Liverpool Music Awards 2012 – update

Liverpool is recognised as one of the world’s best music cities, and here at Liverpool Acoustic we think it’s fantastic our city is starting to take itself seriously for a change. The hosting of the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008 and the MOBO Awards in 2010 were a huge boost to the city’s image across the UK and Europe, and Liverpool’s current bid for UNESCO City of Music status just shows how much we’ve grown in confidence in recent years.

The launch of Bido Lito! magazine in 2010, and the first GIT Award earlier this year, have been a much-needed shot-in-the-arm for the local scene, and it’s great to see our local musicians being recognised and celebrated locally for the first time.

So we’re really pleased to announce that hot on the heels of the GIT Award comes the inaugural Liverpool Music Awards, which honours the heroes of the music industry in our city: not just the local musicians, but those who work (often behind the scenes) to facilitate and inspire others.

The fifteen categories are:-

1. Live music venue of the year
2. Live music night of the year
3. Artist manager/management team of the year
4. Producer/production team of the year
5. Record label of the year
6. Recording studio of the year
7. Single of the year
8. Album of the year
9. Female artist of the year
10. Male artist of the year
11. Band of the year
12. DJ of the year
13. One to watch (16 to 21)
14. Local music champion
15. Outstanding contribution to music

Nominations are open now, and close at 5.00pm on Friday 24th August 2012 (extended for a week from the original 17th August deadline). The eligibility period for the awards is between 1st August 2011 and 31st July 2012.

After the judges have finished shortlisting, the public voting will open with the winner of each category being announced at the official Liverpool Music Awards ceremony to be held in November.

The judges are Jade Wright (Liverpool Echo Music Editor), Dave Monks (BBC Radio Merseyside), Craig G Pennington (Editor and Publisher of Bido Lito! Magazine).

UPDATE July 2012: The judging panel has been expanded to include Simon Glinn (Executive Director, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall & Events), Dr Mike Jones(Programme Director, MA in Music Industry Studies, The University of Liverpool), and Mark Featherstone-Witty (Founding Principle & CEO, LIPA).

UPDATE August 2012: More additions to the judging panel include BBC Radio 2’s Janice Long, legendary radio personality Billy Butler, and local club and radio DJ Lee Butler. Final judge due to be announced on Friday 24th August.

You can find out more about the Liverpool Music Awards, including criteria for each of the categories, plus a nomination form, from the website liverpoolmusicawards.com And you can ‘like’ them on facebook and follow them on twitter too!

So who are you going to nominate for the Liverpool Music Awards 2012?