The first year of The Age EG Music Victoria Awards got into full swing last night with a function that both announce the expert-determined genre awards and revealed the nominees for the main public-voted awards.

With Melbourne Ska Orchestra, King Parrot and Kylie Auldist among those who picked up genre awards, The Drones lead the nominations with three while Adalita, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Paul Kelly, Dick Diver, Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes each scored two.

The new-look awards see the introduction of two new regional categories – for Best Act and Best Venue – while there is a $5,000 cash prize from APRA for Song Of The Year and the Best Emerging Artist will be flown to BIGSOUND for next year's conference.

Voting for the awards is now open here.

The awards will take place at Billboard The Venue Wednesday 20 November, as part of Melbourne Music Week. The awards are open to the public and tickets are on sale now for $50 plus booking fee. Renee Geyer and Michael Gudinski will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame on the night.

Winners Of The Genre Awards

Best Blues Album

Presented by Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society

Three Kings – Three Kings

Best Country Album

Presented by Addicted To Noise

Dan Waters – La Vita E'Bella

Best Soul, Funk, R'n'B and Gospel Album

Presented by PBS

Kylie Auldist – Still Life

Best Jazz Album

Presented by Dixons Creek Estate

Allan Browne Trio – Lost In The Stars

Best Hip Hop Album

Presented by Capi Sparkling

Fraksha – My Way

Best Electronic Act

Presented by Select AV

Nick Thayer

Best Heavy Album

Presented by Wifire Music

King Parrot – Bite Your Head Off

Best Indigenous Act

Presented by Songlines

Crystal Mercy

Best Global or Reggae Act

Presented by Australasian Worldwide Music Expo

Melbourne Ska Orchestra

Best Experimental/Avant-Garde Act

Presented by GI & Sanicki Lawyers

Judith Hamann

Best Folk Roots Album

Presented by White Sky

Archie Roach – Into The Bloodstream

Nominees For The The Age Music Victoria Awards

Best Album

Presented by The Age EG

Adalita – All Day Venus
Dick Diver – Calendar Days
The Drones – I See Seaweed
Big Scary – Not Art
Paul Kelly – Spring & Fall

Best Band

Presented by City of Melbourne

Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes
Dick Diver
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Saskwatch
The Drones

Best Song

Presented by APRA

Standish/Carlyon – Nono/Yoyo
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Head On/Pill
Courtney Barnett – History Eraser
Cash Savage & The Last Drinks – I'm In Love
Vance Joy – Riptide