Taite Music Prize

Taite Music Prize
Awarded forBest album from New Zealand
Sponsored byPPNZ Music Licensing
CountryNew Zealand
Presented byIndependent Music New Zealand
Reward(s)$NZ10,000 - $12,500
First awarded2010-
Websitehttp://www.indies.co.nz/taite-music-prize.html

The Taite Music Prize is an annual New Zealand music award event. It features the same-named prize awarded for the best album from New Zealand.

The prize is named after respected New Zealand music journalist and broadcaster Dylan Taite, who died in 2003. The Taite Music Prize was established in 2009 in his honour by Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) in conjunction with the Taite family. The first prize was awarded in 2010.[1] The Taite takes its inspiration from successful international prizes such as the Mercury Prize in the UK and the Australian Music Prize.[2]

The Taite Music Prize

The award carries a cash prize of NZ$12,500 and sponsors' prizes. It is primarily sponsored by Recorded Music NZ (formerly known as PPNZ Music Licensing).[2] The award is judged on originality, creativity, and musicianship displayed on an album, rather than on sales or commercial factors.[1]

The prize shortlist is decided by a group of IMNZ members and 10 outside judges, including musicians, music journalists and music industry personnel. The prize winner is decided by a 10-person judging panel chosen by IMNZ.[3]

Other awards

In 2013 a second award was added to the Taite Music Prize event. The Independent Music NZ Classic Record award honours a previously released record that is now considered a classic, and the award aims to "acknowledge New Zealand’s rich history of making fine records that continue to inspire us and that also define who we are." Like the Taite Music Prize, it is selected by music media and music industry specialists. The inaugural recipient of the Classic Record award was the Gordons' 1981 album Gordons.[4]

In 2017, a third award was added to the Taites. The Best Independent Debut Award honours the best debut release of an artist that is on a member label of Independent Music New Zealand. The winner receives a $2000 cash prize and a performance slot in the annual Summer In The Square festival. This prize was awarded for the first time in 2017 to Merk for Swordfish.[5]

An Outstanding Music Journalism Award was added in 2022. The winner receives a $2500 cash prize. The first recipient was RNZ music journalist Tony Stamp.[6][7] The 2023 winner was Namnita Kumar and Nadia Freeman, for the Eastern Sound Stories Podcast. The 2024 winners were Cushla Dillon and Andrew Moore for their King Loser documentary.

History

In 2014, Lorde, the winner of the Taite Music Prize, asked that the $10,000 cash prize, studio time and other sponsors' prizes be split among the seven other nominees, saying, "I think everyone is kind of sick of me winning stuff at the moment and other people are in more in need of the funds and exposure right now."[8]

Brothers Ruban and Kody Nielson, formerly of The Mint Chicks, have each won the Taite Music Prize for different music projects - Ruban as Unknown Mortal Orchestra in 2012 and Kody as Silicon in 2016.[9] Kody was also nominated in 2013 for OPOSSUM.

Multiple nominations

A record four nominations have gone to Tami Neilson, and three each to @Peace, David Dallas, Lawrence Arabia, The Phoenix Foundation, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Aldous Harding, Marlon Williams, The Beths, and Mermaidens. Of those, Aldous Harding, Lawrence Arabia and Unknown Mortal Orchestra have won the prize, once each. On top of three nominations with @Peace, Tom Scott won the 2019 award with Avantdale Bowling Club and was nominated in 2013 with Home Brew and 2024 with Run It Back .

