Over 8,000 votes were cast for the SAM Awards' people’s choice categories, and a panel of 15 local and interstate judges have locked in their picks for the hottest in the industry. Here’s who made the cut.

Each year, the South Australian Music Awards are split between the People’s Choice Awards, determined by a public ballot, and the SAM awards, decided by a panel of national industry professionals.

Music SA has just announced the shortlist for both categories, with the winners to be awarded at this year’s COVID-safe SAM Awards ceremony on Tuesday, 3 November.

To accommodate appropriate distancing and current health protocols, this year’s SAM Awards will be an alfresco occasion, held by the University of Adelaide’s cloisters. Pizzateca will provide slices under the stars, accompanied by live performances from a lineup of artists who will be announced in coming weeks.

Jess Day, Kaurna Cronin, Lonelyspeck, Motez, Ollie English and Stellie are all up for Best Solo Artist, while J-Milla, Jessica Wishart, Nathan May, Sonz of Serpents and Tunu will compete for Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artist.

EAST AV3, Slowmango, SEABASS, TOWNS, Venice Queens and Wing Defence are gunning for Best Group. And there are some repeat offenders in contest for Best New Artist: EAST AV3, Slowmango, SEABASS, Siberian Tiger and Cat Lucky.

In the Best New Music Video category, Motez’s ‘Soulitude’ is going up against Lonelyspeck’s ‘My Angel Goes Before Me’, Harry Nelli’s ‘Punchdrunk’, EAST AV3’s ‘Le Labo’ and Uomo’s ‘All I Hear’.

There will also be a totally new award, proudly presented by CityMag: Best Innovation. This is a shout out to the quick thinkers in the local industry who developed new avenues for musicians to connect with audiences while we were all holed up at home.

The nominated projects are Play/Pause/Play, Space Jams, Sunny Side Uploads, Thursday Night Knock Offs by Sparkke at the Whitmore, WheatyLIVE and Mosaic Audio Visual, founders of Ghost Light Bunker.

There will be another two new categories unveiled on the night: Best Live Technician and Best Educator. For the rundown of the nominees of these categories, scroll to the bottom of this article.

Music SA general manager Kim Roberts says while the music community has proved it can adapt, she’s stoked to be able to hold this year’s SAM Awards in person, rather than over Zoom.

“I’m thrilled that we can catch up in person for a COVID-safe SAM Awards. While the eligibility stretches back to last August, it’s lovely to be able to acknowledge great music, events and achievements during such a rough year,” she says.

“I don’t envy the judging panel and the public voting on such excellent nominees.”

See the full list of nominees below.

INDUSTRY VOTED AWARDS

BEST STUDIO (Presented by Adelaide Music Collective)
Adelaide Recording Studios
Ghostnote
Island Recording Studios
Spare Second Studio
Stone Shed Studio
Wundenberg’s Recording and Rehearsal Studio

BEST STUDIO ENGINEER (Presented by SAE Institute Adelaide)
Chris Panousakis
Kiah Gossner
Jimmy Balderston
Lewis Wundenberg
Mario Spate

BEST LIVE TECHNICIAN (Presented by Novatech)
Lisa Lane-Collins
Luke Hancock
Noni Espinosa
Patrick Lockwood
Peter Wing

BEST MAJOR FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by Pirate Life)
Day of Clarity
Porchland
St Jerome’s Laneway Festival – Adelaide
Thebartonia

BEST SMALL FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by UniBar Adelaide)
Field Good Festival
Freefall Festival
PAK: Live at Wundenbergs Stonecutters
The Porch Sessions

BEST VENUE (Presented by AHA – SA Branch)
Crown and Anchor Hotel
Grace Emily Hotel
Jive
Lion Arts Factory
The Wheatsheaf Hotel

BEST COVER ART (Presented by Version Design)
Dave Court for DyspOra – AUSTRALIEN
Jack Fenby for Cat Lucky – Pressure (Everybody Wants To Know You)
Jack Fenby for The Empty Threats – $2
Julie Thornberg-Thorsoe for Kaurna Cronin – Glitter or Dust
Todd Fischer for Lost Woods – Shaping Distant Memories

