Photo by Lauren Connelly of TKAY at the 2017 SAM Awards
In some very exciting news, it’s time we finally announce the 2021 South Australian Music (SAM) Awards finalists! There is a hugely talented group of finalists this year – we can’t wait to celebrate their contributions to the music industry with you all! To see thefull list of 2021 finalists, scroll below.
The SAM Awards are separated into three categories, People’s Choice Awards, Industry Awards and Major Awards. The People’s Choice Awards recognise local bands by their genre and are 100% voted by the public. Industry Awards and Major Awards are judged by a panel of 10 local and 5 national judges that are music industry professionals. You can see the full list of 2021 judges here.
This year the 2021 SAM Awards will be held at Old Adelaide Gaol on Thu 18 Nov! Initially, Bridget Hustwaite, host of ‘Good Nights’ on triple j was programmed as our host, however due to border restrictions she will be unable to attend. Instead we will be having the wonderful Shanelle Franklin, South Australian media personality and presenter (formerly with SAFM, Jam LIVE and Rip it Up). The ceremony will also see several performances from some of our award finalists. Stay tuned for more announcements about our performers very soon!
The event is once again a chance for the South Australian music industry to get together to celebrate the achievements of musicians, producers, venues and workers across what has been another incredibly unpredictable and challenging 12 months for the Industry. Music SA’s General Manager Kim Roberts highlights the importance of the SAM’s to the South Australian music community.
“The continual challenges brought on due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had a devastating impact on local musicians, industry workers and live music venues over the past twelve months.”
She continues, “It is so important that we can get together safely to celebrate the many wins that our incredible industry has had this year. Congratulations to all of the finalists! I can’t wait to celebrate with you!”.
Early-bird tickets have sold out for the event, with limited full-priced tickets on sale now for $70 (plus booking fee) via Moshtix.
MAJOR/INDUSTRY VOTED AWARDS FINALISTS
BEST STUDIO (Presented by Adelaide Music Collective)
Chapel Lane Studios
Electric Ant Records
Stone Shed Studio
Wizard Tone Studios
Wundenberg’s Recording Studio
BEST STUDIO ENGINEER/PRODUCER (Presented by SAE Institute Adelaide)
Cactus Cactus Sound (Ryan Martin John)
Jarred Nettle
Kiah Gossner
Lewis Wundenberg
Suture Mastering
BEST LIVE TECHNICIAN (Presented by Novatech)
Dagger’s Production (Nathan D’Agostino)
Lisa Lane Collins
Luke Hancock
Michael Wickens
Patrick Lockwood
Peter Wing
BEST MAJOR FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by MOSHTIX)
Adelaide Guitar Festival
Beer & BBQ Homebrewed
Summer Sounds Festival
The Local
WOMADelaide
BEST SMALL FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by Pirate Life)
Folkloria Festival
Garden Daze
One12 Festival
Space Jams South Coast Tour
Utopian State
BEST VENUE (Presented by AHA)
Grace Emily Hotel
Jive
Lion Arts Factory
The Wheatsheaf Hotel
Unibar ADL
Vintage Vulture
BEST COVER ART (Presented by Version Design)
Wolf & Cub – Nil (Luke Byrne)
The Mondays – No Sugar Sprite (Arkadia Visuals)
Kaurna Cronin – Aloft In Blue (Julia Thornberg – Thorsoee)
Heaps Good Friends – Up Close and Personal (Ashley Giles)
Holas May – Block Letter (Angus Smith/Angvs)
Teenage Joans – Taste of Me (Samuel Graves & Eve Burner)
BEST MANAGER (Presented by Association of Artist Managers)
Planet Shhh
Rachel Whitford
Sebastian James
Sian Walden (Little Acorn Music)
Diana Sautelle
BEST MUSIC VIDEO (Presented by Alpha Box & Dice)
Slowmango – Thairaide (Kaspar Schmidt Mumm & Emmaline Zanelli)
Teenage Joans – Something About Being Sixteen (Jack Bielby & Thomas Schaefer)
TOWNS – Swimming (Thomas Schaefer & Jack Bielby)
Neofix – Freedom (Neofix)
Glowing – Poppy (Harry Nathan)
BEST SONG (Presented by APRA AMCOS)
George Alice – Teenager
Motez – Reset
Stellie – 22 Pieces
Teenage Joans – Something About being Sixteen
Wolf & Cub – Blue State
BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by WOMADelaide)
Teenage Joans
Mum Friends
Rocky’s Pride & Joy
Tilly Tjala Thomas
Jess Johns
MARLON X RULLA
BEST GROUP (Presented by Derringers Music)
Bermuda Bay
Teenage Joans
The Empty Threats
TOWNS
The Mondays
BEST ABORIGINAL/TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ARTIST
(Presented by Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music – CASM)
Dem Mob
MARLON X RULLA
Rob Edwards
Tilly Tjala Thomas
BEST SOLO ARTIST (Presented by Media Arts Lawyers)
George Alice
MANE
Motez
Stellie
Tom West
BEST RELEASE (Presented by themusic.com.au)
MANE – Coping Mechanisms
Motez – Reset
Pinkish Blu – People Just Do Good Things Sometimes
Stellie – Stellie (Self-titled)
Teenage Joans – Taste Of Me
Tom West – I’m Livin’
BEST MUSIC EDUCATOR (Presented by SAMII)
Abbey Howlett
Alison Hams
Ben Smith
Jess Day
Julian Ferraretto
Paige Court
Matt Gully
BEST INNOVATION (Presented by CityMag)
Against The Grain – ATG Sessions
Play/Pause/Play – The Sounds of South Australia Podcast
Summer Sounds Festival
WOMADelaide x NSS Academy
Carclew Music At Work
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS FINALISTS
BLUES & ROOTS (Presented by UniBar)
Cal Williams Jr
Mojo Dingo
Sean Kemp
Sturt Avenue
Trav Collins
COUNTRY (Presented by Grace Emily Hotel)
Jimmybay
Mark Curtis and the Flannelettes
Matt Ward
Michaela Jenke
Ricky Albeck & The Belair Line Band
ELECTRONIC (Presented by Fat Controller)
Jack Truant
Kelly Matejcic, Krunk & Restricted
Motez
Stace Cadet
V O E
EXPERIMENTAL (Presented by The Lab)
Georgia Oatley
Slowmango
SODA
Sons of Zoku
The Empty Threats
FOLK (Presented by The Wheatsheaf Hotel)
Alison Newman
B.S Roberts
Jess Johns
Siberian Tiger
Trent Worley
HEAVY (Presented by ARMI)
alt.
Dirty Pagans
Kitchen Witch
No No No No No
SIGNV/S
HIP HOP (Presented by The Gov)
Boffa
Dem Mob
EAST AV3
GOLDN
Stefan Rossi
JAZZ (Presented by the Gilbert St Hotel)
Chelsea Lee
Christina Guala Saxophone Quartet
ER@SER DESCRIPTION
Max Grynchuk Big Band
POP (Presented by Lion Arts Factory)
G-Nation
George Alice
Kyan Burns
Lilac Cove
Rachael Leahcar
PUNK (Presented by Three D Radio)
AGAPANTHER
Bitchspawn
LOLA
Teenage Joans
Wing Defence
ROCK (Presented by Jive)
Druid Fluids
LILY ROSE
Oscar The Wild
TOWNS
Wolf & Cub
SOUL/FUNK/R&B (Presented by Woodville Town Hall)
Dino Jag
Dojo Rise
LilyMay
Mum Thinks Blue
WANDERERS
