| Year | Award | Winner | Finalists | Ref. |
|---|
| 1978 | Most Promising Male Artist | Dennis O’Brien | — | [6] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Artist | Kim Hart |
| Most Promising Group | Citizen Band |
| 1979 | Most Promising Male Artist | Jon Stevens | [7] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Artist | Tina Cross |
| Most Promising Group | Street Talk |
| 1980 | Most Promising Male Artist | Jon Stevens | [8] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Artist | No award presented |
| Most Promising Group | The Crocodiles |
| 1981 | Most Promising Male Artist | Dave McArtney | - Paul Schreider
- David Hollis
- Richard Eriwata
| [9] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Artist | Anne Dumont | |
| Most Promising Group | Dave McArtney | |
| 1982 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Dave Dobbyn (DD Smash) | — | [10] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Jodi Vaughn |
| Most Promising Group | Dance Exponents |
| 1983 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Andrew McLennan (Coconut Rough) | - Dick Driver (Hip Singles)
- Gary Smith (The Body Electric)
| [11] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Sonya Waters | - Rhonda Jones
- Bronwyn Jones (Precious)
|
| Most Promising Group | Coconut Rough | - Hip Singles
- The Body Electric
|
| 1984 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Martin Phillipps (The Chills) | - Ross McKenzie (The Idles)
- Wayne Gillespie
| [12] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Meryl Yvonne | - Janice Lampen
- Sharon Dubont
|
| Most Promising Group | The Chills | - Jive Bombers
- You're a Movie
|
| 1985 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Mark Loveys (Satellite Spies) | | [13] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Debbie Harwood | |
| Most Promising Group | Satellite Spies - "Destiny In Motion" | - Everything That Flies - "Bleeding Hearts"
- Katango - "Dial L for Love"
|
| 1986 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Tex Pistol | - Simon Alexandra
- Lyonel Grant
| [14] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Tania Rowles | |
| Most Promising Group | Ardijah | - Chrome Safari
- Wentworth Brewster & Co
|
| 1987 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Al Hunter | | [15] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Moana | - Darlene Adair
- Kara Pewhairangi
|
| Most Promising Group | Monga and Harwood | |
| 1988 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Peter Marshall | | [16] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Mara Finau | - Tracey Birnie
- Helen Mulholland
|
| Most Promising Group | Holidaymakers | |
| 1989 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Paul Ubana Jones | | [17] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Artist | Janet Roddick | - Belinda Bradley
- Julie Collier
|
| Most Promising Group | The Front Lawn | |
| 1990 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Guy Wishart | | [18] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Merenia | |
| Most Promising Group | Strawpeople | - Merenia & Where's Billy
- D-Faction
|
| 1991 | No awards held | — |
|---|
| 1992 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | David Parker (Parker Project) | | [19] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Teremoana Rapley (Moana and the Moahunters) | - Christina Fuemana (House Party)
- Lorina Harding
|
| Most Promising Group | Shihad | |
| 1993 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Ted Brown | | [20] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Jan Hellriegel | |
| Most Promising Group | Head Like a Hole | |
| 1994 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Matty J (Matty J and the Soul Syndicate) | - Michael Gregg and Brendan Gregg (Holy Toledos)
- Jason Ioasa (Grace)
| [21] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Emma Paki | |
| Most Promising Group | Urban Disturbance | |
| 1995 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Brent Milligan (Pumpkinhead) | - Peter Daube (Bilge Festival)
- Evan Woodruffe (Melon Twister)
| [22] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Sulata Foai | - Chloe Reeves
- Helen Goudge (Melon Twister)
|
| Most Promising Group | Sisters Underground | |
| 1996 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Pauly Fuemana (OMC) | | [23] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Bic Runga | |
| Most Promising Group | OMC | |
| 1997 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Daniel Haimona (Dam Native) | | [24] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Lole Usoalii | - Andrea Cook
- Maryanne Antonuvich (D-Faction)
|
| Most Promising Group | Dam Native | |
| 1998 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Darcy Clay | | [25] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Alesha Siosiua (Moizna) | |
| Most Promising Group | Moizna | |
| 1999 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Andrew Tilby (Breathe) | | [26] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Boh Runga (Stellar) | - Liz Faalogo (NV)
- Sina Saipaia
|
| Most Promising Group | Stellar | |
| 2000 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Aaron Tokona (Weta) | - Sama Feo (AKA Brown)
- Conan Wilcox (Salmonella Dub)
| [27] |
|---|
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Vanessa Kelly (Deep Obsession) | |
| Most Promising Group | Weta | |