BEST MANAGER (Presented by Association of Artist Managers)
Alex Karatassa
Diana Sautelle
Matthew Khabbaz
Planet Shhh!
Sue Germein

BEST MUSIC VIDEO (Presented by Channel 44)
Uomo – All I Hear (Bottleneck Studios)
EAST AV3 – Le Labo
Harry Nelli (Venice Queens) – Punchdrunk
Lonelyspeck – My Angel Goes Before Me
Motez, Pilot Studio, Mapped Design, Daggers Production, Kelsee Pedler – Soulitude

BEST SONG (Presented by APRA AMCOS)
EAST AV3 – Le Labo
Stellie – How Do We Look So Good?
Jess Day – Affection
St Jacques – In Faith
Naomi Keyte – Travelling Woman

BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by WOMADelaide)
Cat Lucky
EAST AV3
SEABASS
Siberian Tiger
Slowmango

BEST GROUP (Presented by Derringers Music)
EAST AV3
Slowmango
SEABASS
TOWNS
Venice Queens
Wing Defence

BEST ABORIGINAL/TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ARTIST (Presented by Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music)
J-Milla
Jessica Wishart
Nathan May
Sonz of Serpents
Tunu

BEST SOLO ARTIST (Presented by Adelaide Festival Centre)
Jess Day
Kaurna Cronin
Lonelyspeck
Motez
Ollie English
Stellie

BEST RELEASE (Presented by themusic.com.au)
EAST AV3 – Rugrats
Lonelyspeck – Abyssal Body
Motez – Soulitude
Ollie English – Reality of Love
Wing Defence – Friends

BEST MUSIC EDUCATOR (Presented by SAMII)
Grayson Rotumah
Kultar Ahluwalia
James Alberts
Naomi Keyte
Nick O’Connor

BEST INNOVATION (Presented by CityMag)
Mosaic Audio Visual Play/Pause/Play
Space Jams
Sunny Side Uploads
Thursday Night Knock Offs – Sparkke at the Whitmore
WheatyLIVE

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS FINALISTS

BLUES & ROOTS (Presented by Radio Adelaide)
JimmyBay
Lucky Seven
Ollie English
Rat Tamango
The Streamliners

COUNTRY (Presented by Grace Emily Hotel)
Cassidy Rae Gaiter
Cookie Baker
Jessica Wishart
Matt Ward
Nathan May

ELECTRONIC (Presented by Moshtix)
Hartway
Jethro
Lonelyspeck
Motez
Zac Eichner

EXPERIMENTAL (Presented by Ancient World)
Heinous Crimes
Slowmango
SODA
Sons of Zöku
The Empty Threats

FOLK (Presented by The Wheatsheaf Hotel)
Katie Pomery
Loren Kate
Naomi Keyte
Siberian Tiger
Tom West

HEAVY (Presented by Enigma)
Alt.
Dirty Pagans
Hidden Intent
NO NO NO NO NO Terminal Zero

HIP HOP (Presented by The Gov)
DyspOra
East AV3
Laitisi Diesa
Outside Lines
We Move Like Giants

JAZZ (Presented by Elder Conservatorium)
Alex Taylor
Django Rowe
Er@ser Description
Nick Pennington & Angus Mason
The Boys Club

POP (Presented by Jive)
Ashton Fraser
Germein
Jess Day
MANE
The Montreals

PUNK (Presented by Three D Radio)
Bitchspawn
Chelsea Manor
Collateral Damage
The Lizards
Wing Defence

ROCK (Presented by Crown and Anchor)
Horror My Friend
Oscar the Wild
SEABASS
TOWNS
Venice Queens

SOUL/FUNK/R&B (Presented by Woodville Town Hall)
Elsy Wameyo
Isaac Thomas
Legs of Ivar
Leni
Wanderers