NZ Music Month begins (+prize pack)
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NZ Music Month begins with NZ artists holding the top two spots on the NZ Music Chart. Shihad's Beautiful Machine sits at number one and Flight Of The Conchords' self-titled debut is number two. The albumn, by Wellingtonians Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, has also opened at number three on the US Billboard pop chart.
New Zealand Music Month 2008 was launched on May 1 by Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Judith Tizard. The launch, organised by the New Zealand Music Commission, was held at Cuba Mall's the Matterhorn and featured a live performance by Chris Knox.
There have been 450 gigs confirmed for Music Month with 60 new titles being released either in or around May this year.
NZ Music Month begins with NZ artists holding the top two spots on the NZ Music Chart. Shihad's Beautiful Machine sits at number one and Flight Of The Conchords' self-titled debut is number two. The albumn, by Wellingtonians Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, has also opened at number three on the US Billboard pop chart.
New Zealand Music Month 2008 was launched on May 1 by Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Judith Tizard. The launch, organised by the New Zealand Music Commission, was held at Cuba Mall's the Matterhorn and featured a live performance by Chris Knox.
There have been 450 gigs confirmed for Music Month with 60 new titles being released either in or around May this year.
NZ Music Month aims to increase exposure for Kiwi musicians on television and radio, by both public and private broadcasters.
One in five albums sold last NZ Music Month was by a New Zealand artist. Sales of New Zealand music almost doubled during NZ Music Month 2007. For the past three years, a New Zealand song has been at number 1 on the radio charts for the entire month of May.
"It's hard to believe that back in 2001 only 6% of album sales for the month were by New Zealand acts. But within six years our home-grown acts now makeup around 20% of album sales," said Judith Tizard.
Following on from the success of New Zealanders embracing their own music, New Zealand is now taking music to the rest of the world. Tonight, in New York you could see Crowded House supported by Don McGlashan, Opshop in Los Angeles, Collapsing Cities or Cut Off Your Hands in London.
Gigging up and down New Zealand tonight includes artists like Surf City, The Enright House, Gray Bartlett, the Mint Chicks and White Swan, Black Swan
Check out NZ Music Month to see what's happening around New Zealand in the next 31 days. If you're tech-savvy you can grab an RSS feed or get NZ Music Month gig text alerts.
Win NZ Music Month prize pack: The Big Idea will be interviewing NZ Music Month Manager Steve Newall. If you have a question for him about this year's music month then send them in to go into the draw to win a prize pack including a NZMM bag, t-shirt, badge, stickers and CDS from Pluto - 'Sunken Water' An Emerald City 'EP' and Goldenhorse 'Reporter'.
Steve has worked at the NZ Music Commission for a number of years, this being his first at the helm of NZ Music Month.
Along the way his various roles have taken him to South by Southwest, Sydney, and live music venues around New Zealand from Auckland to Invercargill. With a multifaceted background in the music industry that includes record retail, radio, and writing for the likes of Pavement and Rip It Up, Steve continues to keep himself busy outside the office too - hosting a show on 95bFM, writing a monthly column for Real Groove magazine, DJing around Auckland, and playing in the notorious Shithawks.
Entry details
Email: The editor@thebigidea.co.nz with the subject line NZ Music Month prize pack
Include: A question, your TBI username, your full name, contact details and the concert you can attend.
Eligibility: To be eligible you must be a member of The Big Idea. You must be able to attend the show and tickets are non-transferable.
Entries: Need to be received by midnight Thursday May 8.
Winners: Will be contacted by email on May 12.
More information
The Official NZ Music Chart bitz
Image: Chris Knox and Judith Tizard at the 2008 NZ Music Month Launch on 1 May at the Matterhorn on Cuba St. Crown Copyright.
01/05/08