Ladies and germs, start your arguing — the 2025 Boston Music Awards ballot is here. The BMAs dropped its annual list of nominees this afternoon (October 17), with 10 noms in each of the 51 categories, making it perhaps the largest in its decades-long history.
Leading the charge with five nominees each are folk-pop singer-songwriter Bebe Stockwell; eclectic retro-pop act Couch; and Celtic punk mainstays Dropkick Murphys, all of which earned Artist of the Year nominations.
Here on our home court, Vanyaland was once again nominated for Music Publication of the Year, for the 13th time in our 13-year existence, with Editor-in-Chief Michael O’Connor Marotta and Music Editor, Boston Victoria Wasylak earning nods in the Music Journalist of the Year category.
Public voting in the 2025 BMAs is live until November 17, and the annual party at Big Night Live in North Station goes down December 17. Check out the full ballot below.
Artist of the Year
Bebe Stockwell
BIA
Couch
Dropkick Murphys
Ezra Furman
Joyner Lucas
Lily Fitts
Millyz
Tiny Habits
Token
New Artist of the Year
Ava Valianti
Brady Dallas Jones
Chainlacing
Haywire
ISHA!
Ivy Boy
Jo Saza
Megan From Work
PINKLIDS
The Far Out
Album/EP of the Year (1 million+ streams)
Bebe Stockwell, Driving Backwards
Dropkick Murphys, For the People
Ezra Furman, Goodbye Small Head
Haywire, SHIRTS VS SKINS
Joyner Lucas, ADHD 2
Lily Fitts, Getting By
Millyz, Blanco 7
Clark D, UNDERDOG MUSIC
Rich Amiri, War Ready
Token, I’m Not Supposed to Be Here
Album/EP of the Year
Bermuda Search Party, Fools on Parade
Bus Crush, Sports & Leisure
EXITFAME, Last Shall Be First
Justin Clancy, No Blondes in Heaven
Lady Pills, Renowned in the Roaring Twenties
Mallcops, Vacationland
Megan From Work, Girl Suit
The Far Out, Greetings from The Far Out
The Ghouls, Handle With Care
Twisted Pine, Love Your Mind
Song of the Year (1 million+ streams)
Bebe Stockwell, Minor Inconveniences”
BIA, “We on Go”
Couch, “What Were You Thinking”
Dear Maryanne, “This Is Going Well”
Dropkick Murphys, “Who’ll Stand With Us”
Lily Fitts, “Troubled Water”
Tiny Habits, “For Sale Sign” ft. Lizzy McAlpine
Millyz, “By My Lonely” ft. Jadakiss & DJ Drama
Ripe, “Friend in the Dark”
Token, “What Does Your Love Look Like” ft. Ren
Song of the Year
Bus Crush, “Sour Blue”
CASO, “FREAKNIK”
Clark D & kei, “DOGSH–”
Copilot, “Let Me Down”
Crippling Alcoholism, “bedrot”
Hallelujah the Hills, “Rebuilding Years (4 of Diamonds)” ft. Ezra Furman
Justin Clancy, “Holy”
Padma, “Bending Backwards”
Senseless Optimism, “War & Peace”
The Ghouls, “Lovestruck”
Video of the Year
Bermuda Search Party, “Olivia”
Chelley Marie, “CRITICS”
Coral Moons, “Made Up My Mind”
Debo Ray, “Money”
DeevoDaGenius, “ALL ON ME” ft. FUNERAL Ant Bell, Najee Janey, Arold & Reef
Dropkick Murphys, “Who’ll Stand With Us”
KSAP, “100 Miles”
Oompa, “HO3 SH!T” ft. Connie Diiamond
Other Brother Darryl, “Watch the Trees”
Viruette, “PUNKTURED” ft. Layzi
Live Artist of the Year
Bermuda Search Party
Clairo
Couch
Dalton & the Sheriffs
Dropkick Murphys
GA-20
Haywire
Pile
The Elovaters
Tiny Habits
Afro/Caribbean Artist of the Year
Dub Apocalypse
Echezona
Flying Vipers
Jabz York
Kotoko Brass
Mighty Mystic
Naya Rockers
Odio
Roots Alley Collective
UgoBoy
Alt/Indie Artist of the Year
Bus Crush
Coral Moons
Divine Sweater
Hallelujah the Hills
House of Harm
Mallcops
slow quit
Viruette
Horse Jumper of Love
Winkler
Americana Artist of the Year
Brady Dallas Jones
Hound & Handler
Jake Swamp and The Pine
Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners
Nate Perry & Ragged Company
Other Brother Darryl
Sarah Borges
Time and Place
Twisted Pine
Ward Hayden & the Outliers
Blues Artist of the Year
Canyon Lights
Danielle Miraglia
Dennis Brennan
GA-20
Julie Rhodes
Peter Parcek
Professor Harp
Ryan Lee Crosby
Sonya Rae Taylor
Toni Lynn Washington
Country Artist of the Year
Anna Daley Young
Dalton & the Sheriffs
Evelynroze
Grace Morrison
Houston Bernard
Nate Ramos
Overserved Again
Renée Levesque
Samantha Rae
Tiberius
Dance/Electronic Artist of the Year
Amadeezy
Battlemode
Ellisar
Entangled Mind
Ex-Hyena
Freezepop
Mari Kattman
Ray Gun Hero
Rilla Force
Symbiosa
DJ of the Year
DJ Knife
DJ Papadon
DJ Real P
DJ Slick Vick
DJ WhySham
Lenore
Mez.Wav
SuperSmashBroz
Twin The Selecta
Towfu
Folk Artist of the Year
Alisa Amador
Cloudbelly
High Tea
Jesse Ahern
Lily Fitts
Mark Erelli
Naomi Westwater
Rachel Sumner
Tall Heights
Tiny Habits
Hip Hop Artist of the Year
BIA
Clark D
Cousin Stizz
EXITFAME
FELIX!
