NT Indigenous Music Awards are part of the Darwin Festival and are run by MusicNT in association with the Northern Territory Government’s Indigenous Arts Development Unit. Since 2009, they have been known as the National Indigenous Music Awards.
The NT Indigenous Music Awards recognise excellence, dedication, innovation and outstanding contribution to the NT music industry. The Awards are presented at a special showcase event in August as part of Darwin Festival, and feature the best indigenous music talent in the NT.
The Awards are industry based and focus with nominations coming from industry, pre-selection by a local industry committee and final judging of Award winners by an independent panel of NT and interstate music industry professionals
The Inaugural Indigenous Music Awards were held on 28 August 2004 at the Darwin Festival Club. The winners were:
Male Musician of the Year: Warren H. Williams
Female Musician of the Year: Shellie Morris
Band of the Year: Yothu Yindi
People's Choice award: Saltwater Band
Best Field Recording for a Traditional Album: the Rak Badjalarr album
Best Emerging Band award: Yilila
Hall of Fame inductees: George Rrurrambu, the Mills Sisters and Mandawuy Yunupingu
The second annual NT Indigenous Music Awards were held at Marrara Oval on 27 August 2005. The Awards attracted the likes of Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil), now Shadow Secretary for Reconciliation and the Arts, who was a guest presenter with NT Chief Minister Clare Martin and with his old mate George Rrurrambu of Warumpi Band. The Awards ceremony and concert, which was headlined by the Letterstick Band and Lajamanu Teenage Band, was broadcast live by local station TEABBA (Top End Bush Broadcasting Assoc.) and picked up by Indigenous radio stations across the country.
The winners were:
Best Music Release: Yilila – "Manila, Manila"
Song of the Year: Yilila - "Mijiyanga"
Best CD/DVD Artwork & Design: David Lancashire - Jurtbirrk, Love Songs from Western Arnhem Land
Male Musician of the Year: Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Galiwin’ku (formerly Yothu Yindi, Saltwater Band)
Female Musician of the Year: Shellie Morris
Band of the Year: Nabarlek
New & Emerging Act: Mandy Garling
Minister’s Award for School Band of the Year: Maningrida Brass Ensemble
Traditional Music Award: Jurtbirrk, Love Songs from Western Arnhem Land
Most Popular Song Award: "Dreamtime Baby" – Warren H. Williams
Outstanding contribution to the music industry: CAAMA Music & Letterstick
Hall of Fame Inductees: Kathy & David Mills, The Mystics, Dick Mununggu, Gus Williams, Auriel Andrew, Mr. Yamma Snr and Herbie Laughton.
The third annual NT Indigenous Music Awards were held on 25 August 2006. The audience was treated to live performances by a line-up of NT acts including Yilila, Saltwater Band, NoKTuRNL, Warren H Williams, June Mills and Tom E Lewis.
The winners were:
Best Music Release: Tom E. Lewis – "Sunshine After Rain"
Song of the Year: Warren H. Williams – "Learn My Song"
Best Artwork & Design: Dunnart - Warren H. Williams - "Be Like Home"
Best DVD Release: Nabarlek – Nabarlek on Tour
Male Musician of the Year: Grant Nundhirribala
Female Musician of the Year: June Mills
Act of the Year: Yilila
New & Emerging Act: Task
Traditional Music Award: White Cockatoo – Maningrida
School Band of the Year: Djambang Band – Milingimbi
Judges Encouragement Award: Henley White (Warren H. William's 9 year old drummer)
Hall of Fame Inductees: Warumpi Band and Soft Sands
Outstanding Contribution: Sammy Butcher and Keith Lapalung
The fourth annual NT Indigenous Wards were held on 25 August 2007 at the Gardens Amphitheatre, Botanic Gardens, Darwin. On the night there were live performances featuring Kenbi Dancers, Ngarakuruwala, Jessica Mauboy and Nabarlek.
The winners were:
Act of the Year: Jessica Mauboy
Album of the Year: Manmoyi Radio - Nabarlek
Song of the Year: "Little Journey to Manmoyi" - Terrah Guymala
Emerging Act of the Year: Leah Flanagan
School Band of the Year (1): The Crazy Boyz, Maningrida Community Education Centre
School Band of the Year (2): The Frontstreet Girls, Maningrida Community Education Centre
DVD/Film Clip of the Year: "Brown Bird" - Nabarlek
Artwork & Design of the Year: Manmoyi Radio - Nabarlek
Traditional Music Award: Kenbi Dancers
Traditional Music Award (2): Wurrurrumi Kun-Borrk, songs from Western Arnhem Land by Kevin Djimarr
People Choice 'Song for Country': "Bushfire" - Nabarlek
Special Contribution Award (1): Paul "Djolpa" McKenzie
Special Contribution Award (2): Steven Tranter
Hall of Fame - Top End Artist: Betty Fisher
Hall of Fame – Central Artist: Barry Benning
The winners were:
Act of the Year: Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Album of the Year: Gurrumul - Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunipingu
Emerging Act of the Year and Touring Award: B2M
School Band of the Year: Rocky Creek Band
Gospel Album of the Year: Harold Dalywaters and the Elliot Gospel Band
Song of the Year: Wiyathul - Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
DVD/Filmclip of the Year: Saltwater Band Live
Artwork and design of the Year: Gurrumul - album, designed by Carlo Santone
Traditional Music Award of the Year: 1) Muyngarnbi - Songs from Walking with Spirits. 2) Ngarukuruwala - We Sing Songs.
People's Choice Award, Most popular song of the year: Wild Wild Water - WildWater
Hall of Fame: 1) Peter Miller and Blek Bala Mujik. 2) Mark Raymond and the Kulumindini Band.
Special Contribution Award: 1) Galarrwuy Yunupingu. 2) Mr Nundhirribala.
2009 Winners:
ACT OF THE YEAR: Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Been Waiting by Jessica Mauboy
EMERGING ACT OF THE YEAR: Pott Street
SONG OF THE YEAR: Running Back from the album Been Waiting by Jessica Mauboy, written by Jessica Mauboy, Audius Mtawarira and Sean Ray Mullins
DVD/FILMCLIP OF THE YEAR: Senor / Dunganda Street Sounds
ARTWORK AND DESIGN OF THE YEAR: Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu / DDA release Gurrumul Album
TRADITIONAL MUSIC AWARD: Dunganda Street Sounds Ramingining Artists
PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD – ‘SONG OF THE YEAR’ (Voted nationally on DIG Music) The Turn Around, MC HORA
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES: Sammy Butcher, Tableland Drifters, David Asera
Artist of the Year: Gurrumul Yunupingu
Album of the Year: Ratja Yaliyali (Gawurra)
Song of the Year: The Children Came Back (Briggs)
Written by Gurrumul Yunupingu, Archie Roach, Corey McGregor and Adam Briggs
Performed by Briggs, Dewayne Everettsmith and Gurrumul Yunupingu
New Talent of the Year: Gawurra
Cover Art: Ratja Yaliyali (Gawurra) designed by Jalyay JAJA Thompson
Film Clip: Ratja Yaliyali (Gawurra) directed and produced by Pippa Samaya
Community Music Clip: Break The Silence by Ngukurr Community, Indigenous Hip Hop Projects, White Ribbon
Traditional Song of the Year: Two Sisters Journey (Ishmael Marika)
Hall of Fame: Kutcha Edwards
Supported by Radio Larrakia, CAAMA and TEABBA.