Winners and shortlisted nominees

Ladi6, winner of the 2011 prize.
Ruban Nielson of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, winner of the 2012 prize.
Lorde, winner of the 2014 prize.
Year Winner Shortlisted nominees Ref(s)
2010 Lawrence Arabia – Chant Darling [10]
2011 Ladi6 – The Liberation Of... [11]
2012 Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra [12]
2013 SJD – Elastic Wasteland
  • @Peace – @Peace
  • Aaradhna – Treble & Reverb
  • Collapsing Cities – Strangers Again
  • Home Brew – Home Brew
  • Lawrence Arabia – The Sparrow
  • OPOSSOM – Electric Hawaii
 [13][14]
2014 Lorde – Pure Heroine [15]
2015 Jakob – Sines
  • @peace – @peace and the Plutonian Noise Symphony
  • Aldous Harding – Aldous Harding
  • Delaney Davidson – Swim Down Low
  • Electric Wire Hustle – Love Can Prevail
  • Grayson Gilmour – Infinite Life!
  • Kimbra – The Golden Echo
  • Tiny Ruins – Brightly Painted One
  • Mulholland – Stop & Start Again
  • Tami Neilson – Dynamite!
 [16][17]
2016 Silicon – Personal Computer [18][9]
2017 Street Chant – Hauora
  • Aaradhna – Brown Girl
  • Hopetoun Brown – Look So Good
  • Lawrence Arabia – Absolute Truth
  • Leisure – LEISURE
  • Lontalius – I'll Forget 17
  • Pacific Heights – The Stillness
  • Shayne P Carter – Offsider
 [19][20]
2018 Aldous Harding – Party
  • Nadia Reid – Preservation
  • Grayson Gilmour – Otherness
  • Fazerdaze – Morningside
  • TEEKS – The Grapefruit Skies EP
  • Kane Strang – Two Hearts and No Brain
  • Mermaidens – Perfect Body
  • The Bads – Losing Heroes
 [21]
2019 Avantdale Bowling Club – Avantdale Bowling Club
  • Alien Weaponry – Tū
  • Jonathan Bree – Sleepwalking
  • Julia Deans – We Light Fire
  • Marlon Williams – Make Way For Love
  • Mel Parsons – Glass Heart
  • Tami Neilson – SASSAFRASS!
  • The Beths – Future Me Hates Me
  • Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food
  • Wax Chattels – Wax Chattels
 [22]
2020 Troy Kingi – Holy Colony Burning Acres
  • Aldous Harding – Designer
  • Beastwars – IV
  • JessB – New Views
  • L.A.B. – L.A.B. III
  • Lawrence Arabia – Lawrence Arabia's Singles Club
  • Louis Baker – Open
  • Mermaidens – Look Me In The Eye
  • Miss June – Bad Luck Party
  • Tiny Ruins – Olympic Girls
 [23]
2021 Reb Fountain – Reb Fountain
  • Anna Coddington – Beams
  • L.A.B – L.A.B IV
  • Nadia Reid – Out Of My Province
  • Ria Hall – Manawa Wera
  • Tami Neilson – Chickaboom!
  • The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers
  • The Phoenix Foundation – Friend Ship
  • Troy Kingi – The Ghost of Freddie Cesar
  • Wax Chattels – Clot
 [24]
2022 Anthonie Tonnon – Leave Love Out of This
  • Dianne Swann – The War On Peace of Mind
  • French For Rabbits – The Overflow
  • Lips – I Don't Know Why I Do Anything
  • Luke Buda – BUDA
  • Reb Fountain – IRIS
  • Sheep, Dog & Wolf – Two-Minds
  • Team Dynamite – Respect the Process
  • Troy Kingi – Black Sea Golden Ladder
  • Vera Ellen – It's Your Birthday
 [25][26]
2023 Princess Chelsea – Everything Is Going To Be Alright
  • Aldous Harding – Warm Chris
  • Avantdale Bowling Club – Trees
  • Erny Belle – Venus Is Home
  • Fazerdaze – Break!
  • Hans Pucket – No Drama
  • Marlon Williams – My Boy
  • Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
  • TE KAAHU – Te Kaahu O Rangi
  • The Beths – Expert In A Dying Field
 [27]
2024 Vera Ellen – Ideal Home Noise
  • Dick Move – Wet
  • Ebony Lamb – Ebony Lamb
  • Erny Belle – Not Your Cupid
  • Home Brew – Run It Back
  • Mermaidens – Mermaidens
  • Shepherd's Reign – Ala Mai
  • Tiny Ruins – Ceremony
  • Unknown Mortal Orchestra – V
  • Tom Lark – Brave Star
 [28]

Independent Music NZ Classic Record award

Year Winner Record Label Year of release Ref(s)
2013 The Gordons Gordons Gordons 1981 [4]
2014 Various artists AK79 Ripper Records 1979 [29]
2015 Herbs What's Be Happen? Warrior Records 1981 [30]
2016 Upper Hutt Posse "E Tu" [note 1] Jayrem Records 1988 [31]
2017 The Clean Boodle Boodle Boodle [note 2] Flying Nun Records 1981 [20]
2018 Headless Chickens Stunt Clown Flying Nun Records 1988 [32]
2019 Moana and the Moahunters Tahi Southside Records 1993 [32]
2020 Shona Laing South Pagan Records 1987 [32]
2021 Pātea Māori Club "Poi E" [note 3] Maui Records 1983 [33]
2022 Alan Jansson Proud: An Urban-Pacific Streetsoul Compilation Huh Records 1994 [34]
2023 Micronism Inside a quiet mind Kog Transmissions 1998 [35]
2024 Look Blue Go Purple Compilation Flying Nun Records 1991 [36]
  1. ^ "E Tu" is a 12-inch single.
  2. ^ Boodle Boodle Boodle is a 12-inch EP.
  3. ^ "Poi E" is a single.

