The Taite Music Prize is an annual New Zealand music award event. A prize of the same name (sometimes called the Taite Music Main) is one of five to be awarded. It recognises the best New Zealand album from the previous year.
The prize is named after New Zealand music journalist and broadcaster Dylan Taite, who died in 2003. It was established in 2009 by Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) in conjunction with the Taite family, and first awarded in 2010. The Taite takes its inspiration from international prizes such as the Mercury Prize in the UK and the Australian Music Prize.
The annual event has grown over time and now includes the Independent Music NZ Classic Record award (first awarded in 2013), Best Independent Debut Award (2017), Independent Spirit Award (2019), and Outstanding Music Journalism Award (2022).
The award carries a cash prize of NZ$12,500 and sponsors' prizes. It is primarily sponsored by Recorded Music NZ (formerly known as PPNZ Music Licensing). The award is judged on originality, creativity, and musicianship displayed on an album, rather than on sales or commercial factors.
Each award cycle begins with open nominations. Self-nominations are accepted. Albums must be:
The prize shortlist is decided by votes from a group of over 1,000 musicians (APRA members), industry figures and IMNZ members. The size of the shortlist has varied, but since 2019 there have been 10 albums each year. The winner is decided by a 10-person judging panel chosen by IMNZ.
The Taite Music Prize's T-shaped logo and trophy were designed by Stephen McCarthy. The intersecting linestrokes, one solid and one striped, represent commercial and independent music. A new trophy, made of metal and weighing eight kilograms, is made each year.
In 2013 a second award was added to the Taite Music Prize event. The Independent Music NZ Classic Record award honours a previously released record that is now considered a classic, and the award aims to "acknowledge New ZealandâÂÂs rich history of making fine records that continue to inspire us and that also define who we are". Records are eligible once they turn 20 years old. It is selected by music media and industry specialists without any public nomination process or wider vote. The inaugural recipient of the Classic Record award was the Gordons' 1981 album Gordons.
In 2017, a third award was added to the Taites. The Best Independent Debut Award ( known as the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut Award) honours the best debut release of an artist or group on a member label of Independent Music New Zealand. The winner receives $2000 cash and other sponsors' prize. Like the Taite Music Prize award cycles begin with an open call for nominations (including self-nominations). The same judging panel selects the winners of both awards. Unlike the main Taite, entrants must be IMNZ members and EPs of at least 4 tracks are eligible. The first winner was Merk for Swordfish.
Since 2019 the Independent Spirit Award has been given to an individual to acknowledge their support for the local music industry and their personal contribution to its growth. The winner is selected by the IMNZ Board.
An Outstanding Music Journalism Award, sponsored by NZ On Air, was added in 2022. The winner receives a $2500 cash prize. The first recipient was RNZ music journalist Tony Stamp. Each year three or four finalists are announced ahead of the award ceremony. Documentary directors, podcasters, radio journalists and website creators have all been nominated for the award.
The Taite Music Prize was first awarded in 2010. In 2009 Independent Music New Zealand, Phonographic Performances New Zealand (which has evolved into Recorded Music New Zealand) and members of Dylan Taite's family, notably his music executive son John, worked together to establish and fund the award. John has remained closely involved with the Prize, often as a judge.
Explaining why the award was named after Dylan Taite, Dylan Pellet of IMNZ compared him to John Peel. "He didn't care how much a record sold or what genre it was. If he loved it, he'd try to convince others to give it a listen. He was an enthusiastic champion of music he believed in, so naming this award after him was a good fit. The timing seemed right, too; these sorts of awards - celebrating artists rather than sales - are becoming more common around the world, with things like the Mercury Prize in the UK, the Polaris Prize in Canada, the Australian Music Prize and the Scottish Album of the Year."
With prize money originally set at $10,000 (and since raised to $12,500), the award was designed to focus on originality, creativity and musicianship. It was compared to the APRA Silver Scroll, which awards similar aspects of singles rather than albums.
The first ceremony included the smallest ever shortlist, five albums. The number has varied between seven and ten ever since. From 2019 on there have been ten finalists.
A record of 92 nominations was set in 2018, while the smallest (known) longlists contained 52 albums in 2014 and 2016. There were 83 in 2026.
Lawrence Arabia won 2010's inaugural Taite Music Prize, accepting it via video link from London.
In 2014, Lorde asked that the $10,000 cash prize, studio time and other sponsors' prizes be split among the seven other nominees, saying, "I think everyone is kind of sick of me winning stuff at the moment and other people are in more in need of the funds and exposure right now."
Brothers Ruban and Kody Nielson, both formerly of The Mint Chicks, have each won the Taite Music Prize for different music projects â Ruban as Unknown Mortal Orchestra in 2012 and Kody as Silicon in 2016. Kody was also nominated in 2013 for OPOSSUM.
In 2019 Tom Scott of Avantdale Bowling Club won after being shortlisted for a record fifth time (which he extended to seven in 2026). His acceptance speech began, "Um. Fuck. IâÂÂve lost this thing four times already."
The first album in te reo MÃÂori to be honoured was WAEREA by Mokotron in 2025.
Auckland has hosted every live ceremony, with 2020's event having been held online. In 2026 the ceremony will move to the New Zealand International Convention Centre and, for the first time, offer tickets to the public.
Although a number of acts and artists have been shortlisted multiple times, there has not yet been a two-time winner of the Taite Music Prize. Troy Kingi and @Peace are the only acts to have been shortlisted in three consecutive years.
Tom Scott has been shortlisted with four different acts, a record. Scott and Kody Nielson have both had two shortlisted albums in a single year.
Jazmine Mary, 2022's winner as a solo artist, was also a Best Independent Debut finalist in 2025 as one half of Pony Baby.