kei
Latrell James
Millyz
Nay Speaks
Token
Jazz Artist of the Year
Darren Barrett
George Garzone & The Fringe
Grace Kelly
Gregory Groover Jr.
Jared Sims
Lazlo Gardony
Savoir Faire
Pelin Su Yavuz
Terri Lyne Carrington
Tirill Jackson
Latin Artist of the Year
Carlos Odria
Elion Virtuoso
Fabiola Méndez
Lia Nicole
Manolo Mairena
Sbm
Skip2dip
Sol y Canto
Veronica Robles
Yelena Rodriguez
Metal Artist of the Year
Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean
Eight Foot Manchild
Final Gasp
Glacier
Gozu
Lesotho
Miracle Blood
Neverless.am
Revocation
Tree
Pop Artist of the Year
Bermuda Search Party
Clairo
Copilot
Couch
Justin Clancy
Layzi
Over The Bridge
Ripe
The Elovaters
Zola Simone
Punk/Hardcore Artist of the Year
Burp.
Cape Crush
Dear Maryanne
Fiddlehead
Haywire
Little Low
OH THE HUMANITY!
ONE FALL
Rebuilder
The Promised End
R&B Artist of the Year
Ali McGuirk
Debo Ray
Khamari
Leo The Kind
Miranda Rae
Nahli
Notebook P
ToriTori
Tyler Loyal
Yanna G
Rock Artist of the Year
Clifford
Crippling Alcoholism
Don’t Tell Iris
JVK
Lady Pills
Megan From Work
Otis Shanty
PINKLIDS
The Ghouls
Tysk Tysk Task
Singer-Songwriter Artist of the Year
Bebe Stockwell
Ezra Furman
Heather Maloney
Jill McCracken
Najee Janey
Padma
Senseless Optimism
Steve Rondo
SVMBV
Will Dailey
Vocalist of the Year
Bebe Stockwell
Brian Scully (Dalton & the Sheriffs)
Carly Kraft (Coral Moons)
Lainey Dionne
Lisa Bello
Miranda Rae
Nate Perry (Nate Perry & Ragged Company)
Robbie Wulfsohn (Ripe)
Tema Siegel (Couch)
ToriTori
Spoken Word Artist of the Year
Amanda Shea
Cliff Notez
Porsha Olayiwola
Max Heinegg
Yessmaa
Joliné Brito
Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah
Laura DiCaronimo
Maya Divine
Crystal Valentine
Music Festival of the Year
BAMS Fest
Boston Bitdown
Boston Calling
Fuzztival
JP Music Festival
Levitate Music and Arts Festival
Moon Over Salem
New England Americana Festival
NICE, A Fest
Somergloom
Music Night of the Year
All The Feels Fest
Dennis Brennan and The White Owls
Elements
Heroes
SILK R&B Party
Soulelujah
Spin the Bottle
The Glitter Boys
Wednesday Wax Nights at Medford Brewing
Which Side Are You On?: A Protest Music Teach-Out
Music Venue of the Year (1000+ capacity)
Big Night Live
Fenway Park
House of Blues
Leaderbank Pavilion
MGM at Fenway
Roadrunner
Royale
TD Garden
The Orpheum
Xfinity Center
Music Venue of the Year (250+ capacity)
Arts at the Armory
Brighton Music Hall
Crystal Ballroom
Grace by Nia
Middle East Downstairs
Paradise Rock Club
Sonia
Taffeta Music Hall
The Cut
The Sinclair
Music Venue of the Year (Under 250 capacity)
Club Passim
Deep Cuts
Lizard Lounge
Moon Base One
O’Brien’s Pub
The Burren Backroom
The Lilypad
The Rockwell
The Silhouette
Warehouse XI
Box Office Team of the Year
Big Night Live
Brighton Music Hall
Crystal Ballroom
Fenway Park
House of Blues
MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Paradise Rock Club
Roadrunner
TD Garden
The Sinclair
