NME Launches New AU Awards Categories and Reveals 2020 AU Nominees

See the full list of Aussie nominees below!

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA; THURSDAY 16 JANUARY 2020 – Today legendary music powerhouse NME announced six new Australian categories in its annual NME Awards. This follows last December’s official launch of the iconic music and culture brand into the Australian market. At the same time, NME has revealed their nominations for all six Australian categories for 2020. 

The NME Awards started in 1953 to celebrate the most brilliant people in music and pop culture each year. For decades the awards have maintained their reputation for being one of the world’s wildest award celebrations, beloved by artists and attending fans alike for being the UK’s most infamous night out in the music calendar each year. 

The newly introduced Australian categories will celebrate the best in Aussie music and festival culture, shining a spotlight on outstanding Australian talent in the Best Australian Band, Best Solo Act and Best New Act categories. Best Song and Best Album celebrate the best in 2019’s releases, and of course – what awards line up would be complete without a nod to the many fantastic festivals put on around the country – a gong for Best Australian Festival is up for grabs. 

Meng Kuok, CEO from NME says, “The past decade has seen Australia strengthen its position as a major player in the global music scene, producing festival headliners like Tame Impala, cult heroes like King Gizzard, breathtaking punk upstarts like Amyl & The Sniffers, powerful voices like Courtney Barnett and quirky pop champs like Tones & I and Stella Donnelly.

“It was no easy task to whittle down the incredible achievements of the past year into our shortlist of nominations. The fact that it was such a challenge for our editorial team speaks volumes for the quality of talent bubbling out from down under. As we enter the 2020s, and as we toast the launch of NME Australia, it’s only right we celebrate the artists down under who deserve to be recognised on a global stage,” says Kuok

Happily, Aussie artists and fans alike won’t be in suspense for too long. Australian acts and audiences are in for a special treat: Aussie winners will be announced early alongside the much-anticipated global and British categories and nominees reveal next week.

To learn more, visit nme.com/australia.

The NME Awards 2020 nominations for the Australian categories are:

BEST AUSTRALIAN ALBUM

• Amyl & The Sniffers – Amyl & The Sniffers
• King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Fishing For Fishies
• Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
• Sampa The Great – The Return
• Stella Donnelly – Beware Of The Dogs

BEST AUSTRALIAN SONG 

• Amyl & The Sniffers – Gacked On Anger
• Confidence Man – Does It Make You Feel Good
• Mallrat – Charlie
• Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – In The Capital
• Tame Impala – Borderline
• Tones & I – Dance Monkey

BEST AUSTRALIAN BAND 

• Amyl & The Sniffers
• Confidence Man
• King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
• Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
• Tame Impala

BEST AUSTRALIAN SOLO ACT

• Courtney Barnett
• Flume
• Hatchie
• Mallrat
• Stella Donnelly

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN ACT 

• Baker Boy
• G Flip
• Mallrat
• Stella Donnelly
• Tones & I

BEST AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL

• Groovin The Moo
• Party in the Paddock
• Splendour In The Grass
• Spilt Milk
• St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival