2020 South Australian Music Awards announced, submissions open

The year 2020 hasn’t been kind to the music industry, but Music SA’s South Australian Music Awards are ready and set to go ahead.

The sixth annual SAM Awards are locked in for November 3rd, organisers announced today.

The ceremony will be “conducted in line with current COVID-19 safety restrictions,” reads a statement, with a format for the big night to be announced at a later date.

South Australia’s finest will compete for 17 “Industry voted” categories, and 12 “People’s choice” honours, which will be voted on by the general public. Submissions open here today, August 20th, and close September 3rd..

Artists and industry professionals can compete in a broad range of categories, from “best studio” to “best manager,” “best release” and more (see below).

A handful of new categories are added to this year’s programme, including “best innovation,” an award championing new media and ideas around the music landscape; “best music educator” while the “festival” and “event” categories are split up.

Voting in the “People’s choice” categories opens from September 7th via TheMusic.com.au.

“In what’s been a very difficult year for our industry, I’m really looking forward to celebrating all of the excellent music and fantastic achievements that have emerged out of SA in the last year,” comments Music SA General Manager Kim Roberts. “It’s such a great opportunity to acknowledge the creativity and innovation that makes our community so exciting.”

Electric Fields

Also confirmed today is the panel of 15 industry professionals, who will select the lucky winners for the 2020 SAMs.

This year’s line-up of judges includes Declan Byrne (Triple J), Grant Gillies (Gaga Music), Beck Pearce (Office of Adelaide UNESCO City of Music), Grayson Rotumah (Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music), Maggie Collins (Morning Belle) and Tyler Jenke (Rolling Stone Australia).

The SAM Awards “will once again recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in our local music industry,” comments Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni. “The Marshall Liberal Government is proud to be a major partner of Music SA and the SAM Awards. We value our state’s music sector which, not only contributes enormously to the cultural fabric of our community, but also supports hundreds of local jobs.”

Held each November, the SAM Awards were launched in 2015, having previously run as the Fowler’s Live Music Awards from 2012.

Indie rock outfit Horror My Friend took out three wins at the 2019 edition, while Adrian Eagle and Electric Fields each snagged a pair of trophies.

Industry Voted Awards

Best Studio (presented by Adelaide Music Collective)
Best Studio Engineer (presented by Sae Institute Adelaide)
Best Live Technician (presented by Novatech)
Best Major Festival/event
Best Small Festival/event
Best Venue (presented by Aha – Sa Branch)
Best Cover Art (presented by Version Design)
Best Manager (presented by Association of Artist Managers)
Best Music Video
Best Song (presented by Apra Amcos)
Best New Artist (presented by Woma Delaide)
Best Group (presented by Derringers Music)
Best Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Artist
(presented by Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music – CASM)
Best Solo Artist (presented by Adelaide Festival Centre)
Best Release (presented by themusic.com.au)
Best Music Educator
Best Innovation (presented by City Mag)

People’s Choice Awards

Blues & Roots (presented by Radio Adelaide)
Country (presented by Grace Emily Hotel)
Electronic/Experimental (presented by Ancient World)
Folk (presented by The Wheatsheaf Hotel)
Heavy (presented by Enigma)
Hip Hop (presented by The Gov)
Jazz (presented by Elder Conservatorium)
Pop (presented by Jive)
Punk (presented by Three D Radio)
Rock (presented by Crown And Anchor)
Soul/funk/r&b (presented by Woodville Town Hall)

Sam Awards Panel of Judges

Alex Karatassa (5/4 Entertainment)
Beck Pearce (Office of Adelaide Unesco City of Music)
Declan Byrne (triple J)
Ed Noble (Sunny Side Uploads)
Emily York (Penny Drop)
Grant Gillies (Gaga Music)
Grayson Rotumah (Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music)
Hannah Fairlamb (Girls Rock! Adelaide)
James Alberts (Jimblah)
Kate Bailey (ABC Adelaide)
Lewis Wundenberg (Wundenberg’s Recording and Rehearsal Studios)
Maggie Collins (Morning Belle)
Tam Boakes (Jive)
Tyler Jenke (Rolling Stone Australia)
Zane Dean (Fresh 927)

For more, visit southaustralianmusicawards.com.au.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.