custodianship of the rebranded awards. The winners are listed below.;Genre awards
- Best Release - Tkay Maidza
- Best Female - Tkay Maidza
- Best Male – Timberwolf
- Best Group – Grenadiers
- Best New Artist – Skies
- Best Song - Tkay Maidza
- Best Songwriter - Chris Panousakis
- Best Live Act - Bad//Dreems
- Best Music Video - "Switch Lanes" Tkay Maidza
- Best Cover Art - Skies
- Best Producer – [Motez
- Best Manager - 5/4 Entertainment
- Best Music Venue - The Governor Hindmarsh Hotel
- Best Festival / Music Event – WOMADelaide
- Most Popular Artist - Truth Corroded
- Ryan Freeman Live Music Award - Kelly Menhennett
- Fowler's Live Achievement Award - Robert Dunstan, ''BSide Magazine''
2016
;Genre awards
- Best Release - Bad//Dreems
- Best Female – MANE
- Best Male - Jesse Davidson
- Best Group - Bad//Dreems
- Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island Artist – A.B. Original
- Best New Artist - A.B Original
- Best Song - Tkay Maidza
- Best Music Video – "Kazoo" by God God Dammit Dammit
- Best Cover Art - Brokers
- Best Manager - Craig Lock
- Best Music Venue - Grace Emily Hotel
- Best Festival / Music Event - WOMADelaide
- Best Engineer - Tom Barnes
- Best Studio - Mixmasters Studios
- Ryan Freeman Live Music Award - Kaurna Cronin
- Lifetime Achievement Award - Gary Burrows
- Best International Collaboration – "Do It Right" by Tkay Maidza
- Most Popular Blues/Roots Artist - Ben Ford-Davies
- Most Popular Country Artist - Max Savage
- Most Popular Electronic Artist – Motez
- Most Popular Experimental / Avant-garde Artist – Sparkspitter
- Most Popular Folk / Acoustic Artist - Ben Ford-Davies
- Most Popular Heavy Artist - Stabbitha & The Knifey Wifeys
- Most Popular Hip Hop Artist – Koolta
- Most Popular Jazz Artist - Adam Page & Ben Todd
2017
;Genre awards
- Best Group - A.B. Original
- Best Male Artist – DyspOra
- Best Female Artist - Tkay Maidza
- Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artist - A.B. Original
- Best New Artist - Heaps Good Friends
- Best Release – Reclaim Australia by A.B. Original
- Best Song – "January 26" by A.B. Original featuring Dan Sultan
- Best Music Video - "January 26" by A.B. Original featuring Dan Sultan
- Best Cover Art - Stuart Highway by The Bitter Darlings
- Best Manager - Craig Lock
- Best Music Venue - Grace Emily Hotel
- Best Festival / Music Event - Porch Sessions
- Best Engineer - Tom Barnes
- Best Studio - Chapel Lane Studios
- Ryan Freeman Live Music Award - Robert Dunstan
- Best International Collaboration - House of Songs Project
- Lifetime Achievement Award - The Governor Hindmarsh Hotel
- Most Popular Blues/Roots Artist - Wanderers
- Most Popular Country Artist - The Bitter Darlings
- Most Popular Electronic Artist - Abbey Howlett
- Most Popular Experimental / Avant-garde Artist - Timberwolf
- Most Popular Folk Artist - The Winter Gyspy
- Most Popular Heavy Artist - Ice On Mercury
- Most Popular Hip Hop Artist - A.B. Original
- Most Popular Jazz Artist - Ross McHenry
- Most Popular Pop Artist – Rachael Leahcar
- Most Popular Punk Artist - Young Offenders
- Most Popular Rock Artist - Bad//Dreems
- Most Popular World Music Artist - Adam Page
2018
;Genre awards
- Best Group – West Thebarton
- Best Solo Artist – MANE
- Best New Artist – Adrian Eagle
- Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island Artist - A.B. Original
- Best Release - Different Beings Being Different by West Thebarton
- Best Song –"Bible Camp" by West Thebarton
- Best Music Video – "Better" by Mallrat
- Best Cover Art - Neon Tetra
- Best Manager - Craig Lock
- Best Music Venue – Crown and Anchor Hotel
- Best Studio - Ghostnote Recording Studio
- Best Engineer - Mario Spate
- Best Music Festival / Event - A Day of Clarity
- Best International Collaboration – Zephyr Quartet
- Ryan Freeman Live Music Award - Max Savage
- Lifetime Achievement Award - Tam Boakes
- Most Popular Blues/Roots Award - Ollie English
- Most Popular Country Award - The Heggarties
- Most Popular Electronic Award - Motez
- Most Popular Experimental Award - Abbey Howlett
- Most Popular Folk Award - Laura Hill
- Most Popular Heavy Award - Dirty Pagans and Hidden Intent
- Most Popular Hip Hop Award - Tkay Maidza
- Most Popular Jazz/Art Music Award - Adam Page
- Most Popular Pop Award - Heaps Good Friends
- Most Popular Punk Award - Young Offenders
- Most Popular Rock Award - West Thebarton
- Most Popular World Music Award - The Coconut Kids