As we start to close out to 2011, it’s time once again to spotlight all of the artists & bands that achieved landmark success here at New Music Weekly. It’s hard to believe that it’s already that time once again but what a year this has been. As the industry continues its readjusting and the majors make more changes and consolidations, once again the New Music Weekly family has stood strong and proud through all of this. Our charts continue to reveal a “level playing field” when it comes to mixing the majors with the very best from the powerful independent field. All you have to do is to look at the charts in this issue to see just what we are talking about. It’s that time my friends to put a spotlight on the “very best”.

As in several years past, we are opening up the voting to the general public to get their input. Friends and fans of artists, bands, radio stations, programmers, labels and industry professionals can all lend a hand in the nomination process. By the time you are reading this you can direct everybody to our magazine website and have a part in making some music history. Artists that get shanked by the American Music Awards and the Grammys, even though they have had a banner year at radio, have an opportunity to get a well-deserved nomination for this year’s 2011 New Music Awards.

Please keep in mind that one key element in this process is that there has to be some active chart activity for this calendar year in order for artists and bands to have a chance at a nomination. Artists and bands that hit any of our charts either at Top40, Country, Hot AC, College and Internet, all have the opportunity to be acknowledge in a number of categories. It’s also a time to honor music and program directors & radio stations that have been there for many of you throughout this past year. In addition, you can also pay tribute to the hard working men and women in radio promotion, publicity and the record labels. As we all know, it takes a stellar team to make things happen in this business, so here’s your opportunity to say a special “thank you” by helping to render a nomination.

In an attempt to “rally the troupes”, you will need to work at lightning speed as our open nomination on the site will not be there long. We have every hope to make an announcement of all nominations by December. Once those nominations are up, we will begin working on a special Nomination issue. All nominees will then be invited to “campaign away” in an attempt to become winners. We will have special ad rates for that issue and we will try to accommodate as many of you as we can. Once nominations are posted you can then have a hand in choosing the winners. All of the final nominations will be posted throughout the holidays, so you will have ample time to get all of your fans and friends to vote.

The final outcome for this year’s New Music Award winners and nominees will be made up of votes from the sight, a special poll from our radio programmers, along with staff input. As of this writing we are still up in the air with regards to a “live” event, with the hopes that all of that will be figured out soon. What we do know is that all of the nominees will be listed in our very next issue with major press releases sent to the entire music industry. Winners will be announced in the early first quarter of 2012. We wish all of you the very best and we look forward to revealing the outcome to all of you very soon.