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Before the Taite Music Prize shortlist drops next week, Max Johns listens to whatever the New Zealand music industry has to throw at him. Again.<\/span><\/p>\n Read reviews of all 81 albums nominated for the 2025 award here.<\/span><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Pity the people who run the annual Taite Music Prize. It\u2019s nerve-racking enough for Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) that the prize honours Dylan Taite (1937-2003), a music journalist with unimprovable taste and an undeniable ability to always be noticed. On top of that, they need to find a winning album based on originality, artistic merit, creativity and excellence. You can\u2019t just scan the music charts or chuck on a What\u2019s Hot playlist.<\/span><\/p>\n So, how to unearth the successor to <\/span>current holder Mokotron<\/span><\/a> (for his subwoofer-shaking onslaught of deep M\u0101ori bass, WAEREA) or <\/span>2024\u2019s Vera Ellen<\/span><\/a> (Ideal Home Music, a fragile and personal wonder)? At stake is a $12,500 cash prize, a hefty T-shaped trophy, and one of the most treasured titles in our little country\u2019s entertainment industry.<\/span><\/p>\n Luckily IMNZ have designed a very clever system that ensures underground obscurities have as much chance as smash hit platinum records. The secret? It\u2019s an absolute free-for-all.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Any of IMNZ\u2019s 1,000+ members, or anyone who stumps up a hundred bucks, can nominate any 2025 album they like, even their own. It\u2019s got to be local enough, long enough (6 tracks, 20 minutes), and 75% new songs. That\u2019s it. The whole lot then goes a massive vote of around 1,200 musicians and industry types. This year there are 83 hopefuls.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019ll get a little more formal next Tuesday when a ten-album shortlist goes in front of a secret, elite judging panel.<\/span><\/p>\n For a particular type of local music enthusiast, the longlist is an annual Aoraki of listening. It contains enough newish local music to fill seven work days, or one absolute bender of a long weekend. You know there\u2019ll be some blindingly good shit, some deafening dross, and everything in between. You know it\u2019ll sound like us.<\/span><\/p>\n So, let\u2019s start climbing.<\/span><\/p>\n