2020 SAM Award Nominees & Event Details Unveiled

The annual SAM Awards are just around the corner and today sees the nominees and event details revealed. 

The South Australian Music Awards will once again take place in Adelaide, this year moving to University of Adelaide’s Cloisters and Lawns alongside the UNIBar due to COVID-Safe practices, on 3 November. 

Among this year's nominees are acts like Jess Day, TOWNS, Stellie, EAST AV3, J-Milla, Siberian Tiger and more. See the full list of nominees below. 

“The music industry has suffered more than most this year, and I’m very pleased we’ll be able to get together safely to acknowledge South Australia’s incredibly talented musicians,” said Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni.

"In such an uncertain environment, we weren’t sure if we would be able to hold an event this year. I’m thrilled that we can catch up in person for a COVID-safe SAM Awards," said Music SA general manager Kim Roberts.

"While the eligibility stretches back to last August, it’s lovely to be able to acknowledge great music, events and achievements during such a rough year. To highlight the resilience within our community and celebrate a wider variety of industry roles, we’ve also included some new awards, including Best Innovation, Best Live Technician and Best Educator.

"It’s such a diverse spread of talent – I don’t envy the judging panel and the public voting on such excellent nominees."

Tickets for the event are on sale now, head here for all the info. 

2020 South Australian Music Awards Nominees

INDUSTRY VOTED AWARDS

BEST STUDIO (Presented by Adelaide Music Collective) 

Adelaide Recording Studios
Ghostnote
Island Recording Studios
Spare Second Studio
Stone Shed Studio
Wundenbergs Recording and Rehearsal Studio
 

BEST STUDIO ENGINEER (Presented by SAE Institute Adelaide)

Chris Panousakis
Kiah Gossner
Jimmy Balderston
Lewis Wundenberg
Mario Spate

BEST LIVE TECHNICIAN (Presented by Novatech)

Lisa Lane-Collins
Luke Hancock
Noni Espinosa
Patrick Lockwood
Peter Wing

BEST MAJOR FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by Pirate Life) 

Day of Clarity
Porchland
St Jerome’s Laneway Festival - Adelaide
Thebartonia

BEST SMALL FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by UniBar Adelaide)

Field Good Festival
Freefall Festival
PAK: Live at Wundenbergs
Stonecutters
The Porch Sessions

BEST VENUE (Presented by AHA - SA Branch)

Crown and Anchor Hotel
Grace Emily Hotel
Jive
Lion Arts Factory
The Wheatsheaf Hotel

BEST COVER ART (Presented by Version Design)

Dave Court (DyspOra)- AUSTRALIEN
Jack Fenby (Cat Lucky) - Pressure (Everybody Wants To Know You)
Jack Fenby (The Empty Threats) - $2
Julie Thornberg-Thorsoe (Kaurna Cronin) - Glitter or Dust
Todd Fischer (Lost Woods) - Shaping Distant Memories

BEST MANAGER (Presented by Association of Artist Managers)

Alex Karatassa
Diana Sautelle
Matthew Khabbaz
Planet shhh!
Sue Germein

BEST MUSIC VIDEO (Presented by Channel 44)

Bottleneck Studios (Uomo) - All I Hear
EAST AV3 - Le Labo
Harry Nelli (Venice Queens) - Punchdrunk
Lonelyspeck - My Angel Goes Before Me
Motez, Pilot Studio, Mapped Design, Daggers Production, Kelsee Pedler (Motez) - Soulitude

BEST SONG (Presented by APRA AMCOS)
EAST AV3 - Le Labo
Stellie - How Do We Look So Good?
Jess Day - Affection
St Jacques - In Faith
Naomi Keyte - Travelling Woman

BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by WOMADelaide)

Cat Lucky
EAST AV3
SEABASS
Siberian Tiger
Slowmango

BEST GROUP (Presented by Derringers Music)

EAST AV3
Slowmango
SEABASS
TOWNS
Venice Queens
Wing Defence

BEST ABORIGINAL/TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ARTIST (Presented by Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music - CASM) 

J-Milla
Jessica Wishart
Nathan May
Sonz of Serpents
Tunu

BEST SOLO ARTIST (Presented by Adelaide Festival Centre) 

Jess Day
Kaurna Cronin
Lonelyspeck
Motez
Ollie English
Stellie

BEST RELEASE (Presented by themusic.com.au)

EAST AV3 - Rugrats
Lonelyspeck - Abyssal Body
Motez - Soulitude
Ollie English - Reality of Love
Wing Defence - Friends

BEST MUSIC EDUCATOR (Presented by SAMII) 

Grayson Rotumah
Kultar Ahluwalia
James Alberts
Naomi Keyte
Nick O’Connor

BEST INNOVATION (Presented by CityMag)

Mosaic Audio Visual
Play/Pause/Play
Space Jams
Sunny Side Uploads
Thursday Night Knock Offs – Sparkke at the Whitmore
WheatyLIVE

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS FINALISTS 

BLUES & ROOTS (Presented by Radio Adelaide) 

JimmyBay
Lucky Seven
Ollie English
Rat Tamango
The Streamliners

COUNTRY (Presented by Grace Emily Hotel) 

Cassidy Rae Gaiter
Cookie Baker
Jessica Wishart
Matt Ward
Nathan May

ELECTRONIC (Presented by Moshtix)

Hartway
Jethro
Lonelyspeck
Motez
Zac Eichner 

EXPERIMENTAL (Presented by Ancient World) 

Heinous Crimes
Slowmango
SODA
Sons of Zoku
The Empty Threats

FOLK (Presented by The Wheatsheaf Hotel) 

Katie Pomery
Loren Kate
Naomi Keyte
Siberian Tiger
Tom West

HEAVY (Presented by Enigma)

Alt.
Dirty Pagans
Hidden Intent
NO NO NO NO NO
Terminal Zero 

HIP HOP (Presented by The Gov)

DyspOra
East AV3
Laitisi Diesa
Outside Lines
We Move Like Giants

JAZZ (Presented by Elder Conservatorium)

Alex Taylor
Django Rowe
Er@ser Description
Nick Pennington & Angus Mason
The Boys Club

POP (Presented by Jive)

Ashton Fraser
Germein
Jess Day
MANE
The Montreals

PUNK (Presented by Three D Radio)

Bitchspawn
Chelsea Manor
Collateral Damage
The Lizards
Wing Defence

ROCK (Presented by Crown and Anchor) 

Horror My Friend
Oscar the Wild
SEABASS
TOWNS
Venice Queens

SOUL/FUNK/R&B (Presented by Woodville Town Hall) 

Elsy Wameyo
Isaac Thomas
Legs of Ivar
Leni
Wanderers