The top honors at the 2016 Radio Milwaukee Music Awards on Thursday went to artists representing a wide variety of styles, including instrumental hip-hop producers Scallops Hotel, rock band Soul Low, R&B singer Lex Allen, synth pop band GGOOLLDD and EDM producers Chris Siegel X Strehlow.
The station’s annual awards, now celebrating their ninth year, recognize the best in Milwaukee music.
"2016 was a stellar year for the Milwaukee music scene, and this year's awards reflect the amazing diversity of talent we have in this community," said Jordan Lee, Radio Milwaukee’s program director. "From hip-hop to punk rock, the 2016 awards finalists represented a wide range of our city's amazing musical talent."
"This year, we had more than 3,800 online voters, and partnered with our sponsors, as well as other media in Milwaukee, to crown the 2016 winners."
Radio Milwaukee nominated artists in most categories and fans and listeners voted on the station’s website, radiomilwaukee.org. Station staff and partners selected the winners, from the public's top five finalists.
This year’s Milwaukee Music Awards were sponsored by Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin with support from RCB Awards Milwaukee.
The 2016 winners are:
- Album of the Year (Presented by River House) – Soul Low, "Nosebleeds"
- Band of the Year (Presented by Cascio Interstate Music) – GGOOLLDD
- Song of the Year (Presented by Wire & Vice) – Chris Siegel X Strehlow, "This Is How"
- Solo Artist of the Year (Presented by Koss Stereophones) – Lex Allen
- Critic's Choice (Presented by Badger Liquor) – Scallops Hotel, "Too Much Of Life is Mood"
- Best Disc We Missed (Presented by BMO Harris Bradley Center) – Mike Regal, "Premonitions"
- Independent Release of the Year (Presented by Milwaukee Bucks) – Brett Newski, "Land Air Sea Garage"
- Best Album Artwork (Presented by Too Much Metal) – Lorde Fredd33, "Dead Man's View"
- Music Video of the Year (Presented by Milwaukee Home) – Joe Quinto & Miguez Diaz, "Black Magic"
- Humanitarian of the Year (Presented by Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin) – TIE between Anthony Hibbler and Charlene Young, Neh Phi Neph Fratority and AND Vince Gaa, Janice Vogt and rapper Webster X, FREESPACE
- Music Ambassador of the Year (Presented by Visit Milwaukee) – Jim Linneman
The Music Ambassador Award is presented each year to a member of the Milwaukee music scene who does not play in a band or write or produce music but helps support and champion the local music scene. Winner Jim Linneman has run Linneman's Riverwest Inn, a popular music club, since 1993.
The Humanitarian Award is given to a Milwaukee artist who gives back to the community through his or her work in music. Honorees Hibbler and Young founded the non-profit group Neh Phi Neph Fratority in 2008 to promote positive development of youth and children through tutoring and mentoring. Gaa, Vogt and Webster X founded FREESPACE last year as an interactive hip-hop program for youths to experience their music in a safe, sober, and fun environment.
The Music Ambassador and Humanitarian Awards are nominated and voted on by station staff. The Critics Choice Award was selected by a station DJs and music writers Piet Levy (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), Evan Rytlewski (Shepherd Express), Tyler Maas (Milwaukee Record) and Joey Grihalva (freelance). The winners were announced at an awards ceremony Thursday night at Radio Milwaukee’s studio complex, 220 E. Pittsburgh Ave. The event featured live sets by D'Amato, GGOOLLDD, Milo, Soul Low and No/No & Ian Ewing.
Radio Milwaukee is an award-winning, nonprofit community-supported public radio station (88.9 WYMS-FM and http://www.radiomilwaukee.org). Radio Milwaukee champions Milwaukee’s music, arts, culture, neighborhoods and community organizations; celebrates diversity; and encourages community engagement.
