2010 New Zealand Music Awards


The 2010 New Zealand Music Awards was the 45th holding of the annual ceremony featuring awards for musical artists based in or originating from New Zealand. Finalists for the three technical awards were announced on 16 August 2010 with winners announced on 1 September, the date on which finalists for 16 'non-technical' categories were revealed. Five 'non-technical' awards were presented without a group of finalists being selected. The awards ceremony took place on 7 October 2010 at Vector Arena, Auckland. Hosted by television presenter Shannon Ryan and comedian Ben Hurley, the ceremony was broadcast on television channel C4. Various musicians, most of whom had been nominated for awards, performed songs on the awards night.
Gin Wigmore and Dane Rumble each received six nominations, while The Phoenix Foundation received eight nominations, including three in technical categories. Wigmore's album Holy Smoke won three of the categories in which it was nominated, including Album of the Year, as well as the award for the highest selling New Zealand album. New Zealand-born Australian Idol winner Stan Walker won the People's Choice Award, as well as three awards featuring no finalists. "Just a Little Bit" by Kids of 88 was awarded the title of Single of the Year. Shihad won the Legacy Award, and were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

Nominees and winners

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.
;Key
was nominated for six awards, winning four.|alt=A woman with blonde hair wearing a yellow shirt, playing a guitar and singing into a microphone
was nominated in six categories, winning Best Male Solo Artist.|alt=Man with spiked-up black hair and wearing black sunglasses and jacket singing into a hand-held microphone
.|alt=A smiling woman wearing a red jacket leaning on a bench holding a cup. Her black hair is pulled back.
won Best Classical Album with Father & Son: Wagner Scenes & Arias.|alt=Man with short, brown hair wearing a black suit.
, engineering and production.|alt=Two guitarists singing into microphones. In the background a drummer is also playing.
Album of the Year†Single of the Year†
Sponsored by Vodafone

  • Gin Wigmore – Holy Smoke
  • *Anika Moa – Love in Motion
  • *Dane Rumble – The Experiment
  • *Shapeshifter – The System Is a Vampire
  • *The Phoenix Foundation – Buffalo
Sponsored by Vodafone
  • Kids of 88 – "Just a Little Bit"
  • *Dane Rumble – "Cruel"
  • *Gin Wigmore – "Oh My"
  • *J.Williams featuring Scribe – "You Got Me"
  • *The Phoenix Foundation – "Buffalo"
    • Best Group†Breakthrough Artist of the Year†
    Sponsored by Steinlager
  • The Phoenix Foundation – Buffalo
  • *Shapeshifter – The System Is a Vampire
  • *The Checks – Alice by the Moon
    • Sponsored by Pacific Blue Airlines
  • Gin Wigmore – Holy Smoke
  • *Artisan Guns – Autumn
  • *Dane Rumble – The Experiment
    • Best Male Solo Artist†Best Female Solo Artist†
    Sponsor
  • Dane Rumble – The Experiment
  • *Connan Mockasin – Please Turn Me Into the Snat
  • *J.Williams – Young Love
    • Sponsored by Mazda
  • Anika Moa – Love in Motion
  • *Gin Wigmore – Holy Smoke
  • *Hollie Smith – Humour and the Misfortune of Others
    • Best Rock Album†Best Pop Album†
    Sponsored by PPNZ
  • The Checks – Alice by the Moon
  • *Dimmer – Degrees of Existence
  • *The Phoenix Foundation – Buffalo
    		• Sponsor
  • Gin Wigmore – Holy Smoke
  • *Anika Moa – Love in Motion
  • *Dane Rumble – The Experiment
    • Best Urban / Hip Hop Album†Best Aotearoa Roots Album†
    Sponsor
  • David Dallas – Something Awesome
  • *J.Williams – Young Love
  • *Young Sid – What Doesn't Kill Me...
    • Sponsored by Kiwi FM
  • Opensouls – Standing In The Rain
  • *Fly My Pretties – A Story
  • *Hollie Smith – Humour and the Misfortune of Others
    • Best Music Video†Best Electronica Album†
    Sponsored by C4
  • Tim van Dammen – "Just a Little Bit"
  • *Nathan Hickey – "Buffalo"
  • *Sam Peacocke – "Sleepeater"
    		• Sponsor
  • Jay Bulletproof – Soundtrack To Forever
  • *P-Money – Everything
  • *Shapeshifter – The System Is a Vampire
    • Best Gospel / Christian Album†Best Classical Album†
  • Edwin Derricutt – Three Hours South
  • *John Michaelz – Walk on Water
  • *Magnify – Wonderland
  • Simon O'Neill – Father & Son: Wagner Scenes & Arias
  • *John Psathas – UKIYO
  • *NZTrio – Flourishes
  • *Strike Percussion – Sketches
    • Peoples' Choice Award†Critics' Choice Prize†
    Sponsored by Vodafone
  • Stan Walker
  • *Gin Wigmore
  • *Dane Rumble
  • *Kids of 88
  • *Shapeshifter
    • Sponsored by Gravity Coffee
  • Street Chant
  • *The Naked and Famous
  • *Home Brew
    • Highest selling New Zealand Single†Highest selling New Zealand Album†
    No finalists were announced in this category.
  • Stan Walker – "Black Box"
  • Gin Wigmore – Holy Smoke
  • Stan Walker – "Black Box"
    • No finalists were announced in this category.
  • Stan Walker
    • Legacy Award†Best Album Cover‡
    No finalists were announced in this category.Sponsored by The New Zealand Herald

    • Shihad
  • Paul Johnson – Buffalo
  • *Rebekah Atkins, Kieran Rynhart, Mikee Tucker and Anita Liu – A Story
  • *Ryan Marx – Everything
    • Best Engineer‡Best Producer‡
    Sponsored by the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand
  • Lee Prebble – Buffalo
  • *Andre Upston – Magnetic
  • *Lee Prebble – A Story
    • Sponsored by the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand
  • The Phoenix Foundation – Buffalo
  • *Jeremy Toy – Standing In The Rain
  • *Lee Prebble and Barnaby Weir – A Story''

    • Presenters and performers

    Presenters

    Presenters of awards at the ceremony:
    Performers at the ceremony:
    • Dane Rumble, Stan Walker and J.Williams sang an 'Illegal mashup', a medley which included parts of "Choose You", "You Got Me", "Black Box", "Everything " and "Takes Me Higher".
    • Pop singer Anika Moa sang "Running Through the Fire ", the lead single from her album, accompanied by Julia Deans.
    • David Dallas performed his song "Til Tomorrow".
    • "Buffalo" was given by indie rock band The Phoenix Foundation.
    • Pop duo Kids of 88 played their award-winning single "Just a Little Bit".
    • Gin Wigmore gave her number, "Oh My".
    • 'Luger Boa and friends' sang a Shihad tribute.