The 214 finalists from that nominating process are listed here. We’ve separated them by genre, but read those designations with caution: Most musicians find influence across many sonic aisles these days. A jazz artist might incorporate hip-hop; a rock band might borrow from Beethoven. So our categories, like the Awards themselves, are meant to be a starting point. Be sure to vote for your favorites using the ballot in this week's print edition of Westword or our online poll.
Because there are so many deserving musicians in this state, we’ve also limited this year's ballot to bands and artists who have not been repeatedly recognized in the past. That said, we would be remiss if we didn't pay tribute to our scene’s mainstays and most popular acts, which is why you’ll also find a group of Westword Music Icons listed here. To qualify, an act must be currently active and must have been nominated at least four times in the past five years.
Westword Music IconsA. Tom Collins • Accordion Crimes • Air Dubai • Alert • Allegaeon • Apex Vibe • Arcanium • Arliss Nancy • The Big Motif • Boldtype • Boonie Mayfield • CacheFlowe • Casey James Prestwood & the Burning Angels • Cobraconda • The Congress • Cysko Rokwell • The Delta Sonics • DeVotchKa • Diamond Boiz • Dragon • Dubskin • Elephant Revival • Enemy Reign • The Epilogues • Euforquestra • Extra Kool • FaceMan • Fierce Bad Rabbit • Filthy Children • Fingers of the Sun • Fresh Breath Committee • Frontside Five • Funkiphino • Git Some • Glass Hits • Greg Harris Vibe Quintet • Gregory Alan Isakov • Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams • Havok • Head for the Hills • DJ Hollow • Hypnautic • I Sank Molly Brown • IAMTHESHOTGUN • Ian Cooke • Il Cattivo • The Indulgers • John Common • Joy Subtraction • Judge Roughneck • Kinetix • King Rat • The Knew • DJ Ktone • Lola Black • Long Road Home • DJ Low Key • Magic Cyclops • Mane Rok • Marty Jones & the Great Unknowns • Monroe Monroe • The Motet • MTHDS • MU$A • Musketeer Gripweed • My Body Sings Electric • Nathaniel Rateliff • No 1 Left Standing • P-Nuckle • Paper Bird • Patrick Dethlefs • The Photo Atlas • Pitch Invasion • Potcheen • The Railsplitters • The Raven and the Writing Desk • Red Stinger • The Reminders • Reno Divorce • Rob Drabkin • Ron Miles • Safe Boating Is No Accident • SHEL • Signal Path • Snake Rattle Rattle Snake • Something Underground • Spoke in Wordz • T Hash Tones (formerly The Desciples) • The Widow’s Bane • Tin Horn Prayer • Tjutjuna • DJ Tyler Jacobson • Vices I Admire • Whiskey Blanket • Whiskey Tango • Whygee • Wire Faces • Yamn
A live showcase has always been part of the Westword Music Awards. That first year, 31 of the 55 nominees played on stages throughout LoDo. And on Saturday, June 20, more than 100 of the bands and artists featured in this space (along with a few out-of-town guests, including Flume, the Black Angels and MisterWives) will play on a dozen stages in the Golden Triangle. Tickets are on sale March 6 at 10 a.m. IMPORTANT: If your band or project is listed here, either as a nominee (below) or an icon (above), please fill out this very brief form. You must do this in order to be considered for the Showcase lineup. We look forward to celebrating Colorado’s endlessly rewarding music scene with you! And now, the 2015 Westword Music Award Nominees:
Hip-Hop (solo)
Babah Fly
Bianca Mikahn
Catch Lungs
Cavem Moetavation
Cory Kendrix
FL
Koo Qua
Lily Fangz
Maulskull
Mr. Midas
Pries
Reason the Citizen
Trev Rich
Turner Jackson
Hip-Hop (group)
Filthy T
SF1
Soul Pros
Stay Tuned
Wheelchair Sports Camp
DJ (producer)
Falcon Punch
Milky.WAV
Need & Necessity
option4
Big J. Beats
DJ A-L
Unlimited Aspect (Project Aspect + Unlimited Gravity)
Decadon
DJ (turntablist)
DJ J’Adore
KDJ Above
DJ Private Property
Sam Warren
SpydaT.E.K.
