You Voted! Here Are the 2016 Westword Music Award Winners

Last Saturday, June 25, marked the biggest festival in the 22-year history of the Westword Music Showcase, which spanned more than a dozen stages around Denver's Golden Triangle and featured nearly 100 local bands and artists across many genres. This lineup was drawn from the finalist nominees for the 2016 Westword Music Awards — and these performers proved they were worthy of the distinction and then some, coming full force for short sets in front of diverse audiences and making the most of technical glitches like a power outage, putting on shows on bar tops and sidewalks and supporting their fellow musicians.

How did these bands get nominated in the first place? Earlier this year, 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. Those results represent a wide swath of Colorado music, including both well-known names and numerous bands and artists who have not been nominated before. More than 200 finalists from that nominating process are listed below (separated by genre, but read those designations with caution: Most musicians today draw from a variety of influences, and the "Denver Sound" is particularly unclassifiable). 

The polls were open for months — until the day following Showcase, in case voters needed that last glimpse to solidify their choices — and in the end, more than 2,000 people cast their ballots. Some of the races were very close, with the margin between first and second determined by only a vote or two. Last night at the Westword Music Awards and Thank You Party at Larimer Lounge, we celebrated the nominees, winners and all the incredible work and support that they contribute to Colorado music. 

Check out a full slideshow of the winners and party guests. 

And now, the 2016 Westword Music Award winners, denoted in bold:

DJ — Producer
Big J Beats
CRL CRRLL
DJ Low Key
jilly.fm
Milky.WAV
RUMTUM
Thug Entrancer

DJ — Turntablist
DJ A-L
DJ Musa
DJ Squizzy Taylor
Mosis
Need & Necessity
Option4
Vinnie Maniscalco

Electronic
Andy Immerman
Felix Fast4ward
French Kettle Station
Killd By
Man Mantis
pxlman

Hip-Hop — Group
Kitty Crimes
The Reminders
SF1
Stay Tuned
Turner Jackson's Red Plastic Cup
Wheelchair Sports Camp
White Fudge

Hip-Hop — Solo
Bianca Mikahn
Catch Lungz
Ill Se7en
Kid Astronaut
Lily Fangz
Molina Speaks
Qbala
Trayce Chapman
Trev Rich

Blues
AJ Fullerton
Andy Sydow
Austin Young Band
Dan Treanor's Afrosippi Band w/Erica Brown
Delta Sonics
Sammy Mayfield & His R&B Revue
Willie “The Bluesman” Houston

Dance Pop
AMZY
Chemistry Club
Eros and the Eschaton
Foxfield Four
Ivory Circle
Plume Varia
Rose Quartz

Funk/Soul/R&B
Analog Son
ATOMGA
Color
Kayla Marque
The Other Black
Povi
SUR ELLZ

Jazz
Adam Bodine Trio
Annie Booth
Art Lande
Dave Devine
Eric Gunnison
Greg Harris
Ron Miles
Pop
Land Lines
My Body Sings Electric
OKO TYGRA
One Flew West
Somerset Catalog
Sour Boy, Bitter Girl
Strawberry Runners

Power Pop
A. Tom Collins
American Culture
Inner Oceans
Kissing Party
Panther Martin
Safe Boating Is No Accident
Snake Rattle Rattle Snake

Americana
Ancient Elk
Chimney Choir
The Haunted Windchimes
King Cardinal
Porlolo
Slim Cessna's Auto Club
Strange Americans

Bluegrass
AKA Laser Bunny
Caribou Mountain Collective
The Railsplitters
Rapidgrass Quintet
Trout Steak Revival
Von Stomper

Country
Andy Hamilton & the Rocky Mountain Contraband
Bonnie & the Clydes
Casey James Prestwood & the Burning Angels
Gasoline Lollipops
Hang Rounders
The Hooks and the Hollows
Ryan Chrys & the Roughcuts

Folk
Andy Thomas' Dust Heart
Chella & the Charm
Edison
Grim & Darling
in/PLANES
Pandas & People
The Still Tide

Jam/Reggae
Dyrty Byrds
Euforquestra
Genetics
Skydyed
SunSquabi
Tatanka

Singer-Songwriter
Brent Cowles
Covenhoven
Grayson Erhard
Kyle James Hauser
Lara Ruggles
Megan Burtt
Natalie Tate

Blues Rock
The Burroughs
Champagne Charlie
The Congress
Dragondeer
Drunken Hearts
Hog MaGundy
The Patient Zeros

Garage Rock
Bud Bronson & the Good Timers
Colfax Speed Queen
Dirty Few
The Kinky Fingers
Ned Garthe Explosion
Rootbeer & Mermentau
SPELLS

Post-Punk
The Baltic
Echo Beds
Joy Subtraction
The Knew
Mailman Land
Male Blonding
Slow Caves

Psych Rock
Blue Rider
Eldren
Flaural
Plum
Rubedo
Sunboy
Wild High

Rock
Aspen Hourglass
Emerald Siam
Hot Apostles
I'm a Boy
In the Whale
Rossonian
The Yawpers

Hardcore
Cadaver Dogs
Civilized
Line Brawl
Muscle Beach
Native Daughters
Screwtape
Wire Faces

Metal
Call of the Void
Dead Temple
Grind Cat Grind
In the Company of Serpents
Khemmis
Primitive Man
Weaponizer

Punk
Allout Helter
Chase Ambler
The Nervous
Potato Pirates
Shatterproof
Soft Skulls
Wiredogs

Avant-Garde
Altas
Animal/object
Church Fire
Itchy-O
Janet Feder
Sound of Ceres
Stella Luce

Experimental
Bang Play
déCollage
Holophrase
Milk Blossoms
Pink Hawks
Prison Glue
Sister Grotto

Cover/Tribute
Deadphish Orchestra
Fauxgazi
Gin Doctors
Jocko Homo
Lost Dog Ensemble
Mr. Majestyk's 8-Track Revival
Party Harder
Youth on Record House Band

Latin
Alfredito Rivera y la Salsa Orchestra
La Candela
Conjunto Colores
Janine Santana Latin Jazz Band
Orquesta La Brava
Quemando
Sabor de la Calle