Qld Music Awards Announce 2016 Judges

26 November 2015 | 11:00 am | Staff Writer

Entries close midnight Sunday 6 December

Aspiring songwriters entering the annual Queensland Music Awards will have their work heard by some of the state's most influential and discerning ears, with the 2016 judges' panel being revealed today and boasting identities from across the entire industry spectrum.

Media personalities, managers, A&R reps, label directors and publishers alike will join forces to adjudicate next year's QMAs, with the group including not only international boffins Adam Lewis (The Planetary Group) and Isabel Pappani (Undercover Tracks) but a ream of well-known music-loving Queenslanders such as Evan Alexander (Heapsaflash), Graham Ashton (Footstomp Music), ex-The Music Brisbane editor Steve Bell (now of Sonic Sherpa record store, open this weekend!), Julia Bridger (Bleach* Festival), Gareth Bryant (Scenestr), Dan Condon (Double J), Sam Cook (KISSmyBLAKarts), Quentin Ellison (4ZZZ), Sarah Howells (triple j), Noel Mengel (The Courier-Mail) and Andrew Tuttle (APRA AMCOS), in addition to an esteemed cabal of interstate visitors (including some ex-locals).

The announcement of the judges comes in the wake of the awards' announcement of a new set of cash prizes for emerging songwriters, sponsored by Bank Of Queensland, including Most Promising Male Songwriter ($1000), Most Promising Female Songwriter ($1000) and Most Promising Songwriting Team ($2000), which will be open for public voting in February — full conditions are available at the QMAs' website.

The wider categories include Music Video, Pop, Rock, Blues/Roots, Country, Urban, Folk/Singer-Songwriter, World, Jazz, Electronic/Dance, Heavy, Schools (Grade 6-12) and Children's Music, with entries closing for all categories at midnight on Sunday 13 December.

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The 2016 Queensland Music Awards, an initiative of QMusic and supported by APRA AMCOS, will be held at the Brisbane Powerhouse on Monday 21 March. Tickets will be available to the general public early next year.

For more information about next year's awards or to learn more about previous years' events, see the QMAs' website.

2016 qma judges

Adam Lewis – The Planetary Group (USA)
Isabel Pappani – Undercover Tracks (USA)
Evan Alexander – Heapsaflash (QLD)
Graham Ashton – Footstomp Music (QLD)
Steve Bell – TheMusic (QLD)
Dan Biddle – Dan Biddle Artist Management (NSW)
Lars Brandle – Billboard (QLD)
Julia Bridger – Bleach* Festival (QLD)
Sally Browne – The Sunday Mail (QLD)
Gareth Bryant – Scenestr (QLD)
Roxy Burt – Cheated Hearts (QLD)
David Cashman – Central QLD University (QLD)
Rick Chazan – Ground Control Music (QLD)
Chris Cobcroft – 4ZZZ (QLD)
Maggie Collins – Fans Creative Management (NSW)
Dan Condon – Double J (QLD)
Sam Cook – KISSmyBLAKarts (QLD)
Joey Curtis - Lady Lex | Music Journalist (QLD)
Glenn Dickie – SOUNDS AUSTRALIA (NSW)
Lucy Dayman – Tonedeaf (VIC)
Quentin Ellison – 4ZZZ (QLD)
Samuel J Fell – Rhythms Magazine (NSW)
Rick Heritage – 4EB (QLD)
Sarah Howells – triple j (QLD)
Tom Inglis – HSF Artist Services (SA)
Lynette Irwin – Jazz Queensland (QLD)
DJ Katch – Resin Dogs / Hydrofunk Records (QLD)
Sky Kirkham – 4ZZZ (QLD)
Shannon Kennedy – MC Ozi Batla | Elefant Traks (NSW)
Tyson Koh – Rage ABC (NSW)
Conrad Lloyd – Universal Music Australia (NSW)
Knox Lovell – 4ZZZ (QLD)
Tyler McLoughlan – The Sound Pound (QLD)
Noel Mengel – The Courier-Mail (QLD)
Dominic Miller – Bluebeard Music (QLD)
Samantha Morris – Blank GC (QLD)
John Mullen – Dew Process (QLD)
Emily Murphy – Artist Manager | Freelance Producer (QLD)
Tim Pellegrino – The Feels Agency (QLD)
Jo Pratt – BEMAC (QLD)
Ben Preece – Mucho Bravado (QLD)
Tim Price – Pricewar Music | Collision Course (QLD)
Lou Ridsdale – Lance Rock Publicity (VIC)
Mark Smith – Music NT (NT)
Deb Suckling – SugarRush Music (QLD)
Andrew Stafford – Independent writer (QLD)
Josh Taylor – Cassette Entertainment (QLD)
Innez Tulloch – Browning Street Studios (QLD)
Andrew Tuttle – APRA AMCOS (QLD)
Lochlan Watt – triple j (VIC)
Stu Watters – MorphTV | Nightlife Music (QLD)
Rebecca Young – WME (NSW)