Finalists Announced For The 2015 NZ Music Awards

The judges have spoken and the finalists for the 50^th annual Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards have been announced. The red carpet will be dusted off and the nation's 'celebs' will come out in droves for the glitzy event at Vector Arena on Thursday 19 November.

Leading the finalist charge is Lyttelton's Marlon Williams. The charismatic country songwriter managed to scoop five nominations for his self-titled debut album and lead single 'Dark Child'. He will be vying for Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Best Male Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Best Alternative Album.

Also in line for multiple trophies are Dunedin roots/reggae/rock/pop group Six60 and Portland-based psych-pop band Unknown Mortal Orchestra - who are both finalists in four categories. Local rock stalwarts Shihad and brother-sister electro-pop duo Broods each gained three nods.

Awards presented at this year's ceremony include Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Best Group, Best Female Solo Artist, Best Male Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, People's Choice, Best Music Video, as well as the best albums spanning: alternative, Maori, rock, pop, roots, electronica, classical, worship and hip hop genres.

Iconic group The Exponents will be recognised as the NZ Herald Legacy Award winners and inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame.

Recipients of the 2015 Technical Awards were also revealed alongside the finalist announcement. Sean Donnelly took out Best Producer for his album Saint John Divine; Lee Prebble and Oliver Harmer share the Best Engineer gong for their work on Mel Parsons' Drylands; and Kelvin Soh took home Best Album Cover for Broods’ Evergreen.

See the full list of finalists below.

Album of the Year
Broods - Evergreen
Marlon Williams - Marlon Williams
Shihad - FVEY
Six60 - Six60
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi Love

Single of the Year
Avalanche City - 'Inside Out'
Lorde Yellow - 'Yellow Flicker Beat'
Marlon Williams - 'Dark Child'
Six60 - 'White Lines'
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - 'Multi Love'

Best Group
Broods
Shihad
Six60

Best Male Solo Artist
Marlon Williams
Stan Walker
Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Best Female Solo Artist
Anika Moa
Brooke Fraser
Gin Wigmore

Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Devilskin
Ginny Blackmore
Marlon Williams

Best Rock Album
Cairo Knife Fight - The Colossus
Devilskin - We Rise
Shihad - FVEY

Best Pop Album
Benny Tipene - Bricks
Broods - Evergreen
Six60 - Six60

Best Alternative Album
Marlon Williams - Marlon Williams
She's So Rad - Tango
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi Love

Best Urban/ Hip Hop album
Diaz Grimm - Osiris
Janine and the Mixtape - XX
The Doqument - Blank Canvas - Wall & Piece

Best Roots Album
Latinaotearoa - Latinaotearoa in Latinoamerica
Moana and the Tribe - Rima
Trinity Roots - Citizen

Best Electronica Album
Electric Wire Hussle - Love Can Prevail
Shapeshifter vs The Upbeats - SSXUB
Sola Rosa - Magnetics

Best Music Video
Reuben Bonner - 'Her Heart Breaks Like A Wave' (Dictaphone Blues)
Shae Sterling - 'Aotearoa' (Stan Walker ft. Ria Hall, Troy Kingi & Maisey Rika)
Shahir Daud - 'Cymatics' (Nigel Stanford)

Best Maori Album
Moana and the Tribe - Rima
Ranea - Tihei Mauri Ora
Whaia and The Mahician - WHAIA

Best Worship Album
Edge Kingsland - Edge Kingsland: Seven Days
Life Worship - Through The Fire
We, The Revival - We, The Revival

Best Classical Album
Jack Body - Through The Fire
Jack Body - Songs Of Death and Desire
Michael Houstoun - Beethoven Complete Piano Sonatas

NZ Herald Legacy Award
The Exponents