Future Teens, Clairo, STL GLD among Boston Music Awards nominees
Future Teens, Latrell James, Oompa, and STL GLD all earned five nods apiece.
Indie-pop ascendant Clairo, hip-hop artists STL GLD, and “bummer pop’’ outfit Future Teens are among the stacked set of nominees for this year’s Boston Music Awards, announced Friday morning.
Acknowledging artists from practically every corner of the city’s wide-ranging, ever-broadening music scene, the annual awards honored 10 different artists in each of its three main categories — artist of the year, new artist of the year, and unsigned artist of the year — while also nominating venues, publications, photographers, promoters, and (in a first for the awards) podcasts that best encapsulate what Boston sounds like right now.
Leading the pack, Future Teens, Latrell James, Oompa, and STL GLD all earned five nods apiece, with Beeef, Clairo, Cliff Notez, Cousin Stizz, Clairo, Palehound, and Ripe close behind with four nods each.
Hip-hop powerhouses had a particularly strong showing, with local icons like Cliff Notez, James, Oompa, and Cousin Stizz holding down artist of the year (with the latter three also scoring album nods), hard-thrashing punk-rappers Camp Blood and secretive Brockton emcee Lord Felix numbering among the new class, and the playful OG Swaggerdick sharing space with hard-scrabble scene veteran Rite Hook in the unsigned category.
But as the range of releases up for album of the year makes clear, Boston’s been host to great music from every genre these past 12 months. There, Salem alt-rock quartet Valleyheart square off with Allston indie-rock staples Beeef and Palehound; all three will face tough competition from Clairo’s star-making debut, an army of acclaimed sophomore discs (by Oompa, Future Teens, Cousin Stizz, and James), STL GLD’s career-escalating third album, and Rite Hook’s hard-hitting fourth.
New categories this year include music podcast, radio show, and recording studio of the year.
“If the past few years have shown anything, it’s that the sound of Boston is fluid, which is incredibly exciting for fans, creators, and the entire scene,’’ said Paul Armstrong, CEO of BMAs owners/producers Redefined. “Ultimately, we celebrate the sound of now, and we’re honored to once again highlight the exceptional talent our city has.’’
Voting is now live at https://bostonmusicawards.com/vote/ and runs through midnight on Friday, Nov. 1. Tickets to the Dec. 11 ceremony, at the House of Blues (where the past two ceremonies have been staged to a full house), are now on sale. Check out the full list of nominees below.
Artist of the Year
Clairo
Cliff Notez
Cousin Stizz
Future Teens
Latrell James
Oompa
Palehound
Pile
Ripe
STL GLD
New Artist of the Year
$ean Wire
Camp Blood
Corner Soul
Dump Him
GHOST GRL
House of Harm
Jiles
Lord Felix
Optic Bloom
Shallow Pools
Unsigned Artist of the Year
Aubrey Haddard
Beeef
Billy Dean Thomas
Dionysia
Jefe Replay
Lady Pills
Najee Janey
OG Swaggerdick
Red Shaydez
Rite Hook
Live Artist of the Year
Carissa Johnson & The Cure-Alls
Cliff Notez
Corner Soul
Ed Balloon
Eddie Japan
Future Teens
Oompa
Pile
Ripe
STL GLD
Album of the Year
Beeef, “Bull in the Shade’’
Clairo, “Immunity’’
Cousin Stizz, “Trying To Find My Next Thrill’’
Future Teens, “Breakup Season’’
Latrell James, “Still’’
Oompa, “Cleo’’
Palehound, “Black Friday’’
Rite Hook, “Modify’’
STL GLD, “The New Normal’’
Valleyheart, “Everyone I’ve Ever Loved’’
Song of the Year
Avanti Nagral, “thank u (pls)’’
