The Independent Music NZ (IMNZ) is excited to announce the finalists for the Taite Music Prize 2024 with the support of Founding Partner Recorded Music NZ. This prestigious honour will be presented on Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024 alongside the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award, NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism Award, IMNZ Classic Record and the Independent Spirit Award. 

As we look forward to the 15th year of the Taite Music Prize in 2024, the coveted Taite Music Prize acknowledges outstanding creativity for an entire collection of music contained in one recording. The award highlights outstanding New Zealand albums released in the past year. The award is open to all genres of music and judged on artistic merit regardless of genre, sales, or record label. The prize winner will receive a cash prize of $12,500, thanks to founding partner Recorded Music NZ. 

A voting academy of all current members of IMNZ, musicians, and music industry personnel voted to produce the shortlisted finalist albums. An independent panel debates and scrutinises the shortlisted albums to decide the winner. That panel comprises musicians, journalists, and music industry professionals with a wide variety of different professional backgrounds and personal tastes.

The ten albums in contention for the 2024 Taite Music Prize span genres from hip hop to indie folk to metal and include some of Aotearoa's finest and pigeon-hole-defying musicians.

The 2024 Taite Music Prize finalists are:

Dick Move - Wet (1:12 Records)
Ebony Lamb - Ebony Lamb (Slow Time Records)
Erny Belle - Not Your Cupid (Flying Nun Records)
Home Brew - Run It Back (Years Gone By)
Mermaidens - Mermaidens (Independent)
Shepherds Reign - Ala Mai (Golden Robot Records)
Tiny Ruins - Ceremony (Ursa Minor)
Tom Lark - Brave Star (Winegum Records)
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - V (Jagjaguwar Records)
Vera Ellen - Ideal Home Noise (Flying Nun Records)

IMNZ Chairperson, Pippa Ryan-Kidd says, “IMNZ are proud to support this year's finalists.  Supporting independent music is vital for a music industry that is creative and diverse. These finalists are representative of the best in our landscape this past year, and we champion them!" 

Recorded Music NZ CEO, Jo Oliver says, “Recorded Music NZ are proud supporters of the Taite Music Prize, and we are delighted to once again honour the critical success of artists at the top of their game in partnership with Independent Music NZ."