(Image via facebook.com)
Photography Manager: Rena Danho
Email: rdanho@umassd.edu
It’s officially music award show season! Award shows like The VMAs and Billboard Music Awards will release their nominations soon, and everyone is getting hyped to see their favorite artists win awards or even perform.
Being from Massachusetts, we’re lucky enough to have a fantastic music scene in Boston. We even have our own music award ceremony for artists in the Massachusetts area.
The 2023 Boston Music Awards will be held right outside of TD Garden at Big Night Live on December 20th, 2023. This will be the show’s 36th consecutive year.
This night serves as an opportunity for networking and socialization with people in the music scene, offering a chance to talk to and enjoy the work of the people that make up Boston’s music scene.
In past years, there have been major names like BIA, Clairo, PVRIS, Meghan Trainor, and Dropkick Murphys in attendance at the Boston Music Awards – all major names in the industry who make various genres of music.
In addition to artists being nominated for awards, Boston venues, live photographers, music nights, stage managers, lighting technicians, and more categories also receive awards. The Boston Music Awards is a night where all aspects of the music scene are appreciated for the work they do throughout the year.
As for the artist categories, Noah Kahan has been nominated for 5 awards this year with Artist of the Year, Album/EP of the Year (1 million+ streams), Song of the Year (1 million+ streams), Live Artist of the Year, and lastly Folk Artist of the year.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, Noah Kahan has been one of the biggest artists to rise to the top of the charts with his albums Stick Season and Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever). His music has made him very well-known in the music scene, and he’s giving his competition a run for their money.
Aside from Noah Kahan, another big name you may have heard of is BIA. BIA is another artist that has reached the top charts and even has a song featuring the queen Nicki Minaj herself.
BIA is up for four awards, giving his competition a hard run, too. He’s nominated for Artist of the Year, Album/EP of the Year (1 million+ streams), Song of the Year (1 million+ streams), and Hip-Hop Artist of the Year.
Although big names like these two artists are up for nominations, they do not deter from how amazing some of the other nominees are. Many of the nominated artists, such as The Q-Tip Bandits, Little Fuss, and Chrysalis, get the chance to play at Boston Calling on Orange and Blue Stage.
The Boston Music Awards is more unique than a normal concert and any other award show. It feels more homey to see so many people who enjoy the same thing all in one place – surrounded by so many people celebrating music.
And the best part of the Boston Music Awards: it isn’t a private event. The awards are open to the public. For $20, you, too, can enjoy the show, hear live music, and meet so many new people.
However, if events like this aren’t your thing, you are also given the chance to participate by voting for your favorite artist. You can have a voice and a say in who you think should win each award.
Music has been a way of bringing people together for a long time, and The Boston Music Awards is proof of how music can bond people together. Regardless of whether you’re a listener, a creator, or even someone who helps with the sound or lights, The Boston Music Awards is a place for you to feel like you belong in the music community – and, more importantly, the music community in Boston.