NSW’s hottest acts score nods in the first-ever NSW Music Prize
Fifteen of NSW’s most exciting acts have just been named finalists for the inaugural NSW Music Prize — Australia’s newest (and richest) music award, boasting a massive $160,000 prize pool across three categories.
Created by the Minns Labor Government and delivered by Sound NSW, the prize aims to put local talent front and centre, celebrating the state’s most impactful releases and up-and-coming artists while tackling the ongoing pressures of rising costs and global competition through streaming.
The top gong – the NSW Music Prize ($80k) – features a killer mix of names: BARKAA, RÜFÜS DU SOL, ONEFOUR, Ninajirachi, SPEED, Party Dozen, Shady Nasty, Kobie Dee, 3%, and Vv Pete & Utility.
Over in the First Nations Music Prize ($40k) category, the spotlight’s on BARKAA, 3%, Djanaba, Stiff Gins, and Ziggy Ramo, while Don West, Royel Otis, Ninajirachi, Shady Nasty, and SPEED are up for Breakthrough Artist of the Year ($40k).
With finalists chosen by a panel of artists, managers, media voices and industry leaders, the prize promises to highlight the full spectrum of NSW’s sound – from boundary-pushing club producers to rap collectives and indie darlings.
Winners will be announced November 24, 2025, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, marking a major new chapter in celebrating homegrown music.
As Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy put it, “Unless we back local musicians, the wave of algorithmically enhanced American music will continue to swamp us.”
No arguments there – and with this lineup, it’s clear NSW is more than holding its own.
