South by Southwest unleashes a week of alcoholic activities – er, musical discovery – every March, but before the festival madness begins, The Austin Chronicle offers our own celebration of local music, all in one place. Presented by Cap Metro, the 43rd annual Austin Music Awards returns to Antone’s Nightclub for the second year on March 2. Tickets are on sale now at austinchronicle.com/austin-music-awards, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the SIMS Foundation. Ahead of the event, find all the 2024-2025 Austin Music Award winners below.
BEST OF THE YEAR
Band of the Year
Being Dead
Nominees
Font
Good Looks
The Point
Urban Heat
Best New Act
Grandmaster
Nominees
J’cuuzi
Mean Mistreater
Somebody Someone
Wonder Women of Country
Musician of the Year
Gary Clark Jr.
Nominees
BLK ODYSSY
Jon Muq
S.L. Houser
Sue Foley
Songwriter of the Year
Taméca Jones
Nominees
Cactus Lee
Cody Dosier and Falcon Bitch (Being Dead)
Jon Muq
Tyler Jordan (Good Looks)
Album of the Year
Gary Clark Jr.
JPEG RAW
Nominees
Being Dead, EELS
BLK ODYSSY, 1-800-FANTASY
Font, Strange Burden
Good Looks, Lived Here for a While
Jon Muq, Flying Away
Sentimental Family Band, Sweethearts Only
Superfónicos, Renaceré
Taméca Jones, Plants & Pills
Urban Heat, The Tower
Song of the Year
Gary Clark Jr. and Stevie Wonder
“What About the Children”
Nominees
Being Dead, “Van Goes”
Font, “Hey Kekulé”
Good Looks, “Can You See Me Tonight?”
Grandmaster, “Castle Door”
Urban Heat, “Sanitizer”
Music Video of the Year
Die Spitz
“I hate when GIRLS die” (Dir. Joe Marks)
Nominees
Being Dead, “Firefighters” (Dir. Ursula Barker)
BLK ODYSSY, “XXX” (Dir. Luís De Peña)
Creekbed Carter Hogan, “Apiary” (Dir. Jammy Violet)
Tele Novella, “Vampire Cowgirl” (Dir. Vanessa Pla)
HALL OF FAME
Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame
Bill Campbell
Earl Poole Ball
Austin Music Industry Hall of Fame
Michael Corcoran
Jay Trachtenberg
BEST BY GENRE
Best Blues
Gary Clark Jr.
Nominees
Eve Monsees
The Peterson Brothers
Ruthie Foster
Sue Foley
Best Country
Sentimental Family Band
Nominees
Cactus Lee
Jonathan Terrell
Silverada
Wonder Women of Country
Best DJ
DJ Cassandra
Nominees
DJ KICKIT
DJ Mel
Mixer Rogers
p1nkstar
Best Electronic
Night Drive
Nominees
Alex DL
Felt Out
Fennec
LP Giobbi
Best Experimental
Water Damage
Nominees
Cloud Companion
The Dialtones
Hover
Wet Dip
Best Folk / Bluegrass
Erin Ivey
Nominees
Creekbed Carter Hogan
Good Looks
Gustave Ochoa
Large Brush Collection
Best Hip-Hop / Rap
Riders Against the Storm
Nominees
Blackillac
Free Hamze
Geto Gala
Promqueen
Best Jazz
Grandmaster
Nominees
Alex Coke & Carl Michel Sextet
Big Wy’s Brass Band
Elias Haslanger
The Joymakers
Best Latin
Superfónicos
Nominees
Lluvii
Midnight Navy
Nemegata
Paula Maya
Best Metal
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol
Nominees
Banged Out
palefade.
Portrayal of Guilt
Trip Cigs
Best Pop
Touch Girl Apple Blossom
Nominees
Arya
Mobley
Primo the Alien
Quentin Arispe
Best Punk
Big Bill
Nominees
Fuck Money
Gus Baldwin & the Sketch
Mugger
The Pinky Rings
Best Rock
A Giant Dog
Nominees
Blushing
Farmer’s Wife
Font
Porcelain
Best R&B / Soul
Taméca Jones
Nominees
Alesia Lani
BLK ODYSSY
LARA’
Maya Sampleton
Best World
Golden Dawn Arkestra
Nominees
Atash
Cazayoux
Paula Maya
The Point
The Zev Award (Best 18 & Under Act, Presented by Zev United)
The Lockhearts
Nominees
Kings Lovely
Kromathaw
Molotov
Side Peace
BEST AUSTIN MUSICIANS
Best Vocalist
Camille Lewis
(Sentimental Family Band)
Nominees
Jake Lloyd
LARA’
Maya Sampleton
Quentin Arispe
Best Drummer / Percussionist
Thor Harris
Nominees
Alan Eckert
Alton Jenkins
Ashlyn Shanafelt
Brannen Temple
Best Guitarist
Gary Clark Jr.
