Breakthrough Artist of the Year is an Aotearoa Music Award that honours New Zealand music artists for outstanding recordings. Artists who have previously been nominated for a New Zealand Music Award (excluding Critics' Choice Prize and technical awards) or has had a previous album reach the top 20 of the Official New Zealand Music Chart are ineligible.[1] The award was first awarded in 1973 as Best New Artist.
| Year | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Shona Laing | [2] | |
| 1974 | Bunny Walters | [3] | |
| 1975 | Space Waltz | [4] | |
| 1976 | Dr Tree | [5] | |
| 1977 |
| Year | Award | Winner | Finalists | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Most Promising Male Artist | Dennis O’Brien | [6] | |
| Most Promising Female Artist | Kim Hart | |||
| Most Promising Group | Citizen Band | |||
| 1979 | Most Promising Male Artist | Jon Stevens | [7] | |
| Most Promising Female Artist | Tina Cross | |||
| Most Promising Group | Street Talk | |||
| 1980 | Most Promising Male Artist | Jon Stevens | [8] | |
| Most Promising Female Artist | ||||
| Most Promising Group | The Crocodiles | |||
| 1981 | Most Promising Male Artist | Dave McArtney |
| [9] |
| Most Promising Female Artist | Anne Dumont |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Dave McArtney | |||
| 1982 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Dave Dobbyn (DD Smash) | [10] | |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Jodi Vaughn | |||
| Most Promising Group | Dance Exponents | |||
| 1983 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Andrew McLennan (Coconut Rough) |
| [11] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Sonya Waters |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Coconut Rough |
| ||
| 1984 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Martin Phillipps (The Chills) |
| [12] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Meryl Yvonne |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | The Chills |
| ||
| 1985 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Mark Loveys (Satellite Spies) |
| [13] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Debbie Harwood |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Satellite Spies - "Destiny In Motion" |
| ||
| 1986 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Tex Pistol |
| [14] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Tania Rowles |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Ardijah |
| ||
| 1987 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Al Hunter |
| [15] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Moana |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Monga and Harwood |
| ||
| 1988 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Peter Marshall |
| [16] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Mara Finau |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Holidaymakers |
| ||
| 1989 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Paul Ubana Jones | [17] | |
| Most Promising Female Artist | Janet Roddick |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | The Front Lawn | |||
| 1990 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Guy Wishart |
| [18] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Merenia |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Strawpeople |
| ||
| 1991 | ||||
| 1992 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | David Parker (Parker Project) |
| [19] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Teremoana Rapley (Moana and the Moahunters) |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Shihad |
| ||
| 1993 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Ted Brown |
| [20] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Jan Hellriegel |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Head Like a Hole |
| ||
| 1994 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Matty J (Matty J and the Soul Syndicate) |
| [21] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Emma Paki |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Urban Disturbance |
| ||
| 1995 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Brent Milligan (Pumpkinhead) |
| [22] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Sulata Foai |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Sisters Underground | |||
| 1996 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Pauly Fuemana (OMC) |
| [23] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Bic Runga |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | OMC |
| ||
| 1997 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Daniel Haimona (Dam Native) |
| [24] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Lole Usoalii |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Dam Native |
| ||
| 1998 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Darcy Clay |
| [25] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Alesha Siosiua (Moizna) |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Moizna | |||
| 1999 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Andrew Tilby (Breathe) | [26] | |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Boh Runga (Stellar) |
| ||
| Most Promising Group | Stellar | |||
| 2000 | Most Promising Male Vocalist | Aaron Tokona (Weta) |
| [27] |
| Most Promising Female Vocalist | Vanessa Kelly (Deep Obsession) | |||
| Most Promising Group | Weta |
| ||
| Year | Winner | Album | Other finalists | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Betchadupa |
| [28] | ||
| 2002 | Goodshirt | Good |
| [29] |
| Year | Winner | Album | Other finalists | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Datsuns | The Datsuns | [30] | ||
| 2004 | Brooke Fraser | What to Do with Daylight | [31] | ||
| 2005 | The Checks | "What You Heard" | [32] | ||
| 2006 | Bleeders | As Sweet as Sin | [33] | ||
| 2007 | Hollie Smith | Long Player | [34] | ||
| 2008 | Flight of the Conchords | Flight of the Conchords |
| [35] | |
| 2009 | Ladyhawke | Ladyhawke | [36] | ||
| 2010 | Holy Smoke |
| [37] | ||
| 2011 | Passive Me, Aggressive You | [38] | |||
| 2012 | Kimbra | Vows | [39] | ||
| 2013 | Lorde | The Love Club EP | [40] | ||
| 2014 | Broods | Broods |
| [41] | |
| 2015 | Marlon Williams | Marlon Williams | [42] | ||
| 2016 | Kings | "Don't Worry Bout It" |
| [43] | |
| 2017 |
| [44] |