Aotearoa Music People's Choice Award

[1] The five finalists are determined by the Music Awards Committee, based on overall performance during the eligibility period.

[2] In 2008, the award attracted controversy, after unknown Dunedin pop-rock band The DFender made the nominations shortlist.

The band, who did not have any chart material, had extensively lobbied their fans on MySpace and gained the most votes in the initial nominations round.

This prompted the call for the nominations to be chosen by Recorded Music NZ, a change that was eventually made.

Lorde and Brooke Fraser have each won the award and been nominated a further two times.