Beeef, “I’m So Sorry’’ (feat. Sidney Gish)
Billy Dean Thomas, “To The World’’
Clairo, “Bags’’
Cliff Notez, “Happy’’
Future Teens, “So What’’
Latrell James, “Tracphone’’
Lord Felix, “Nothing,’’
Oompa, “Cleo N ‘Nem’’ (feat. Brandie Blaze)
STL GLD, “The New Normal, pt. 1’’
Video of the Year
Beeef, “Morning Light’’
Bent Knee, “Hold Me In’’
Carinae, “Making Breakfast’’
Cousin Stizz, “Trying To Find My Next Thrill’’
Jefe Replay, “FWM’’
Latrell James, “Tracphone’’
Millyz, “Strawberry Goya’’
PVRIS, “Hallucinations’’
Palehound, “Aaron’’
You’re Fired, “Forgetmenow’’
Alt/Indie Artist of the Year
Beeef
Dionysia
Future Teens
Honey Cutt
Horse Jumper of Love
Lady Pills
Lilith
Palehound
Sidney Gish
Weakened Friends
Americana Artist of the Year
Crowes Pasture
Honeysuckle
Jake Swamp & The Pine
Julie Rhodes
Sara Borges & The Broken Singles
Session Americana
Susan Cattaneo
These Wild Plains
Todd Thibaud
Twisted Pine
Blues Artist of the Year
A Ton of Blues
Ali McGuirk
Danielle Miraglia & The Glory Junkies
GA-20
Gracie Curran
Julie Rhodes
Seth Rosenbloom
Sons Lunaris
Sonya Rae Taylor
The Silks
Country Artist of the Year
Annie Brobst
Ashley Jordan
Caroline Gray
Chris Moreno
Dalton & The Sheriffs
Haley Thompson-King
Houston Bernard Band
Lonely Leesa & The Lost Cowboys
Louie Bello
Ward Hayden & The Outliers
Dance/Electronic Artist of the Year
André Obin
Camino 84
DeeZ
House of Harm
Lightfoot
Maxfield
Party Bois
Rilla Force
Steve Darko
Trlogy
DJ of the Year
DJ Alcide
DJ Frank White
DJ Knife
DJ Kon
DJ Real P
DJ Slick Vick
DJ Slipwax
DJ WhySham
Lenore
SuperSmashBroz
Folk Artist of the Year
Anjimile
Gentle Temper
Hawthorn
Honeysuckle
Lisa Bastoni
Lula Wiles
Nate Leavitt & The Elevation
Tall Heights
The Ballroom Thieves
The Wolff Sisters
Hip Hop Artist of the Year
Cliff Notez
Cousin Stizz
Dutch ReBelle
Joyner Lucas
Latrell James
Michael Christmas
Millyz
Oompa
STL GLD
Termanology
International Artist of the Year
Albino Mbie
Debo Band
Dub Apocalypse
Dzidzor
Greg Roy
JahRiffe & Jah-N-I Roots Movement
Lookie Lookie
MIXCLA
Nichi y Chalas
Soul Rebel Project
Jazz Artist of the Year
Fully Celebrated Orchestra
Gregory Groover Jr.
Gretchen & The Pickpockets
Jason Palmer
Ken Clark Organ Trio
Max Ridley
MND FLO
Porterfield
Tim Carman & The Street 45s
Yoko Miwa Trio
Metal Artist of the Year
Black Mass
Circus Trees
Glacier
Gozu
Lesser Glow
Set Fire
Seven Spires
Summoner
Vaulted
Worshipper
Pop Artist of the Year
Avanti Nagral
Brynn Elliott
Clairo
Ed Balloon
Justin Clancy
PVRIS
Photocomfort
Ripe
Roy Juno
Sasha Sloan
Punk/Hardcore Artist of the Year
Actor|Observer
Art Thieves
Black Beach
Choke Up
Fiddlehead
Fucko
Leopard Print Taser
Nice Guys
Rebuilder
SkyTigers
R&B Artist of the Year
$ean Wire
Kaovanny
Lisa Bello
Marcela Cruz
Najee Janey
Nancia
Notebook P
Treva Holmes
VQnC
YOUNGFACE
Rock Artist of the Year
Carissa Johnson & The Cure-Alls
Cave In
Corner Soul
Exit 18
Kal Marks
Pile
The Devil’s Twins
The Rupert Selection
Valleyheart
Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys
Singer-Songwriter of the Year
Ali McGuirk
Anjimile
Aubrey Haddard
Jill McCracken
Josh Knowles
Juliana Hatfield
Magen Tracy
Nate Leavitt
Sidney Gish
Will Dailey
Vocalist of the Year
Aubrey Haddard
Drew Zeiff – Jake Swamp and The Pine
Erin Gathers – Optic Bloom
Gianna Botticelli – GHOST GRL
Julie Rhodes
Nicole Coogan – The Devil’s Twins
Robbie Wulfsohn – Ripe
Sayak Das – Roy Juno
Tory Quinn – VQnC
Walter Sickert
Live Music Venue of the Year
Brighton Music Hall
House of Blues
