Launched in 2015 by the team behind the Gold Coast’s own award-winning independent media platform, Blank Street Press, the Gold Coast Music Awards have grown into a recognisable, stand-alone brand representing Gold Coast music to a national audience.
The event has sold-out every year since launch and with 2020 bringing COVID-19, the awards made a quick pivot to a digital format, which has enjoyed over 29,000 views. From humble beginnings, the awards have grown from being hosted in an empty warehouse in Burleigh’s industrial precinct, to see organisers close the main street of Surfers Paradise, build a festival sized stage at the end of Cavill Mall and celebrate the successes of local musicians with a ticketed awards ceremony in a marquee on the beach as well as a mini-festival of the city’s best talent. 11,000 people attended in the year that Amy Shark headlined (2017) and other years saw up to 8,000 people come along for the free live music.
The Gold Coast Music Awards are also much more than just a kick-ass event. The Awards are the home of Gold Coast music and the culmination of an annual program of activities developed to build a thriving and resilient, live, original music scene on the Gold Coast.
At the heart of the Gold Coast Music Awards is recognition of the value of artists, and the ecosystem that supports them, and the important contribution they make to our society and our own quality of life.
PAST EVENTS
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
PAST WINNERS
2023 Winners & Finalists
Budjerah ARTIST OF THE YEAR Beckah Amani Budjerah Busby Marou Chutney Girl and Girl Mass Sky Raid Natalie Pearson Saint Lane Wildheart Girl and Girl BREAKOUT ARTIST OF THE YEAR Chutney ECB Emmagen Rain Friends of Friends Girl and Girl Hinterland...
2022 Winners & Finalists
Casey Barnes Artist _____ Buttered Breakout _____ Girl and Girl Gold Coast Music Prize _____ Gimmy Flowens Video _____ Lily Grace People's Choice _____ Tijuana Cartel Live Act _____ Sofia Isella Musician _____ Wildheart...
2021 Winners & Finalists
Casey Barnes Artist ______ Jesswar Breakout _____ Selve Gold Coast Music Prize _____ Bekah Amani - Standards Song _____ Bekah Amani - Standards Video _____ Peach Fur Live Act _____ Scott French Musician _____...
2020 Winners & Finalists
Casey Barnes Artist Finalists Bombs Away Busby Marou Casey Barnes Hollow Coves Hussy Hicks San Mei _____ Eliza and the Delusionals Breakout Artist Finalists Eliza and the Delusionals IVEY Peach Fur Highly Commended: Doolie _____ Tijuana...
2019 Winners & Finalists
Amy Shark Artist Finalists Amy Shark Brooklyn Casey Barnes Hussy Hicks San Mei _____ San Mei Breakout Artist Finalists Chloe Styler Elska Mass Sky Raid Radolescent ROMII San Mei _____ Amy Shark Live Act Finalists Amy Shark Casey...
2018 Winners & Finalists
Hussy Hicks ‘On The Boundaries’ Album Finalists Hollow Coves – Wanderlust Hussy Hicks – On The Boundaries In Ashes – Breathe Hope Jase Lansky – Rip It Up Mekong Merchants – Ocean Tone Reichelt – Seduced by the Light Side Wayward Suns – Paradigm _____ Amy...
2017 Winners & Finalists
Amy Shark ‘Adore’ Song Finalists Amy Shark – Adore Athena Joy – Blue CC The Cat – Free Your Mind Chelsea Rockwells – Stone Electrik Lemonade – We Know This Eliza and the Delusionals – Salt Hussy Hicks – Whole Lotta Jacob Lee – I Just Know Tesla Coils – Eyes The...
2016 Winners & Finalists
Ella Fence ‘Unknown Water’ Song Finalists Golden Fleece by Amy Shark Unknown Water by Ella Fence Jelly by Jesswar Houndogs & Bullfrogs by Leopold’s Treat That Old Heartache by Hussy Hicks _____ Ella Fence + Double Deuce ‘Unknown Water’ Video ...
2015 Winners & Finalists
Hanlon Brothers Emerging Artist Finalists Bree de Rome Felicity Lawless Hanlon Brothers Jimmy the Saint and the Sinners Katie Who Lane Harry x Ike Campbell ______ Buskers by the Creek Event Finalists Buskers by the Creek Gold Coast Folk Festival...