Best Independent Debut Award

Year Winner Album Ref(s)
2017 Merk Swordfish [20]
2018 The Miltones The Miltones [37]
2019 Alien Weaponry Tū [38]
2020 Repulsive Woman Relief [39]
2021 Na Noise Waiting For You [40]
2022 Jazmine Mary The Licking of a Tangerine [41]
2023 TE KAAHU Te Kaahu O Rangi [42]
2024 JuJuLipps Get That Shot [43]

References

  1. ^ a b Kara, Scott (19 December 2009). "Music prize honours journalist". NZ Herald. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Taite Music Prize". IMNZ. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Rules and Judging Criteria". IMNZ. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  4. ^ a b "The Taite Music Prize: announcing the inaugural 'Independent Music NZ Classic Record' award". IMNZ. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  5. ^ "Auckland Live Best Independent Debut award". Independent Music NZ. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  6. ^ Jack, Amberleigh (29 May 2022). "Anthonie Tonnon the big winner at Taite Music Prize 2022". Stuff. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Anthonie Tonnon Wins 2022 Taite Music Prize For His Album "Leave Love Out Of This"". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Taite Prize: Lorde giveth back". NZ Herald. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Silicon wins 2016 Taite Music Prize". Stuff. Fairfax. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Taite Music Prize 2010 Finalists". IMNZ. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  11. ^ "The 2011 Taite Music Prize – Announcing the Finalists!". IMNZ. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  12. ^ "The Taite Music Prize 2012: announcing the finalists". IMNZ. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  13. ^ "Taite Music Prize". IMNZ. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  14. ^ "SJD wins Taite Music Prize". MSN NZ. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  15. ^ "Taite Music Prize". IMNZ. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  16. ^ Yates, Siena (19 February 2015). "Taite Music Prize finalists announced". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  17. ^ Walters, Laura. "Jakob awarded Taite Music Prize". Stuff. Fairfax. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  18. ^ "Taite Prize: This year's nominees are ..." NZ Herald. NZME. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  19. ^ "TAITE MUSIC PRIZE FINALISTS ANNOUNCED". Planet Phrom. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  20. ^ a b c "Street Chant win prestigious Taite Music Prize for 2017". NZ Herald. NZME. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  21. ^ "Taite Music Prize: Finalists announced". Radio New Zealand. 8 March 2018.
  22. ^ "Stuff".
  23. ^ "Taite Music Prize 2020 Finalists Announced".
  24. ^ "News - Taite Music Prize 2021 Finalists announced".
  25. ^ "Anthonie Tonnon wins 2022 Taite Music Prize". RNZ. 29 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  26. ^ "Taite Music Prize 2022 Finalists Announced".
  27. ^ "Independent Music NZ Taite Music Prize 2023 Winners Announced". Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  28. ^ "Taite Music Prize 2024 - main prize finalists announced!". Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  29. ^ "The Taite Music Prize: announcing this year's 'Independent Music NZ Classic Record' award". Independent Music NZ Inc. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  30. ^ "'Independent Music NZ Classic Record' Award Announced". Scoop. Taite Music Prize. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  31. ^ "Upper Hutt Posse to receive Taite classic award". Newshub. Mediaworks. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  32. ^ a b c "11th Annual Taite Music Prize 2020 Winners Announced!". NZ Music. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  33. ^ "Poi E – Patea Māori Club Announced as Recipient Of Taite Music Prize: IMNZ Classic Record 2021". NZ Music. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  34. ^ "Anthonie Tonnon Wins 2022 Taite Music Prize For His Album "Leave Love Out Of This"". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  35. ^ "Independent Music NZ Taite Music Prize 2023 Winners Announced". www.aucklandlive.co.nz. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  36. ^ "Flying Nun's Look Blue Go Purple to be celebrated at Taite Music Awards". www.rnz.co.nz. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  37. ^ "Taite Music Prize reveals 2018 winners - Eventfinda".
  38. ^ "Avantdale Bowling Club wins 2019 Taite Music Prize". Radio New Zealand. 16 April 2019.
  39. ^ "Troy Kingi claims 2020 Taite Music Prize with band The Upperclass". NZ Herald. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  40. ^ "Reb Fountain wins 2021 Taite Music Prize". Radio New Zealand. 20 April 2021.
  41. ^ "Anthonie Tonnon Wins 2022 Taite Music Prize For His Album "Leave Love Out Of This"". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  42. ^ "Princess Chelsea crowned at 2023 Taite Music Prize". www.rnz.co.nz. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  43. ^ "Vera Ellen wins 2024 Taite Music Prize". www.rnz.co.nz. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.