Flight of the Conchords dominate NZ Music Awards

Flight of the Conchords and Opshop dominated yesterday New Zealand Music Awards, bagging four Tuis each.

After missing out at the Emmy awards in Los Angeles last month, the Conchords won the coveted Album of the Year award for their self-titled debut, along with the Best Group award at a function at Auckland's Vector Arena.

Opshop won the Single of the Year award for One Day, which was also the country's highest selling single.

Meanwhile, their album Second Hand Planet won the Highest Selling NZ Album award, while their single, Maybe, won the Radio Airplay Record of the Year award.

The Conchords also won Tuis for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and shared International Achievement awards with Savage.

The Conchords, Wellington musical-comedy duo of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, were chosen ahead of finalists Anika Moa, Liam Finn, Scribe and Tiki Taane for the best album award.

Finn and Taane were also finalists in the Single of the Year award along with Shihad and the Phoenix Foundation.

However, none went home empty handed, with Finn, Shihad and Taane also collecting Tuis tonight, while producer and engineer Lee Prebble shone earlier for his work with the Phoenix Foundation.

Taane was nominated for eight Tuis overall, and took away the Best Aotearoa Roots Album award for Past, Present Future.

Late 1980s and early 1990's Dunedin band Straitjacket Fits were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

New Zealand Music Awards spokesman Campbell Smith said the awards reflected the quality and variety of music here  during 2007 and 2008.

"There was some outstanding music made and released in New Zealand over the period and what is most pleasing is the variety," he says.

"We are making great music across all genres - and even more encouraging is the fact our music is being heard around the world. If you look at our list of winners this year you'll see many of them have earned considerable international recognition."

The full list of 2008 winners are below:

• Album of the Year: Flight Of The Conchords - Flight of the Conchords


• Single of the Year: Opshop - One Day


• Best Group:   Flight Of The Conchords - Flight of the Conchords


• People's Choice:   Parachute Band


• Best Male Solo Artist: Liam Finn - I'll be Lightning


• Best Female Solo Artist: Anika Moa - In Swings the Tide


• Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Flight of the Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords


• Best Music Video: Ian Hart - Her Hairagami Set (The Brunettes)


• Best Rock Album: Shihad - Beautiful Machine


• Best Urban/Hip Hop Album: Scribe - Rhymebook


• Best Aotearoa Roots Album: Tiki Taane - Past, Present, Future


• Best Dance/Electronica Album: Recloose -- Perfect Timing


• Best Maori Album: Ruia - 12:24 Tekau Ma Rua, Rua Tekau Ma Wha


• Best Gospel/Christian Album: All Left Out - The Conquest


• Best Classical Album: Michael Houstoun - Inland


• Legacy Award: Straitjacket Fits


• International Achievement Award  : Flight of the Conchords and Savage


• Highest Selling NZ Single: Opshop-- One Day


• Highest Selling NZ Album: Opshop-- Second Hand Planet


• Radio Airplay Record of the Year: Opshop - Maybe

Technical awards already presented:

• Best Album Cover: Barny Bewick -- Keep Me On Your Side (Goodnight Nurse)


• Best Engineer: Lee Prebble -- Happy Ending (The Phoenix Foundation)


• Best Producer: Lee Prebble -- Happy Ending (The Phoenix Foundation)

source: NZPA