May is New Zealand Music Month, and 2026 has given music fans across Aotearoa plenty to feel good about.
The event has been running for 25 years, growing from a simple campaign to get more New Zealand music on radio into a nationwide celebration of everything homegrown and brilliant about the country’s music scene.
This year’s theme, “Our Sounds, Our Spaces,” celebrates the places where Kiwi music is made and enjoyed, from concert venues and marae to school halls, public parks, and even laundromats. One Auckland project turned laundromats into music discovery spots by installing “washing machine jukeboxes” so people could hear local artists while doing their laundry.
New Zealand also had a big moment on the international stage in May, becoming the Lead Country Partner at The Great Escape music festival in Brighton, England, one of the world’s top events for discovering new artists.
This year also marks a special milestone: the 100th anniversary of APRA AMCOS, the organisation that ensures songwriters and composers get paid when their music is played.
On the awards side, Christchurch musician Marlon Williams took home the Taite Music Prize for his album Te Whare Tīwekaweka, which is named after a wren and celebrates te reo Māori and New Zealand nature.
On the 28th May, the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards are being held at the Civic Theatre in Auckland, celebrating the best of New Zealand music across all genres.
And to round off the month, NZ Music T-Shirt Day is on Friday 29 May. Students are encouraged to wear their favourite band tee to raise money for MusicHelps, the music industry charity.
