Fat Freddy’s Drop were honoured at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards (AMA).
The evergreen band were given the Aotearoa Charts Icon award, only the second time the award has been given out. Six60 were the first-ever recipients last year.
The Aotearoa Charts Icon award acknowledges Fat Freddy’s Drop’s massive success in the Official Aotearoa Music Charts over the course of their career, which has included eight acclaimed studio albums.
The band were unable to receive the award in person at tonight’s Auckland ceremony, although they were shown finding out about their win in a video message.
Recorded Music NZ CEO Jo Oliver previously said:
“Fat Freddy’s Drop has been a mainstay in the Official Music Charts in Aotearoa over the last two decades. We are very pleased to recognise the band with the Aotearoa Charts Icon award at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards – as they celebrate 21 years of their chart-topping debut studio album Based on a True Story.
“The Charts and Aotearoa Music Awards are key touchstones in New Zealand’s musical heritage and have evolved over the years to reflect our unique cultural identity. Introduced in 2025, the Aotearoa Charts Icon award serves as a complement to the Tūī presented annually by Recorded Music NZ. The award recognises and celebrates our most successful charting artists and Fat Freddy’s Drop are wonderfully deserving as our second ever Aotearoa Charts Icon.”
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Elsewhere on the night, Lorde emerged triumphant with two major wins — Best Pop Artist and International Achievement — while the likes of Tami Neilson and Marlon Williams also won.
After reviewing 27 retail sources in total (including some retail stores no longer in existence) and using additional tools to identify past vinyl releases (such as barcode recognition), Recorded Music NZ revealed the top 20 (including the most recant sales data up to May 2026).
The top 20 was bookended by Fat Freddy’s Drop, who took out the top spot thanks to Based on a True Story.
Released in 2005, Fat Freddy’s Drop’s debut album was a roaring critical and commercial success, winning Album of the Year at the New Zealand Music Awards and spending 10 weeks atop the New Zealand charts.
