2019 Taite Music Prize

The ceremony and its main award share the "Taite Music Prize" name. Sometimes called the Taite Main, this award recognises New Zealand's best album of the previous year (2018). The winner, Avantdale Bowling Club, was selected by a panel of 11 judges who were not publicly named until after their decision was announced. Criteria for the award include artistic merit, creativity, innovation and excellence. The winner received $10,000 from Recorded Music NZ.^[1]

With Home Brew and @Peace, Tom Scott had been a finalist in four previous Taite Music Prizes, but never a winner. Scott accepted the award on behalf of Avantdale Bowling Club from Dylan Taite's son, John Taite, and graddaughter Amelia.^[1] In his speech he said, "I want to thank Dylan Taite, Dylan Taite's family and I want to thank all the Dylan Taites out there."^[2]

After an open call for nominations, a total of 67 albums were entered. This list went to a vote of all IMNZ members, which found ten finalists, who were announced on March 7. Six of them had been finalists before, with Tom Scott's fifth appearance setting an outright record.^[3][4]

The judges of the 2019 Taite Music Prize were:^[5]

• Russell Baillie - arts editor, NZ Listener
• Nick Bollinger - author and journalist
• Hannah Brewer - NZ On Air
• Chris Cudby - journalist, Under The Radar
• Savina Fountain - Auckland Live
• Leonie Hayden - The Spinoff
• Paul Huggins - Rough Peel
• Kirsten Johnstone - producer, RNZ
• Andrew Maitai - Powertool Records
• Graham Reid - journalist, Elsewhere
• Sarah Thomson - programme director, 95bFM

Tahi, by Moana and the Moahunters, first released in 1993 on Southside Records, was 2019's winner of the IMNZ Classic Album award.^[5] on 27 March. There was no public nomination process or vote.^[6] Graham Reid presented the award, noting the album's "innovative blend of traditional and contemporary sounds from the opening karanga and taonga puoro to reggae, rap, funk and synth-pop – which are a fresh today as they were two decades ago".^[7]

In accepting the award, Moana Maniapoto called it, "a surprise, and a great opportunity to look back and relive the memories and the experience of what it as like to put that album together [...] It was a love song to our people." She acknowledged many contributors to the band and album, especially Southside Records founder Murray Cammick, who would win the next year's Independent Spirit Award. Her bandmates Teremoana Rapley (another future Independent Spirit winner) and Mina Ripia also spoke, as did her former manager and ex-husband, Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson.^[8]

The group performed two songs off Tahi at the award ceremony.^[5]

The award for the best debut record released in 2018 went to thrash metal band Alien Weaponry, for their album Tū. A shortlist of three finalists was announced before the award ceremony. Both Alien Weaponry and Wax Chattels were dual finalists, also in the running for the Taite main award.^[6]