- 1814 – Reggae – The band was formed in 2004 by Patu Colbert and his sons Shaun and Jimmy. The name of the band was taken from the year that missionary Samuel Marsden held the first sermon on the shores of Horeke in the Bay of Islands. The band is made-up of eight people and their lead singer is Darren Katene. 1814 have released three albums and often play at festivals across New Zealand.
- Anika Moa – Pop – Moa has been making music since 1999, and has made five albums. In 2013, she also released an album for children titled songs for bubbas. In 2017 Anika also hosted her own TV talk show on Maori television called All Talk with Anika Moa. Moa has won multiple New Zealand Music Awards, including ‘Top Female Vocalist’, ‘Best Female Artist’ and ‘Songwriter of the Year’.
- Ardijah – Funk & R&B – Formed in 1979, the band have been playing and releasing albums since the early Eighties. They call their music ‘PolyFonk’, their version of ‘Polynesian funk’ and created an independent label “PolyFonk Productions”. The seven current members are the remainder of 32 past band members. Their last album was released in 2010. Their most famous songs are Silly Love Songs and Do 2 You, which were in the top 10 of the NZ charts in 1999. Their 1999 album Time also went platinum in NZ (over 15,000 albums sold/streamed).
- The Black Seeds – Roots/Reggae – Formed in 1998, the reggae group have six current members, with former member Bret McKenzie moving to international award-winning comedy duo Flight of the Conchords. The Seeds have released six albums, a live album and two remix albums. Their latest album Fabric was released in 2017. Their albums Dust and Dirt and Into the Dirt were both certified platinum and their songs Cool Me Down, So True and One by One are all favourites.
- Brooke Fraser – Pop – Fraser, born in Wellington, but based in LA since 2009, has released four solo albums, and she has been performing since 2002. Her biggest hit was 2010’s Something in the Water and she won a Grammy as songwriter and lead vocalist on Christian group Hillsong Worship’s song What a Beautiful Name. Brooke has also won multiple awards at both the NZ Music Awards and Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) Silver Scroll awards. After moving to Sydney in 2004 she met and married her husband in 2008 and changed her name to Brooke Ligertwood. Brooke Fraser has remained her stage name for her personal music career. She also has two daughters.
- Broods – Indie/Pop – The brother-sister duo from Nelson rose to prominence with their first single Bridges, which went to No. 8 on the New Zealand single chart. They have released two full albums – Evergreen and Conscious and performed alongside International acts Ellie Goulding, Haim and Sam Smith. In 2017, they toured Europe with Tove Lo.
- Dave Dobbyn – Pop/Rock – A true Kiwi music legend, he began as a member of DD Smash (1975-80) and rock group Th’Dudes (1980-86). He has since had a lengthy solo career with hits such as Slice of Heaven, Loyal, Language and Welcome Home being Kiwi staples. Since 1986 he has performed solo, releasing nine albums in that time. He has won countless NZ music awards and has ten songs on the top 100 Kiwi songs list.
- Don McGlashan – Pop/Rock – Another experienced Kiwi musician (composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist) who has been part of numerous Kiwi groups including Blam Blam Blam (1981-84), The Front Lawn (1985-90) and The Mutton Birds (1991-2002). In 2003 McGlashan decided to pursue a solo career, releasing three albums. He is notable because he always includes New Zealand imagery and vernacular in his songs. His notable songs include Dominion Road and Anchor Me (with the Mutton Birds), There is No Depression in New Zealand (with Blam Blam Blam) and Andy (with The Front Lawn).
- The Exponents/Dance Exponents – Pop/Rock – Coming together in 1981 and reforming throughout the years, the Jordan Luck lead band have produced major hits including; Why Does Love Do This to Me, Victoria and I’ll Say Goodbye (Even Though I’m Blue). Together they released 12 albums from 1983 to 2013 and four of the albums were certified platinum and two gold (7,500 sales/streams).
