If you aren’t already packaging up your latest album, EP, or single—or at least telling your closest musician friends to—for this year’s New Times Music Awards (NTMA), then what are you doing? Playing Pokémon Go?
Bands, singer-songwriters, rappers, and composers throughout Santa Barbara and SLO counties can fill out entry forms in the Sun and New Times next week. Your newest album, song, or songs can be considered in one of several categories, with winners receiving fabulous prizes and the coveted bronze Newtie award! Entries are available starting July 28 and can be turned in through Aug. 22, by 5 p.m.
Eager musicians can now enter more songs than ever before, up to 10 original songs in five categories. The country/Americana/folk category is for you acoustic strumming folkies and electric twanging country singers, and the R&B/blues category is for the soul singers and blues pickers. The rock/alternative category is for those nimble fingered electric guitar players and ballad belting indie bands. The hip-hop/reggae/worldbeat category is for the laid-back reggae bands and tongue twisting free styling rappers. And if you just can’t be defined by genres, man, then we’ve got a category for you: the “open” category for just about anyone to enter.
Those hoping to enter the songwriting competition can enter up to three songs. The album of the year award is open to artists with a complete album released between July 7, 2015, and Aug. 22, 2016. Each song or album entry costs $10.
There is also a readers’ choice award, picked by Central Coast residents through the New Times Media Group’s websites from Sept. 29 through Oct. 13. The readers’ choice award allows artists with a strong local following to get some recognition.
The first place winners in the five genre categories must perform at the New Times Music Awards on Nov. 11, where the groups will compete for the best live performance award. The winners of the songwriting and best album categories, along with the runners-up, will receive awards at the event as well.
The New Times Media Group also releases a CD that features all of the winning artists, which winners will receive as part of a killer swag bag at the NTMA. Winners get the CD, a shirt, more goodies, and the bronze Newtie. All the prizes and glory are waiting for you, we just need to hear from you in the way of a filled out entry form and your music. What’s stopping you?
And for everyone else too busy leveling up their Pikachu to cut the next Abbey Road, you can at least vote for the next winner of the readers’ choice award Sept. 29 through Oct. 13.
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
Send in your music
Entry forms for the 2016 New Times Music Awards are available in the Sun and New Times July 28 through Aug. 22. Deadline to apply is Aug. 22 by 5 p.m. More information is available at www.newtimesslo.com/ntma.php.
This article appears in Jul 21-28, 2016.