Music News

2026 AMA finalists span generations as local heavyweights and new names collide

Empty Spaces

16 Apr 2026 — 1 min read

Image by Tom Grut

The 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards finalists have landed, with winners to be revealed on May 28 at The Civic to close out New Zealand Music Month.

Marlon Williams leads the field with seven nominations for Te Whare Tīwekaweka, his te reo Māori record that hit number one and shifted the dial for local releases. He appears across major and technical categories, including Album of the Year and Best Solo Artist.

Lorde returns with Virgin and ‘What Was That’, the only New Zealand single to top the charts last year. She lines up again in the headline awards, alongside BENEE and Borderline in the pop category.

Single of the Year pulls in a wide mix, from The Beths and Fazerdaze to Ladi6, Tom Scott, Tami Neilson, There’s A Tuesday, and Alien Weaponry. Scott’s ANITYA also shows depth, with nominations that cut across artist and production fields.

Elsewhere, Grecco Romank return in the alternative field, sitting alongside a wider mix of emerging and established acts. Across the list, te reo Māori remains strong, newer acts sit alongside long-time names, and genre lines keep blurring. From MĀ and MOKOMOKAI to Kaylee Bell and Nadia Reid, the spread is diverse.

Winners will be announced live, with major sales and radio awards confirmed on the night.

See the full list of finalists here.

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