TheAotearoa Music People's Choice Award is anAotearoa Music Award that honours New Zealand music artists, as chosen by public vote.[1] The five finalists are determined by the Music Awards Committee, based on overall performance during the eligibility period. It is the only New Zealand Music Award decided by public vote.[2]
In 2008, the award attracted controversy, after unknown Dunedin pop-rock band The DFender made the nominations shortlist. The band, who did not have any chart material, had extensively lobbied their fans onMySpace and gained the most votes in the initial nominations round. This prompted the call for the nominations to be chosen by Recorded Music NZ, a change that was eventually made.[3]
The People's Choice Award was first awarded in 2004 to Scribe.Fat Freddy's Drop has won the award twice and been nominated two further times, whileStan Walker has won the award twice, with Walker having been nominated every year from 2010 to 2015.Lorde andBrooke Fraser have each won the award and been nominated a further two times.
| Year | Winner | Other finalists | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Scribe | [4] | |
| 2005 | Fat Freddy's Drop | [5] | |
| 2006 | Fat Freddy's Drop | [6] | |
| 2007 | Opshop | [7] | |
| 2008 | Parachute Band |
| [8] |
| 2009 | Smashproof | [9] | |
| 2010 | Stan Walker | [10] | |
| 2011 | Brooke Fraser | [11] | |
| 2012 | Six60 | [12] | |
| 2013 | Lorde | [1][13] | |
| 2014 | Stan Walker | [14] | |
| 2015 | Six60 | [15] | |
| 2016 | Broods | [16] | |
| 2017 | Lorde |
| [17] |
| 2018 | Six60 | ||
| 2019 | Six60 | ||
| 2020 | L.A.B. | ||
| 2021 | Te Nutube | ||
| 2022 | |||
| 2023 | No awards held | ||
| 2024 | Hori Shaw | ||
| 2025 | Devilskin | ||