DJ Tense
DJ Topshelf
VOTE NOW
Electronic
Alphabets
Bollywood Life
Chrome Drones
Drones
Man Mantis
Proper Motion
Thug Entrancer
Tommy Metz
Dance Pop
AMZY
Chemistry Club
Ivory Circle
Modern Suspects
Rose Quartz
Shady Elders
The Sound & Color
Pop
Candy Claws
The Centennial
Eros & the Eschaton
Kissing Party
Medic
Petals of Spain
Plume Varia
VOTE NOW
Jazz
Annie Booth
Art Lande
Dave Devine
Go Star
Josh Quinlan
Keith Oxman
Ken Walker
The Organization With Jeff Jenkins
Blues
Austin Young Band
Cary Morin
Dan Treanor
Delta Sonics
Eef & the Blues Express
Eric Boa & the Constrictors
Lionel Young
R.L. Cole
Blues Rock
Calder’s Revolvers
Champagne Charlie
Dragondeer
The Grand Tour
Steele & Colfax
Bluegrass
Caribou Mountain Collective
Chain Station
Finnders & Youngberg
Jake Schepps Quintet
That Damn Sasquatch
Thunder and Rain
Trout Steak Revival
Funk/Soul/R&B
Analog Son
ATOMGA
CRL CRRLL
Kitty Crimes
The Other Black
Pete Pidgeon
Povi Tamu
Rowdy Shadehouse
Jam/Reggae
The Drunken Hearts
Fox Street
Policulture
Rastasaurus
Skydyed
Tatanka
VOTE NOW
Country
Andy Hamilton & the Whiskey Hitchers
The Parlor Pickers
Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts
Strange Americans
Folk
Chella & the Charm
Chimney Choir
Clouds & Mountains
Edison
Miss America by Wheary
One Flew West
Pandas & People
Poet’s Row
Sour Boy, Bitter Girl
The Still Tide
Tomahawk Fox
Americana
Andy Thomas’ Dust Heart
Ark Life
Blake Brown & the American Dust Choir
Denver Broncos UK
Glowing House
Porlolo
Tallgrass
Winchester Holiday
Young Ancients
Singer-Songwriter
Anthony Ruptak
Betsy Lay
Kurt Vee
Lara Ruggles
Megan Burtt
Natalie Tate
Rachael Pollard
Sawmill Joe
VOTE NOW
Rock
Disaster Canyon
Hot Apostles
I’m a Boy
In the Whale
Inner Oceans
The Outfit
Post Paradise
Psych-Rock
Altas
The Blue Rider
Eldren
Poli High
Rubedo
Sunboy
Wild High
Post-Punk
American Culture
Anterroir
Homebody
Mako1972
Montoneros
The Vanilla Milkshakes
The Yawpers
Garage Rock
Best Creeps
Bud Bronson & the Good Timers
Colfax Speed Queen
Dirty Few
Jack’s Smirking Revenge
Ned Garthe
Pizza Time
SPELLS
Zebroids
VOTE NOW
Punk
Allout Helter
Chase Ambler
Future Single Mom
Potato Pirates
Strafgod
Straight Outta Luck
Wiredogs
Hardcore
City Hunter
Civilized
Hair Cult
Muscle Beach
Negative Degree
Metal
Dead Temple
Gomorrah
In the Company of Serpents
Primitive Man
Victory Heights
Weaponizer
Cephalic Carnage
Screwtape
Hard Rock
A Memory Down
Caramel Carmela
Frozen Tide
Lost Point
MF Ruckus
Native Daughters
Princess
VOTE NOW
Experimental
Church Fire
Cop Circles
Curta
Itchy-O
Land Lines
dust: orbiter
Mirror Fears
Pale Sun
Pink Hawks
The Kappa Cell
Avant-Garde
Ancient Elk
Animal/Object
Champion
Echo Beds
M Sage
Night Grinder
Pythian Whispers
Total Ghost
Weird Al Qaida
Cover/Tribute
DeadPhish Orchestra
Dirty Femmes
Fauxgazi
Gin Doctors
Mr. Majestyk’s 8-Track Revival
Rally ’Round the Family
Winehouse
VOTE NOW
Congratulations to all the nominees! Again, if you represent a band or artist on this list, please let us know whether you'd like to play the Showcase and how we can get in touch with you using this form.
Hip-Hop (solo)
Babah Fly
Bianca Mikahn
Catch Lungs
Cavem Moetavation
Cory Kendrix
FL
Koo Qua
Lily Fangz
Maulskull
Mr. Midas
Pries
Reason the Citizen
Trev Rich
Turner Jackson
Hip-Hop (group)
Filthy T
SF1
Soul Pros
Stay Tuned
Wheelchair Sports Camp
DJ (producer)
Falcon Punch
Milky.WAV
Need & Necessity
option4
Big J. Beats
DJ A-L
Unlimited Aspect (Project Aspect + Unlimited Gravity)
Decadon
DJ (turntablist)
DJ J’Adore
KDJ Above
DJ Private Property
Sam Warren
SpydaT.E.K.
