After five years of electronic music artists, events and venues edging their way into the mainstream spotlight, the electronic music community can finally boast an awards show of their own. The annual Electronic Music Awards & Foundation will debut on April 23rd and will be broadcasted exclusively on FOX.
Unlike DJ-specific competitions like Tiësto and 7up’s Your Shot USA or Red Bull Thre3style, Electronic Music Awards & Foundation (EMAF) will select winners of categories such as “Best Club of the Year,” “Festival of the Year,” and “Radio show of the year.” Among the artists to place in the more artist-relevant categories are Jauz and Kygo in “Best New Artist” and Disclosure’s Caracal in “Album of the Year.”
While no official statements make any mention of relationships which could lead to the EMAF organizers’ potential bias, subtle clues point to Insomniac Events tastemakers playing a substantial role in the selection process – such as Jason Bentley’s L.A.-based radio show being nominated alongside more globally recognized brands like Diplo and Friends. Until the awards ceremony itself takes place, though, it will be hard to determine how heavily such bias weighs on the final decisions.
No additional information regarding the exact time or place of the inaugural edition of the Electronic Music Awards & Foundation has been revealed, but as festival season approachesm the awards ceremony’s organizers are sure to make it available to the general public.
In the meantime, the categories and nominees are as follows:
Single of the Year
Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep is Your Love
The Chainsmokers – Roses (feat. ROZES)
Galantis – Runaway (U & I)
Kygo – Stole the Show (feat. Parson James)
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On (feat. MØ)
Album of the Year Â
Alina Baraz & Galimatias – Urban Flora
Calvin Harris – Motion
Disclosure – Caracal
Galantis – Pharmacy
Jamie xx – In Colour
Radio Show of the Year
BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix
BPM with Geronimo – Sirius XM
Danny Howard – BBC Radio 1’s Dance Anthems
Diplo and Friends – BBC Radio 1Xtra
Jason Bentley – Morning Becomes Eclectic – KCRW
Festival of the Year
Creamfields – Daresbury, England
Electric Daisy Carnival – Las Vegas, USA
Sonar – Barcelona, Spain
The BPM Festival – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Ultra Music Festival – Miami, USA
DJ of the Year
Carl Cox
Diplo
Dixon
DJ Harvey
Skrillex
Best New Artist
Bob Moses
DJ Snake
Jauz
KSHMR
Kygo
Best Club of the Year
Amnesia
Fabric
Omnia
Sound LA
Zouk