Vodafone NZ Music Awards: History Never Repeats

11th August 2005

Those judged the best of our best musical talent will stride the red carpet to glory – or not – at The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards on October 5. This is the 40th year for the annual event, hosted by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).

For the first time in recent years general admission tickets are part of this year’s awards with the organisers managing to pry a few seats from the Kiwi music glitterati. Sponsors and radio stations have been allocated nearly 1,000 seats for promotions and giveaways.

"We thought that the 40th anniversary was a timely opportunity to open the event to more members of the public," RIANZ chief executive Campbell Smith says.

Last year many fans turned up to welcome New Zealand’s music royalty arriving at the square in stretched limos for the awards night.

With this year’s Tuis again being handed out in Auckland’s Aotea Centre – THE EDGE®, the red carpet arrival will roll out again.

And music fans who can’t make it to Auckland for the big night get their own earful and eyeful on free-to-air TV again this year. C4 will broadcast an hour-and-a-half highlights package the night after the event, with a repeat on TV3 on the following Saturday (October 8).

There are a few changes too for The 2005 Vodafone New Zealand Music awards themselves with the new Aotearoa Roots category honouring dub, reggae and roots music.

Other Tui awards which were presented during the year but will also receive recognition at the awards ceremony on October 5 include Best Folk Album, Best Jazz Album, Best Country Music Album and Best Pacific Music Album.

No awards are being presented for the Best Mäori and Best Gospel / Christian categories as apparently insufficient entries were received in 2005.

The Best Producer, Best Engineer and Best Album Cover technical awards are to be presented at the Finalists’ Announcement and Technical Awards at the Hilton Auckland on September 2. Finalists for these three awards will be announced next week.

The line-up of Tuis for the 2005 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards on Wednesday October 5 in Auckland includes:

PlayStation® 2 SingStar™ Album of the Year

Single of the Year

Coke Fridge Best Group

Best Male Solo Artist

Clean & Clear® Best Female Solo Artist

Breakthrough Artist of the Year

The New Zealand Herald Songwriter of the Year

42BELOW Highest Selling NZ Album

Highest Selling NZ Single

Best Rock Album

Durex Best Urban/Hip Hop Album