DJ Tense
DJ Topshelf
VOTE NOW
Electronic
Alphabets
Bollywood Life
Chrome Drones
Drones
Man Mantis
Proper Motion
Thug Entrancer
Tommy Metz
Dance Pop
AMZY
Chemistry Club
Ivory Circle
Modern Suspects
Rose Quartz
Shady Elders
The Sound & Color
Pop
Candy Claws
The Centennial
Eros & the Eschaton
Kissing Party
Medic
Petals of Spain
Plume Varia
VOTE NOW
Jazz
Annie Booth
Art Lande
Dave Devine
Go Star
Josh Quinlan
Keith Oxman
Ken Walker
The Organization With Jeff Jenkins
Blues
Austin Young Band
Cary Morin
Dan Treanor
Delta Sonics
Eef & the Blues Express
Eric Boa & the Constrictors
Lionel Young
R.L. Cole
Blues Rock
Calder’s Revolvers
Champagne Charlie
Dragondeer
The Grand Tour
Steele & Colfax
Bluegrass
Caribou Mountain Collective
Chain Station
Finnders & Youngberg
Jake Schepps Quintet
That Damn Sasquatch
Thunder and Rain
Trout Steak Revival
Funk/Soul/R&B
Analog Son
ATOMGA
CRL CRRLL
Kitty Crimes
The Other Black
Pete Pidgeon
Povi Tamu
Rowdy Shadehouse
Jam/Reggae
The Drunken Hearts
Fox Street
Policulture
Rastasaurus
Skydyed
Tatanka
VOTE NOW
Country
Andy Hamilton & the Whiskey Hitchers
The Parlor Pickers
Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts
Strange Americans
Folk
Chella & the Charm
Chimney Choir
Clouds & Mountains
Edison
Miss America by Wheary
One Flew West
Pandas & People
Poet’s Row
Sour Boy, Bitter Girl
The Still Tide
Tomahawk Fox
Americana
Andy Thomas’ Dust Heart
Ark Life
Blake Brown & the American Dust Choir
Denver Broncos UK
Glowing House
Porlolo
Tallgrass
Winchester Holiday
Young Ancients
Singer-Songwriter
Anthony Ruptak
Betsy Lay
Kurt Vee
Lara Ruggles
Megan Burtt
Natalie Tate
Rachael Pollard
Sawmill Joe
VOTE NOW
Rock
Disaster Canyon
Hot Apostles
I’m a Boy
In the Whale
Inner Oceans
The Outfit
Post Paradise
Psych-Rock
Altas
The Blue Rider
Eldren
Poli High
Rubedo
Sunboy
Wild High
Post-Punk
American Culture
Anterroir
Homebody
Mako1972
Montoneros
The Vanilla Milkshakes
The Yawpers
Garage Rock
Best Creeps
Bud Bronson & the Good Timers
Colfax Speed Queen
Dirty Few
Jack’s Smirking Revenge
Ned Garthe
Pizza Time
SPELLS
Zebroids
VOTE NOW
Punk
Allout Helter
Chase Ambler
Future Single Mom
Potato Pirates
Strafgod
Straight Outta Luck
Wiredogs
Hardcore
City Hunter
Civilized
Hair Cult
Muscle Beach
Negative Degree
Metal
Dead Temple
Gomorrah
In the Company of Serpents
Primitive Man
Victory Heights
Weaponizer
Cephalic Carnage
Screwtape
Hard Rock
A Memory Down
Caramel Carmela
Frozen Tide
Lost Point
MF Ruckus
Native Daughters
Princess
VOTE NOW
Experimental
Church Fire
Cop Circles
Curta
Itchy-O
Land Lines
dust: orbiter
Mirror Fears
Pale Sun
Pink Hawks
The Kappa Cell
Avant-Garde
Ancient Elk
Animal/Object
Champion
Echo Beds
M Sage
Night Grinder
Pythian Whispers
Total Ghost
Weird Al Qaida
Cover/Tribute
DeadPhish Orchestra
Dirty Femmes
Fauxgazi
Gin Doctors
Mr. Majestyk’s 8-Track Revival
Rally ’Round the Family
Winehouse
VOTE NOW
Congratulations to all the nominees! Again, if you represent a band or artist on this list, please let us know whether you'd like to play the Showcase and how we can get in touch with you using this form.
