Last weekend's Westword Music Showcase, along with the Westword Music Awards, serve as our annual celebration of our state's vibrant music scene. Colorado is home to internationally renowned experimental bands, pioneering folk artists, Grammy winners and much, much more. On most nights in Denver, you can see just about any kind of show you like, from bluegrass to hip-hop to hardcore punk. To help give you a place to start, we create a roster of some of the best up-and-coming artists in town as part of the Westword Music Awards.

To determine this year's finalists, we asked over 200 of the state’s music experts, ranging from talent buyers to studio owners to fans, to nominate their favorite hometown acts.

The results were overwhelming, with more than 800 bands and artists receiving votes. The 213 finalists from that nominating process are listed here. In the end, over 2,000 people voted, and we're proud to present the winners of this year's Westword Music Awards! The victor in each category is designated by an asterisk . 

Congratulations to all the nominees, and indeed to everyone involved in the Colorado music scene! 

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

*Denotes category winner

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

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

Country
Andy Hamilton & the Whiskey Hitchers
The Parlor Pickers
Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts*
Strange Americans

*Denotes category winner

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

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*

*Denotes category winner

Garage Rock
Best Creeps
Bud Bronson & the Good Timers
Colfax Speed Queen*
Dirty Few
Jack’s Smirking Revenge
Ned Garthe
Pizza Time
SPELLS
Zebroids

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

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*
Anima / 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

*Denotes category winner