- Fat Freddy’s Drop – Dub & Jazz – This seven-piece band, who have been active since 1999, have been winning fans worldwide with their unique improvisation, jamming live performances and solid albums. With four studio albums and three live albums, Fat Freddy’s music is true to their New Zealand roots. Their most popular songs include Wandering Eye, The Camel, Pull the Catch, Clean the House and Slings and Arrows. All four of the albums peaked at number 1 on the NZ charts and went platinum in New Zealand. Their 2nd, 3rd and 4th albums also appeared on the Australian and French charts.
- Katchafire – Roots Reggae – Originally a Bob Marley tribute band from Hamilton, the group has since released five albums. Each of their albums peaked in the top ten of the NZ charts. Their hits include Giddy Up, Who You With and Colour Me Life – all of these off of their 2002 album Revival. The eight members of Katchafire have toured around the world and have played on the same bill as The Wailers, UB40, Shaggy, Lauryn Hill and The Marleys.
- Kora – Reggae/Dub – The five-piece group was formed by four brothers with the last name Kora. Their debut EP Volume had the two hit songs Politician and Burning on it. They have released two albums – Kora and Light Years. Their first album went platinum in NZ.
- Lorde – Pop (art pop, dream pop) – After releasing her Love Club Ep in 2012 at the age of sixteen and finding fame with her debut single Royals, Lorde (Ella Yelich-O’Connor) has never looked back. She has released two albums, the first Pure Heroine won her two Grammy’s and her second album Melodrama was released to critical acclaim. Lorde has also toured internationally but courted controversy in December 2017 after cancelling her June concert in Israel.
- The Mockers – Pop – Yet another Wellington band, The Mockers were formed by Andrew Fagan in 1979. Fagan was the only ever-present in the band in its run from 1979 to 1988. Their greatest hit was the insanely popular Forever Tuesday Morning. And their other song to make the NZ top 10 chart was One Black Friday. They have released six albums and a live album was released in 2018 for their 30-year reunion concert. Three of their albums have made the top 10.
- Neil Finn – Pop Rock – He’s been around since 1976 and was the frontman for both Crowded House and Split Enz – popular bands in Australia and New Zealand. As well as reforming Crowded House, Finn has released eight albums. His hit songs include Can You Hear Us, Don’t Dream Its Over (with Crowded House) and I Got You (with Split Enz). His albums Try Whistling This and One Nil were popular in NZ, Aus, UK and the US.
- The Naked and Famous – Indie Electronic – There has been four albums, plenty of awards and huge hype for this five-piece band from Auckland, ever since they formed back in 2007. Since 2012 the band have been based in Los Angeles. Their most famous songs are Punching in a Dream and Young Blood – which proved to be a worldwide hit.
- Salmonella Dub – Dub – The Christchurch-based band began in 1992. They have been called the pioneers of the unique Pacific style of dub, drum ‘n’ bass, reggae and hip-hop that influenced such bands as Cornerstone Roots. They have released 11 albums with Inside the Dub Plates and One Drop East both peaking at Number One on the New Zealand charts. Their most famous songs are For the Love of It, Love Your Ways and Dancehall Girl.
- Shapeshifter – Drum and Bass – From 1999 to the present day, Shapeshifter have been New Zealand’s go-to DnB act. From their nine albums, their 2009 effort The System is a Vampire and their 2013 album Delta both went to number one on the NZ charts. Three of their albums were NZ: Platinum and their big hits include Tapestry, Electric Dream, Dutchies, Monarch and In Colour.
- Six60 – Soul – New Zealand loves the five-piece band named after their Dunedin Castle Street flat. Their top 10 hits in their home country include: Rise Up 2.0, Don’t Forget Your Roots, Only To Be, Forever, Special, White Lines, Waterfalls, Home, Finest Wine and Don’t Give it Up. And these hits come from just two self-titled albums, which have both gone platinum.
- Trinity Roots – Soul/Reggae – With just three albums (and one live album) over twenty years of existence as a band, Trinity Roots have produced some iconic Kiwi listening. Their popular songs are Little Things, Home Land and Sea and Aotearoa. They were formed in 1998 and broke-up in 2005, before getting back together in 2011. Their albums True and Home, Land and Sea are both Platinum in NZ.
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