2026 Country Music Honours finalists revealed

The finalists for the 2026 Country Music Honours have officially been announced, celebrating the very best in original country music from across Aotearoa.

Set to take place at Gore’s St James Theatre on Friday, May 22, the annual event will showcase live performances and award presentations for both the APRA Best Country Music Song and the MLT Songwriting Award.

APRA Best Country Music Song Finalists

This year’s shortlisted tracks highlight the diversity of Aotearoa’s country scene, from heartfelt storytelling to modern genre-blending sounds:

• Dive Bar, written by Aaron Pulemagafa, Jeremiah Jayden Fale, Edward Liu, Christian Tjandrawinata, performed by TheWesternGuide
• Moonlight Hotel, written by Shannon Fowler, performed by Tom Lark
• Neon Cowgirl, written by Tami Neilson and Joshua Neilson, performed by Tami Neilson Feat.  Neil Finn
• Whakameatia Mai, written by Marlon Williams and Kommi Tamati-Elliffe, performed by Marlon Williams

First time finalist, TheWesternGuide AKA Aaron Pulemagafa wrote Dive Bar alongside collaborators Jeremiah Jayden Fale, Edward Liu, Christian Tjandrawinata. It’s a classic country song written about spending so much time at a bar the staff just ask you if you’d like your “regular.” Hailing from West Auckland with his sound shaped by church harmonies, the Samoan singer-songwriter is carving out a distinct path in Aotearoa’s evolving country scene, redefining what the genre means to Kiwi listeners. Dive Bar speaks about a man distracting himself from heartbreak by spending time at his local bar. Through the song, he hopes to encourage the conversation around responsible alcohol consumption and remind people to check up on their friends. 

Tom Lark also known as Shannon Fowler is another first-time finalist with the title track from 2025 album Moonlight Hotel.  A historical hotel in the small town of Murchison is the basis for the folk pop tune with a country bent. Ōtautahi born Fowler’s ancestors were involved in the gold-mining industry in the area in the 1800’s, the rundown Moonlight Hotel was where his 3rd great grandmother worked as a barmaid. Fowler envisaged what it must have been like at that point in time, serving loyal patrons and those breezing through hoping for good fortune and what it became after the gold dried up, folk left, and it became more of a place to harbour the lost and found.

Tami Neilson returns as a finalist this year with title track from the album Neon Cowgirl, co-written with her brother Jay and featuring Neil Finn. Tami says “The song represents a lifelong dream of chasing Nashville and country music. I’ve loved her all my whole life, even when she breaks my heart over and over again”.  Tami has won the APRA Best Country Music Song Award five times since 2014, and in 2025 became the inaugural recipient of the Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa. Recently returning from Nashville, where she  performed at the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman, Tami is also a finalist in four categories at the Aotearoa Music Awards, including Album of the Year. 

Whakameatia Mai comes from Marlon Williams’ most recent album Te Whare Tīwekaweka, co-written with fellow APRA Silver Scroll Award | Kaitito Kaiaka co-winner KOMMI. The intimate, sparse and acoustic-led arrangement leans on four-part vocal harmonies and up-tempo guitar, upright bass, and mandolin, and Marlon credits Richard Puanaki's (Ngāti Kahungunu) elegant and concise whakamāoritia of the Catholic Hymn to the Virgin as the basis of this tribute to the 28th Māori Battalion. The lyrics of Whakameatia Mai draw on imagery of the natural world in disarray – storms, earthquakes etc – and the title loosely translates to “Let it be done to me,” pointing to a quiet sense of acceptance or surrender. A former finalist for this award, Williams also won the award in 2013 with co-writer Delaney Davidson for Bloodletter. 

APRA AMCOS’ Ant Healey says the finalists reflect the unique identity of local country music: “These songs showcase our incredible original sound and the talent that the world is only just realising.”

MLT Songwriting Award Finalists

The MLT Songwriting Award shines a light on Aotearoa’s best unreleased country songs, giving audiences a first listen to fresh material from across the motu.

This year’s finalists are:

• 5 More Minutes written by Audrey Bangay
• Better Than One written by Shelley Wyatt (Elskan Fly)
• Cherry Blossom written by Sophie Gibson & Jonathan D’Souza
• I Don’t Mind written by Chad Robinson
• Last First Dance written by Keith Pereira, Jeremy Turner & Tori Darke
• Little Creeks written by Leroy Brown & Mark Bruce
• Nancy Wake (White Mouse) written by Milly Tabak
• Not Enough written by Mel Parsons
• Quicksilver Days written by Barry Saunders
• Wedding Ring written by Ron Mitchell

The category blends established names like Mel Parsons and Barry Saunders with emerging talent, including first-time finalist Milly Tabak.

The 2026 Country Music Honours will also pay tribute to The Topp Twins, who will receive the Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music. The award recognises artists who have made a lasting impact on the genre and supported its growth in New Zealand.

The event officially opens the Tussock Country Music Festival, a 10-day celebration in Gore featuring more than 80 events! Alongside performances from finalists, attendees can expect a red-carpet evening and a special guest appearance from The Warratahs.

We'll see you there!

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Hear TheWesternGuide, Tami Neilson and more of your favourite Kiwi country artists on iHeartCountry NZ by using the player below.