Production Manager of the Year
Emma Mitchell
Eoghan McCarthy
Eric Jensen
Jared Kennen
Kait Dorney
Kathleen Tevnan
Marc Picard
Mike Green
Parker Woods
Will Powell
Live Audio Engineer of the Year
Ben Vosk
Chris Johnson
Dan Moffat
Jesse Vengrove
Johnny Dalton
Josh Sessler
JP Goldman
Mo Russell
Reid Calkin
Ryan Ainsworth
Lighting Technician of the Year
Adam Gray
Ben Newell
Brittany Trymbulak
Eric Taverna
Jamie Boccia
Justin Paice
Mike Lane
Ryan Baker
Steve Cramer
Val Arcila
Promoter of the Year
24 Hour Concerts
BENT
Big Night Entertainment
Bowery Boston
Crossroads Presents
Get to the Gig Boston
Grayskull Booking
Sound Kicks Out
Vasjan Presents
WeBookThings
Talent Buyer of the Year
Aaron Gray
Alex Pickert
Alex Rossiter
Blake Pantalena
Jared Dobson
Jordan Prange
Josh Smith
Justine Faucher
Ryan Vangel
Tom Bianchi
Graphic Designer of the Year
Andrew Wong
Cameron Teleau
Deon Chase
Ellis Roundy
Jenny Bergman
Liz Walshak
Nic Violets
Nicholas Pentabona
Nicole Anguish
Richard Lathrop
Publication of the Year
Allston Pudding
Boston Compass
Boston Globe
Hump Day News
If It’s Too Loud
PUTINWORKTV
Rock and Roll Fables
Sound of Boston
The ARTery WBUR
Vanyaland
Journalist of the Year
Amelia Mason
Jesse O’Brien
Ken Sears
Meg Trogolo
Michael Gutierrez
Michael O’Connor Marotta
Noah Schaffer
Noble
Shamus Hill
Victoria Wasylak
Photographer of the Year
Ben Stas
Brittany Rose Queen
Collin Heroux
Emily Gardner
Faith Nguyen
Matt Darcy
Noah Couitt
Olivia Reid
Omari Spears
Samantha Davidson
Videographer of the Year
Aaron Cooley
Colin Pagnoni
Dom “Tanj” Bruno
Jimmy Del Ponte
Nicole DaSilva
Rayymond
Reko Lauren
Tai Jai Slaughter
Troy Lustick
VRTU Presents
Artist Manager of the Year
Bryce Raines
Ceize Gemini
Dalton Sim
Ikenna Ndugba
Jon Bricker
Kristina Latino
Mark Kates
Robert Kelley Morgan
Sadiq Irvin
Zoe Salvucci
Session Musician of the Year
Chris Anzalone
Dave Brophy
Duke Levine
Ed Valauskas
Erica Mantone
Jonathan Ulman
Matt Zappa
Mike Levesque
Mike Midura
Tim Hall
Recording Studio of the Year
37′ Productions
Dead Moon Audio
Mad Oak Studios
Mystic Valley Studio
Phoenix Down Studios
Q Division
RISE Studios
The Bridge Sound & Stage
The Record Co.
The SoundLab Recording Studios
Studio Producer of the Year
Akachi
Alex Garcia-Rivera
Benny Grotto
Brian “Nox” Eisner
Brian Charles
DeevoDaGenius
GIB DJ
Janos “The Arcitype” Fulop
Jon Glass
Sean McLaughlin
Studio Engineer of the Year
Alex Allinson
Annie Hoffman
Dallas Rose
Dereck Blackburn
J. Rose
James Bridges
Justin Sheriff
KSully
Kyle Walsh
Zach Weeks
Podcast of the Year
“Almost Famous” on 95.9 WATD
“Bad For the Community”
“Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico”
“CWTFB Radio”
“Highstreet”
“ItsLitBoston Podcast”
“Music You’re Missing”
“Show and Tell Boston”
“The Culture Show” – WGBH
“The Struggling Artist Podcast”
Radio DJ of the Year
Adam XII
Dana Marshall
DJ 4EIGN
DJ Edubble
DJ Pup Dawg
Jessica Callahan
John Shea
Liv Lowe
Mike Newman
TJ Connelly