Get ready to vote – the 2024/2025 Austin Music Poll has landed!

From Band and Album of the Year to specific genre, instrument, and industry awards, 53 categories attempt to celebrate the movers and shakers who made 2024 another great year for the Live Music Capital of the World. As the newly named Chronicle Music and Culture editor, it was a delight to consult the 500-plus creatives in our nominating body in curating this run of Music Poll finalists.

See the full list of nominees in this week’s paper on p.6 and make your selections at vote.austinchronicle.com through Monday, Jan. 20. If you vote in 25 or more categories, you’ll be entered to win a 2025 South by Southwest Music wristband.

We’ll announce the winners in the Feb. 28 issue of the Chronicle, then celebrate them properly at the Austin Music Awards, which return to Antone’s Nightclub on March 2.

Gruene Hall

HEEEEEYYY Gruene Family!! Stop and jam with us!!! See you there!

MoMojo Recording Artists Rochelle & The Sidewinders 

are an award winning, high-energy blues rock band based out of Austin Texas. The Sidewinders have performed as the headlining and support act at dozens of major music festivals throughout Texas, as well as many of the high profile music venues around the state. Formed during the summer of 2015, The Sidewinders have released four full length CD's to great critical acclaim.

Live at the 13th Floor - Come out to see two of our Wavemakers perform live from the band , Stella and The Very Messed.

Full Lineup - Amazing Transparent Man, Stella and The Very Messed, Ram Vela and The Easy Targets, Capitalist Kids

Shelley King has been busy; Busier than ever touring relentlessly with Carolyn Wonderland’s band for the last several years. But the road has not kept her from working tirelessly on her own music and the creativity has flowed in magical ways for King. "Madam Mystic" marks Shelley King’s 10th album release and the third album on which Shelley King has collaborated with John Magnie and Steve Amedée, members of the renowned New Orleans group, the subdudes.
This album is truly a testament to the power of collaboration and the magic that can arise when talented musicians come together.

Iconic Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, producer and philanthropist, Mary J. Blige is a figure of inspiration, transformation and empowerment making her one of the defining voices of the contemporary music era. With a track record of eight multi-platinum albums, nine Grammy Awards (plus a staggering 32 nominations), two Academy Award nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, and a SAG nomination, among many other accolades, Blige has cemented herself as a global superstar. And in the ensuing years, the singer/songwriter has attracted an intensely loyal fan base— responsible for propelling worldwide sales of more than 50 million albums.

"All the vibe in the world." - Rolling Stone (http://tinyurl.com/a4bela7)

Suzanna Choffel is many things: a rising star, an undeniable musical force and a unique voice (a “honeyed husk,” as it’s been posited) who feels equally at home singing in a dimly-lit, smoky club as she does front and center in front of millions.

Easy to love, difficult to define: credit Choffel’s restless creative spirit. And also credit the Austin TX native’s musical upbringing. The singer’s given name was inspired by her mother’s love of Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne.” At an early age, the budding star had already taken up piano, saxophone and guitar; she even composed her own songs on a keyboard and recorded them into a karaoke machine.

Bonnie Whitmore is not new to the music business. For the last two decades, she’s played bass and sung with some of the biggest artists in the Americana genre: Hayes Carll, John Moreland, Eliza Gilkyson, Sunny Sweeney, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock, to name a few. She’s also maintained a weekly residency at the legendary Continental Club Gallery in Austin, where she lives.

Texas's Country Sweetheart. With rockabilly roots and a heartache-meets-honky-tonk voice, Kelly Willis has been labeled a country ingénue. As a new traditionalist singer/songwriter, her tunes effortlessly combine the storytelling and strings aspects of country music and the driving force of rock.

Casper Rawls hosts songwriters BettySoo, Tommy Taylor, and a surprise guest!

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will honor the best recordings, compositions, and artists from September 16, 2023, to August 30, 2024, as chosen by the members of the Recording Academy, on February 2, 2025.

Learn More …

Join us on the evening of Thursday, December 12th for the Wavemakers Christmas Concert at Austin’s 04 Center!

Featuring SUZANNA CHOFFEL, WENDY COLONNA, ERIN IVEY, LURLEEN LADD. Accompanied by EDDY HOBIZAL / KEYS, EVIN MCKINNEY /GUITAR, DAVID PULKINGHAM / GUITAR, CHRIS MARESH / BASS, KYLE THOMPSON / DRUMS, ERIN FRAZIER / BACKING VOCALIST, ANDRE HAYWARD / TROMBONE, MIKE SAILORS / TRUMPET, JOSEPH SERRATO / TENOR SAX