Nominations have opened for the 2026 Taite Music Prize.
Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ), with the support of Founding Partner Recorded Music NZ, today announced that nominations are now open for the prestigious award and associated categories, “honouring originality, creativity and integrity across Aotearoa’s independent music community.”
The annual ceremony, scheduled for April 2026 in Auckland, marks the seventeenth year of “celebrating albums that define the artistic heart of New Zealand music.”
The main prize, which comes with a $12,500 cash prize, courtesy of Recorded Music NZ, recognises albums that “demonstrate outstanding creativity, innovation and excellence, irrespective of genre, sales or label.”
IMNZ will once again present the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award, recognising emerging talent and offering a $2,000 cash prize plus a Parachute Studios recording package worth $1,250; the NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism Award, honouring creative and ethical storytelling across written, audio, and visual formats; the Independent Spirit Award for extraordinary contribution to the independent community; and the IMNZ Classic Record Award, acknowledging landmark recordings that have shaped Aotearoa’s sound.
The judging process for the 2026 Taite Music Prize will take place in two stages: a long-list voting academy of approximately 1,200 musicians, media, and industry members, followed by a ten-person finalist judging panel selected by IMNZ. Judges remain confidential until the ceremony to preserve the independence and integrity of the process.
IMNZ Chairperson Pippa Ryan-Kidd shares, “The Taite Music Prize is an award that champions creativity and artistic vision ahead of commercial sales. Seventeen years in, the award still shines a spotlight on the bold, diverse voices driving Aotearoa’s independent music scene.”
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Recorded Music NZ CEO Jo Oliver adds, “Recorded Music is proud to support the Taite Music Prize in celebrating the artistic excellence of the independent music sector in Aotearoa.”
To be eligible for consideration, albums must be released between January 1st and December 31st, 2025. Entries close 5pm, Friday January 30th, 2026, and nominations can be submitted via www.indies.co.nz. The Prize is open to any New Zealand artist or label meeting the published eligibility criteria.
The winners of the 2025 Taite Music Prize were unveiled at a vibrant ceremony at Auckland’s Q Theatre in mid-April.
The night’s top honour went to MOKOTRON for their genre-blurring, thematically rich release WAEREA.
One of the most special albums to come out of the Aotearoa electronic music scene in years, WAEREA was highly praised in our Musicians on Musicians issue. The Māori producer’s personal project also reached No. 2 on our 50 Best New Zealand Albums of 2024 list, and it really could have taken out the top spot.
We even called it: “There’s no way that MOKOTRON won’t be a serious contender at next year’s Taite Music Prize and Aotearoa Music Awards,” we shrewdly wrote at the time, adding that WAEREA “is a mighty album.”
Another key moment of the night came with the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award, which went to rising star Byllie-Jean for her EP Filter. Fusing R&B grooves with te reo Māori and themes of identity, reclamation, and cultural pride, the EP was lauded for its lyrical vulnerability and fierce creative voice.
The Independent Spirit Award was presented to Rohan Evans, a figure who has long championed the local music community from the grassroots level.
Rounding out the evening was the Independent Music NZ Classic Record Award, which this year celebrated Shihad’s 1995 juggernaut Killjoy.
Find out more about the 2026 Taite Music Prize here.