ONCE Somerville
Orpheum Theatre
Paradise Rock Club
Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion
Royale
Sonia
The Palladium
The Sinclair
Intimate Live Music Venue
Atwood’s Tavern
City Winery Boston
Dorchester Art Project
Great Scott
Lizard Lounge
O’Brien’s Pub
The Burren Backroom
The Jungle
The Lilypad
Toad
Live Production Engineer of the Year
Brittany Sirois
Chris Johnson
Grace Reader
Ian Nault
Jesse Vengrove
Joel Simches
Josh Sessler
Joyce In
Mike Green
Reid Calkin
Music Night of the Year
Elements at Phoenix Landing
Emo Night Boston at The Sinclair
Good Music Showcase Series at Maggy’s Lounge
Grassfed Disco at ZuZu
Jam Sessions at Black Cotton Club
Make It New at Middlesex Lounge
Nightworks
PVRPLE at Goodlife
Soulelujah at The Sinclair
The Wave Boston at Middlesex Lounge
Live Music Residency of the Year
Ali McGuirk First Fridays at Bull McCabe’s
Baker Thomas Band at Toad
Bridgeside Cypher at Graffiti Alley
Downbeat Mondays at the Sinclair with Matthew Stubbs & The Antiguas
Duke Levine’s Super Sweet Sounds of the 70’s at Lizard Lounge
Neighbor Tuesday in Union Square, Somerville at Thunder Road
OldJack’s Last Saturdays at Lizard Lounge
Soul Sessions at Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen with NWASoul
The Blue Ribbons at Toad
The White Owls at Toad
Music Promoter of the Year
Aaron Gray
Carl Lavin
Catherine Morris
Christine Varriale
Dustin Labbe
Josh Smith
Lance Tobin
Lisa Finelli
Ryan Agate
Tom Bianchi
Recording Studio of the Year (New Award for 2019)
37’ Productions
Cybersound Recording Studios
Mad Oak Studios
Pink Noise Studios
Q Division Studios
Red 13 Studios
Revolution Sound Studio
The Bridge Sound and Stage
The Record Company
Zippah Recording Studios
Studio Producer of the Year
Benny Grotto
Brian Charles
Dave Brophy
David Westner
Ed Valauskas
Janos Fulop
Jon Glass
Justin Pizzoferrato
Miranda Serra
Sean McLaughlin
Session Musician of the Year
Dave Brophy
Duke Levine
Erica Mantone
Jonathan Ulman
Marnie Hall
Mike Levesque
Ryan Manning
Tamora Gooding
Tim Hall
Tony Savarino
Music Publication of the Year
Allston Pudding
Boston Hassle
Boston Herald
DigBoston
Graduation Music
KillerBoomBox
Sound of Boston
The ARTery – WBUR
The Lowell Spin
Vanyaland
Music Journalist of the Year
Amelia Mason
Arielle Gray
Candace McDuffie
G. Valentino Ball
Jed Gottlieb
Karen Muller
Michael Marotta
Shamus Hill
Victor Infante
Victoria Wasylak
Music Photographer of the Year
Adam Parshall
Ben Stas
Bryan Lasky
Emily Gardner
Jen Vesp
Joshua Pickering
Matthew Shelter
OJ Slaughter
Omari Spears
Tim Bugbee
Radio Show of the Year (New Award for 2019)
Allston Pudding Radio / WTBU 89.3FM
Almost Famous / WATD 95.9FM
B.A.N.G. Radio / Zumix 94.9FM
Bay State Rock / WAAF 107.3FM
Boston Emissions with Anngelle Wood
LFOD Radio / WMFO 91.5FM
Middays with Randi Millman / WUMB 91.9FM
Morning Glory with Michael Marotta / Indie617
On The Town with Mikey D / WMFO 91.5FM
The Matthew Reid Show / MIX 104.1FM
Music Podcast of the Year (New Award for 2019)
Above the Basement – Boston Music and Conversation
All Your Things Are Gone
Beat Club Podcast
Boston Sucks
Boston Venue: The Channel Story
First Year Project
Hood Grown Aesthetic
It’sLitBoston
Stuck On Stuff
Talk About The Passion
617 Sessions Artist of the Year
Rex Mac – What It Look Like
The Water Cycle – Cooper Union
Hayley Sabella – Trail of Crumbs
VQnC – Inside Out
Hawthorn – Appalachia
Brandie Blaze – Model
House of Harm – Control
Seefour – Keep Your Head Up
TiDES – Deceit
CD Rose – Drake