Nominees
Cat Clemons
Eve Monsees
Jack Montesinos
Jake Ames
Best Horns
Big Wy’s Brass Band
Nominees
Andre Hayward
Aubrey Logan
Ephraim Owens
Hard Proof
Best Pianist / Keyboardist
Marcia Ball
Nominees
Bryce Powell
Graham Reynolds
JaRon Marshall
Micah Motenko
Best Miscellaneous Instrument
Gary Newcomb
(pedal steel)
Nominees
Carolyn Trowbridge, vibraphone
Hexpartner, harp
Indrajit Banerjee, sitar
Zack Wiggs, pedal steel
Best Strings / Fiddle
Carrie Rodriguez
Nominees
Alexa Torres
Ian Stewart
Warren Hood
Wes Simms
Best Bassist
Nora Predey
Nominees
Devin North
Marcus Bell
Nick Clark
Nicole Roman-Johnston
INDUSTRY AWARDS
Best Record Store
Waterloo Records
Nominees
Antone’s
Big Henry’s
BLK Vinyl
Breakaway
End of an Ear
Love Wheel Records
Magic Isle Vinyl
Best Live Music Venue
Continental Club
Nominees
Antone’s Nightclub
Hotel Vegas
Mohawk
Radio/East
Best Music Festival
Levitation
Nominees
ACL Festival
Austin Blues Festival
Free Week
South by Southwest
Best Music Photographer
Pooneh Ghana
Nominees
David Brendan Hall
Ismael Quintanilla III
Roger Ho
Samantha Tellez
Best Live Music Booker
Resound Presents
Nominees
Happen Twice
Howdy Gals
Katelynn Garza
Trish Connelly
Best New Club
Kingdom
Nominees
Armadillo World Headquarters South Congress
Cabana Club
Drinks Backyard
Marlow
Best Record Label
Spaceflight Records
Nominees
12XU
Happen Twice
Keeled Scales
Portrayal of Guilt Records
Best Recording Studio
Arlyn Studios
Nominees
Alnico Studio
Estuary Recording
Ice Cream Factory Studio
Orb Recording Studios
Best Producer
Adrian Quesada
Nominees
Beto Martinez
Chico Jones
Jacob Sciba
Walker Lukens
Best Radio Personality
Laurie Gallardo
(KUTX)
Nominees
Double Heads (KOOP)
Kevin Connor (Sun Radio)
Susan Castle (KUTX)
Suzanna Choffel (Sun Radio)
Best Radio Station
KUTX 98.9FM
Nominees
KAZI 88.7FM
KOOP 91.7FM
KVRX 91.7FM
Sun Radio 100.1FM
Best Radio Show
Left of the Dial
(KUTX)
Nominees
Double Heads Variety Hour (KOOP)
A Hill Country Saturday with Kevin Connor (Sun Radio)
Soundfounder (KUTX)
Stronger Than Dirt with Scott Gardner (KOOP)
Best Poster Artist
Billie Buck
Nominees
Brad Bond
Cat Barrera
Ishaq Fahim
Taylor Rushing
Best Music Residency
Jackie Venson
at Antone’s Nightclub
Nominees
Blue Monday with Soul Man Sam at Antone’s Nightclub
Cactus Lee at Sam’s Town Point
Carrie Rodriguez’s Laboratorio at the State Theatre
Eve Monsees and Mike Buck at Continental Club
Best Live Sound Engineer
Lydia Fortuna
Nominees
Amanda Justice
Jamie Wellwarth
Luke Dawson
Myles Crosby
Best Instrument Repair
South Austin Music
Nominees
Austin Vintage Guitars
DB Guitarworks
Strait Music
Switched On
Best Equipment Rental
Rock n Roll Rentals
Nominees
ATX Backline
Boss Radio Music Services
ILIOS Production Design
Nomad Sound
Best Music Nonprofit
Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM)
Nominees
Anthropos Arts
SIMS Foundation
Sonic Guild
Soundwaves Art Foundation
Best Music Instruction
Girls Rock Austin
Nominees
Austin School of Music
Band Aid School of Music
School of Rock
Strait Music
Most Creative Event
HAAM Day
Nominees
Double Heads LIVE: You’re the Host
Howdy Gals and Mas Music Records’ Zodiac Parties
KVRX’s 30th Birthday Party
Wizard Rodeo 4
This article appears in February 28 • 2025.