THE 2025 AOTEAROA ALTERNATIVE AWARDS!
Written by The Team on 15 October 2025
Throughout the evening, TEN National Awards will be presented to very deserving winners from all over the motu.
Carefully designed to ensure the widest scope of musicians could be represented, this year’s list represents over 150 of NZ’s best alternative artists.
Amongst the following nominees, a colourful cross-section of the Aotearoa music culture can be seen!
The Student Radio Network of Aotearoa New Zealand, in association with NZ On Air, is delighted to announce the nominees for the following SEVEN National Awards:
Te Tōtahi Toa – Favourite Single
Brought to you by Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ)
- Half Hexagon – “Best Foot Work”
- Romi Wrights – “Capsized”
- Marsha – “Carpet”
- Polaroids of Polarbears – “ehara i te wairua”
- The Hongi Slicker – “Falling Off”
- Elizabeth Sanctuary Welding School For Girls – “Kathleen(s)theme”
- Dale Kerrigan – “MORNINGTON PARK”
- Van Staden & Böhm – “Number One Girl Raver”
- Pearly* – “Superglue”
- Serebii – “Verrans Corner” (feat. Leith Sye Towers)
Te Tohu Kaipuoro Toa – Favourite Solo Artist
Brought to you by Irirangi Te Motu | NZ On Air
- Alphabethead
- Ayaluna
- Baby Zionov
- Diesel Jenny
- Geneva AM
- Lola
- MĀ
- Mim Jensen
- Te KuraHuia
- TOM LARK
Te Tohu Hopunga Puoro Mariu Poto – Favourite EP
Brought to you by Recorded Music NZ
- PollyHill, Samara Alofa – Aquaries: Age Of Uranus
- Keepsakes – Impossible (Eating The Sun)
- James Dansey – Kei Raro i te Wai – Mahi Oro nō te Kōnae Ipurangi ‘Witi Underwater’
- Lola – Outside World
- Julian Lubin – Patience & Love / Clarity
- Borrowed CS – Rise N Shine
- From Outside – Roll Call
- Pining Radiata – Skin
- Fouler – Summit
- Cruelly – Ugly Behaviour
Te Rōpū Mariu – Favourite Group
Brought to you by The Tuning Fork & San Fran
- By Tomorrow
- Dale Kerrigan
- S.E.I.S.M.I.C
- Half/Angel
- IVY
- MOKOMOKAI
- Pagan Love Song
- Pearly*
- Soft Bait
- U-No Juno
Te Tohu Hopunga Puoro Mariu Roa – Favourite Album
Brought to you by APRA AMCOS Aotearoa
- BIRDPARTY – BIRDPARTY
- Clear Path Ensemble – Black Sand
- MĀ – Blame It On The Weather
- Serebii – Dime
- mieke – frau eva
- Velveteen – Heavy Machinery
- Soft Bait – Life Advice
- aridni orca – The Bell, the Swan & the Golden Thread
- Ringlets – The Lord Is My German Shepherd (Time for Walkies)
- Yon Loader – Yon Loader
Te Tohu Puoro o te reo Māori – Favourite Song featuring Te Reo Māori
Brought to you by Te Māngai Pāho
- IA & Rei – “He Piko He Tuna”
- HINA – “Hinātore”
- Byllie-jean – “Hinekoukou”
- TE KAAHU – “I Roto I Te Poo, I Roto I Te Ao”
- TE TOKOTORU – “Ka Whiua Ngā Ringa”
- Huia x Baitercell – “Kākano (Seed)”
- AJA – “Kōpere”
- Chase Woods – “MAIEA”
- HOPE – “pūmau”
- Marlon Williams – “Rere Mai Ngā Rau”
Te Kohinga Waiata Mariu – Favourite Compilation
Brought to you by Creative Sounds – The Stomach
- Manawatū Renaissance – ch’est, chestfest, chfest
- Freddy Street Records – DJVA001: Dysfunctional Junkies Vol. 1
- Echo Train Records – ECVA002 – 5 Years of Echo Train
- Mouthfull Radio – Flower Beds That Grow
- The Big Fresh Collective – FOOTMAHI 2025
- Glitz Club – Merry Glitzmas
- Punks For Palestine Aotearoa – Punks For Palestine Aotearoa Compilation 2
- Real Rungle Records – RRR Vol.1
- Te Āio Productions – TWO TONGUES
- Polaroids of Polarbears – the ghost is in the shed – a compilation
Congratulations to all our nominees! Each and every single one is very well-deserved!
But the fun doesn’t stop there – an additional THREE National Awards will be handed out on the night:
He Tohu Kahurangi – Outstanding Achievement
Brought to you by NZ Music Commission | Te Reo Reka O Aotearoa
Te Tohu Kōwhiringa Tangata – People’s Choice (VOTE HERE)
Brought to you by Brew Union
Te Whiringa Toa 2025 ki a Te Pou Hononga – The SRN Top 10 of 2025
Brought to you by AudioCulture | Iwi Waiata
These awards may be without shortlists, but are no less exciting:
Te Tohu Kōwhiringa Tangata, the People’s Choice Award, is an opportunity for everyone (AKA, you and your friends) to show support for their favourite artist.
He Tohu Kahurangi, the Outstanding Achievement Award, allows us to acknowledge those who love, support, and work in the music industry but aren’t necessarily musicians themselves.
And finally, Te Whiringa Toa 2025 ki a Te Pou Hononga – our Top 10 of 2025!
Let us not forget all those AWESOME tunes we had on repeat!
Station representatives from all FIVE SRN Stations will be present to announce the winners of their THREE respective Regional Awards:
Te Waiata Mariu 2025 | Favourite Song of 2025
Awarded to a local artist
Te Tohu Kairangi | Outstanding Contribution
Awarded to a local volunteer
He Tohu Kahurangi o te Pāhotanga | Outstanding Achievement in Broadcasting
Awarded to a local volunteer
Every station in this network is blessed with incredibly passionate and dedicated individuals who keep the lights on and the music playing.
This network could not have an award ceremony to acknowledge talented and dedicated musicians of Aotearoa without also acknowledging those who volunteer their time and energy to ensuring you hear that music in the first place.
Five student radio stations across the motu make up the SRN Network, representing audiences in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland (95bFM), Te Papaioea Palmerston North (Radio Control 99.4FM), Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington (RadioActive 88.6FM), Ōtautahi Christchurch (RDU 98.5FM), and Ōtepoti Dunedin (Radio One 91FM).
The event will be streamed live and simulcast on all five SRN stations across Aotearoa New Zealand. The ceremony will be held in Te Papaioea Palmerston North by local station, Radio Control 99.4FM.
These awards are brought to you with support from our Principal Sponsor, NZ On Air. Much like the SRN, their mandate is to support a range of quality New Zealand music to be made available and discoverable, so a variety of New Zealand audiences listen to, discover and enjoy music.
The awards will kick off at 7pm on Saturday, 8 November, and will be streamed LIVE via the SRN website, srn.nz as well as simulcast across all five SRN station FM frequencies throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
Regional watch parties will take place in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland (95bFM), Ōtautahi Christchurch (RDU 98.5FM), and Ōtepoti Dunedin (Radio One 91FM).
Staff and volunteers from Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington’s RadioActive 88.6FM will be road-tripping to join in the ceremony!
Stay tuned to the SRN social media channels for more information:
facebook.com/srnnz | instagram.com/studentradionetwork
