Judging Process & Selection

Please find our Judging Process and Selection below, as outlined in Section 8 of the AMA 2024 Terms & Conditions

Process
Entries that are eligible and have not been disqualified will proceed to the judging stage. Judging will take place
as follows:

• General Categories are judged by the ‘Judging Academy’, which consists of more than 200 representatives
  from various sectors of the music industry.
• Māori, Genre and Artisan categories are judged by specialised ‘Judging Schools’, which generally consist of
  between ten (10) and twenty (20) – but no less than five (5) representatives – from that genre or relevant music
  industry sector, as selected by Recorded Music NZ in consultation with the relevant sector.
• The General Data categories are determined by data supplied by the Official New Zealand Music Charts
  compiler.
• The Discretionary categories will judged by the AMA Discretionary Award Panel and awarded at its discretion.
• An independent scrutineer appointed by Recorded Music NZ will tabulate the votes. The scrutineer will report
  directly to Recorded Music NZ in absolute confidence.
• In respect of Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Best Group and Best Solo Artist there will be two stages of
  judging.

Selection & engagement of judges

• For AMA 2024 Recorded Music NZ is refreshing the Judging Academy and Judging Schools with a commitment
  to representation for Māori, diversity and inclusion, and appropriate representation across music industry roles
  and sectors.
• The judges who will be part of the Academy and/or the new AMA Discretionary Award Panel will be selected by
  Recorded Music NZ, from various sectors across the music industry. The judges who will be part of specialised
  Judging Schools will be selected by Recorded Music NZ in consultation with the relevant sector.
• All judges will be engaged by Recorded Music NZ and Recorded Music NZ is responsible for all communications
  relating to the awards and judging.
• In order to participate, judges must confirm their agreement to comply with these terms and conditions, including
  the Statement of Expectations, and the obligations of confidentiality as set out by Recorded Music NZ.
• Judges agree that Recorded Music NZ and its event partners, contractors and service providers (including
  voting platform Award Force) may process any personal information provided in connection with judging,
  including names, contact details and other personal information, for the purpose of judging, promoting and
  managing the Aotearoa Music Awards.
• The identity of judges will be kept confidential unless agreed otherwise. Recorded Music NZ is committed to
  improving transparency of the judging process and intends to publish demographic information that judges
  agree to provide. Any Nominator or Nominee found lobbying judges for their votes will have their entry/ies
  disqualified.