Artist of the Year

Recognizing an artist whose eligibility year releases acheived a breakthrough in widespread attention and reception, and notably impacted the local music community landscape. Artists must have released, at minimum, two tracks prior to or during the eligibility period.

Previous winners include Haley Johnsen (2024),

Album of the Year

Albums entered for consideration in this category should represent the best overall achievement by the performer(s), producer(s), engineer(s)and songwriter(s). Consideration should be made to these elements, as well as composition and musicianship.

Previous winners include “Your Mom’s Gonna Love Us'“ by Sweet N Juicy (2024),

Song of the Year

Recordings entered for consideration in this category should represent the best overall achievement. Primary elements for consideration are performance, songwriting, composition, arrangement, production, and musicianship.

Previous winners include “Hear Me Out'“ by The UpKeeps (2024),

Best Lyricism

This category recognizes excellence of a song’s lyrical content. Consideration should include cadence, creativity, and general eloquence of a recording’s lyrics, independent from the performance, production, or instrumentation.

Previous winners include “Love Me To The Bone” by Camille Tredoux (2024),

Best Instrumentation

This category recognizes excellence of instrumental work in a song. Omitting consideration for vocal performance or lyrical content, consideration should include composition and musical instrument performance.

Previous winners include “Haystack” by Staring at the Ceiling (2024),

Best Production

This category recognizes excellence of the production, mixing, and mastering of a song. Consideration should include sound design, audio quality and clarity, and overall sound of a recording independent from the performance, songwriting, or composition of it.

Previous winners include “Try (Live Version'“ by Hiroki with RainEzra (2024),

Best Album

(Genre Specific)

Folk or Americana; Indie or Alternative; Jazz, Soul, or R&B; Pop, Synth, or COntemporary; Punk; Rap or Hip Hop; Rock and Metal

This category recognizes excellence of a complete body of work in an artist’s respective genre. This award celebrates all contributions to an album’s creation. Consideration should include performance, production and engineering, songwriting, composition and arrangement, and the album as its own body of work, independent from the artist’s previous work.

Best Song

(Genre Specific)

Folk or Americana; Indie or Alternative; Jazz, Soul, or R&B; Pop, Synth, or COntemporary; Punk; Rap or Hip Hop; Rock and Metal

This category recognizes excellence of a singular song in an artist’s respective genre. This award celebrates all contributions to a song’s creation. Consideration should include performance, production and engineering, songwriting, composition and arrangement, and the song as it’s own piece of work, independent from the artist’s previous work.

Best Music Video

This category recognizes exceptional work in a digital video accompaniment to a track or single by an artist and director in Oregon or Washington. Consideration should include quality of camera work, quality of editing work, overall conceptual creativity, and relevancy to music.

Best Live Music Venue

This category recognizes an exceptional live music venue in Oregon or Washington. Consideration should include perspectives from both performers and audience members, with special consideration made to the venue’s overall support of local music.

Best Local Radio Station

This category recognizes an exceptional radio station located and/or headquartered in Oregon or Washington. Consideration should include quality of programming, community involvement, programming variety, and overall support of local music by providing airtime to local songs.

Fan Favorite Awards

Best local artist, Best Live Show Photo, Best Release Cover Art, and Best Show Flier

This category will be Nominated by the Voting Panel, but final Winners will be determined by public online vote by the artists’ fans. Photographers, digital artists, or other contributors to the work nominated will also be honored.