Image: SEABASS performing at the 2020 SAM Awards – taken by Jack Turner
We are very excited to announce that the South Australian Music (SAM) Awards are back in full swing for 2021!
After another very difficult year for the South Australian music industry, the SAM Awards are gearing up to celebrate the many accomplishments, and emergence of, the wonderful homegrown musical talent in South Australia over the last 12 months.
The 2021 SAM Awards will be held on Thursday 18th November 2021 in a COVID-19 appropriate gala event, which will be announced later in September. Early bird tickets go on sale via Moshtix to the South Australian music industry on Wednesday 22 September via the SAMs website. You can also stay up to date on ticket info, by checking out our save the date Facebook event!
This also means that SAM nominations across all categories are NOW OPEN, so cast your nomination here! You can nominate your self, or someone else you think deserves recognition for their work in the South Australian music scene. Remember, if you are confused about who can enter, you can always check out our eligibility criteria here!
As usual, the People’s Choice Awards will be voted by members of the public, with voting opening on Wednesday 22nd September via the event’s independent partner TheMusic.com.au.
The official SAM Award categories for 2021 are:
Industry Voted Awards:
BEST STUDIO (Presented by Adelaide Music Collective)
BEST STUDIO ENGINEER/PRODUCER (Presented by SAE Institute Adelaide)
BEST LIVE TECHNICIAN (Presented by Novatech)
BEST MAJOR FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by MOSHTIX)
BEST SMALL FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by Pirate Life)
BEST VENUE (Presented by AHA)
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 WOMADelaide)
BEST GROUP (Presented by Derringers Music)
BEST ABORIGINAL/TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ARTIST (Presented by Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music – CASM)
BEST SOLO ARTIST
BEST RELEASE (Presented by themusic.com.au)
BEST MUSIC EDUCATOR (SAMII)
BEST INNOVATION (Presented by CityMag)
People’s Choice Awards:
BLUES & ROOTS (Presented by UniBar)
COUNTRY (Presented by Grace Emily Hotel)
ELECTRONIC (Presented by Fat Controller)
EXPERIMENTAL (Presented by The Lab)
FOLK (Presented by The Wheatsheaf Hotel)
HEAVY (Presented by ARMI)
HIP HOP (Presented by The Gov)
JAZZ (Presented by the Gilbert St Hotel)
POP (Presented by Lion Arts Factory)
PUNK (Presented by Three D Radio)
ROCK (Presented by Jive)
SOUL/FUNK/R&B (Presented by Woodville Town Hall)
We are also very excited to announce our 2021 SAM Awards Judging panel! We have 10 local judges, as well as 5 national judges, all of which can be seen below. You can also check out full bios for each judge here.
Local Judges
Alex Karatassa – Artist Manager & Festival Curator / Five Four Entertainment
Beck Pearce – Office of Adelaide UNESCO City of Music
Ed Noble – Music Educator / Local Musician / Sunny Side Uploads
Grayson Rotumah – Music Educator / Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music
Hannah Fairlamb – Co-Director of Girls Rock! Adelaide / Local Musician
Kate Bailey – Producer, ABC Radio Adelaide
Lewis Wundenberg – Owner/Operator of Wundenberg’s Recording Studios
Marty Haros – Sound Engineer / Producer / Fresh 92.7
Nelson Dialect – Hip Hip artist / Producer
Tam Boakes – Owner/Operator of Jive Venue
National Judges
Declan Byrne – Radio Host for Triple J’s Home & Hosed (SYD)
Hayden Davies – Pile Rats / Brag Media Management / Freelance writer (PER)
James Tidswell – Unified Music Group / Violent Soho (MEL)
Sosefina Fuamoli – Music journalist / podcast host and content producer (MEL)
Sweetie Zamora – Remote Control Records / Founder of Pointer Recordings (MEL)
Stay tuned for more details about where the 2021 SAMs will be, who will be performing, and when People’s Choice Awards voting begins!
Nominations are now open and close at 11:59pm AEST Wednesday, 15th September 2021.
