LWM Awards 2023 - Shortlist
It's that time again people, time to boil all that artistic endeavour, soul bearing and beat making down to a list of favourites for the sake of giving this year some sort of closure. For anyone new to the LWM Awards, where have you been? The awards are in their 9th year and there are essentially two rules; you have to be featured on the LWM blog and you can't have won the category in a previous year (exceptions made for the Single, EP and Album categories as the work is different). There is no public vote, no populism and no brown paper envelopes full of cash - just me, my opinions and maybe a whisky to help me celebrate another year of awesome music. Oh, and winners will be announced on Sunday 17th December. Right, let's do this shall we?
Best Band (UK) 2023 Shortlist
 |
| Girl Ray |
Chappaqua Wrestling
Krooked Tongue
Girl Ray
William the Conqueror
Little Thief
Venus Grrrls
Big Special
Previous Winners
2022 Winner – Wooze
2021 Winner – Pattern
Pusher
2020 Winner – Erotic Secrets
of Pompeii
2019 Winner – Dinosaur
Pile-Up
2018 Winner – Black
Futures
2017 Winner – Rews
2016 Winner – Narcs /
Berries
2015 Winner – Allusondrugs
Best Band (South West) 2023 Shortlist
 |
| Harbottle & Jonas |
The
Busketeers
Burr
Island
Haunt
The Woods
Moosehead
Harbottle
& Jonas
The
Issues
Previous Winners
2022 Winner
– Colour TV
2021 Winner
– Long For The Coast
2020 Winner
– Moriaty
2019 Winner
– Pattern Pusher
2018 Winner
– The Velvet Hands
2017 Winner
– The Malthusian Trap
2016 Winner
– Wildwood Kin
2015 Winner – Lost Dawn / Sound of the Sirens
Best Band (International) 2023 Shortlist
Dakota Jones
 |
| Dakota Jones |
Joseph
The HU
NOBRO
Mountain Head
Previous Winners
2022 Winner
– M(h)aol (Republic of Irleand)
2021 Winner
– Monowhales (Canada)
2020 Winner
– Larkin Poe (USA)
2019 Winner
– Fontaines D.C. (Republic of Ireland)
2018 Winner
– The Nectars (USA)
2017 Winner – Parekh & Singh
(India)
2016 Winner
– The Watanabes (Japan)
2015 Winner – Failure
Machine (USA)
---
Best Solo
Male (UK) 2023 Shortlist
Ben Hemming
 |
| Jamie Yost |
Jamie Yost
Gozer Goodspeed
Tycho Jones
Granfalloon
Scott Lavene
Samuel Jack
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner – Joe Hicks
2021 Winner
– Mrley
2020 Winner
– Riaz Ahmad
2019 Winner
– Xam Volo
2018 Winner
– Joshua Kyeot
2017 Winner
– Jamie Lenman
2016 Winner
– Jake Morley
2015 Winner
– Cosmo Sheldrake
---
Best Solo
Male (South West) 2023 Shortlist
Charlie Hewlett
 |
| Taylor Latham |
Luke Scott Dumper
Paul Armer
Josh DC
Taylor Latham
Jon Fazal
James Sebastian
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner
– Andy Quick
2021 Winner
– Jamie Yost
2020 Winner
– Ollie Dixon
2019 Winner
– Samantics
2018 Winner
– Matthew Gordon Price
2017 Winner
– Gozer Goodspeed/Martyn Crocker
---
Best Solo Male
(International) 2023 Shortlist
Ben Harper
 |
| David Kitt |
David Kitt
Adar Alfandari
Braden Lam
Callum Gaudet
Chris Shifflett
Seramic
Previous Winners
2022 Winner – Fantastic
Negrito (USA)
2021 Winner – Yves Paquet
(Belgium)
2020 Winner – Jacknife Lee
(Republic of Ireland)
2019 Winner – Duckwrth
(USA)
2018 Winner – Simon Lynge
(Greenland)
2017 Winner – Noah Gundersen
(USA)
---
Best Solo
Female (UK) 2023 Shortlist
Izo Fitzroy
 |
| Asya Satti |
Zoe Johnston
Asya Satti
Corinne Bailey Rae
NATI. (fka Nati Dreddd)
Mega
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner – Nina Nesbitt
2021 Winner
– Penfriend
2020 Winner
– Tina Boonstra
2019 Winner
– Lauran Hibberd
2018 Winner
– Pip Hall
2017 Winner
– Poppy Ackroyd
2016 Winner
– Joanna Cooke / Lulu James
2015 Winner
– Malka
---
Best Solo
Female (South West) 2023 Shortlist
Sumika
 |
| Sumika |
Saff Juno
Mae Karthauser
Billie Maree
Esme Storm
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner
– Sounds Like Lily
2021 Winner
– Maisy Grace
2020 Winner
– Yazzy
2019 Winner
– Rise
2018 Winner
– Joanna Cooke
2017 Winner
– Rosie the Crow
---
Best Solo Female (International) 2023 Shortlist
Flo Milli
 |
| Flo Milli |
Maple Glider
Bludnymph
Mango In Euphoria
Abby Simone
Emily Gray
Previous Winners
2022 Winner – Jaguar Jonze
(Australia)
2021 Winners – Chaii (New
Zealand)/UPSAHL (USA)
2020 Winner – Madison Beer
(USA)
2019 Winners – Tami Neilson
(Canada/Australia)/Mavis Staples (USA)
2018 Winner
– Grace Inspace (USA)
2017 Winner
– Deqn Sue (USA)
---
Best Single 2023 Shortlist
Corinne Bailey Rae ‘New York Transit Queen’
 |
| Tianna Esperanza |
Ash ‘Like A God’
Tribes of Europe & Barbara Stretch ‘Burned’
Black Grape ‘Milk’
Milkshed. ‘Apex Predator’
Tianna Esperanza ‘Deadbeat Daddy’
Derevolutions ‘Cheetah’
Jon Fazal + Cat Rose + the Scribes ‘Edge of Somewhere, Part 2’
Seramic ‘Ride or Die’
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner – Joe Hicks ‘Mirror Mirror’
2021 Winner
– Fickle Friends ‘Love You To Death’
2020 Winner
– The Clockworks ‘Enough Is Never Enough’
2019 Winner
– Ferris & Sylvester ‘I Dare You’ / Bicuruious ‘I Don’t Do Drugs, I Just
Sweat A Lot’
2018 Winner
– X Ambassadors ‘Joyful’
2017 Winner
– She Makes War ‘I Want My Country Back’ / Moses ‘King Size’
2016 Winner
– Mowbeck ‘Vaseline’ / Childcare ‘Cinema Club’
2015 Winner
– Azu Yeche ‘Lagos’
---
Best EP 2023 Shortlist
Micheal Crean ‘Songs to the Sea’
 |
| The Allergies |
Pollyanna Blue ‘Trials & Tribulations’
Snake Eyes ‘Health’
The Allergies ‘Reconcile’
Frog Dylan ‘EP One’
Maimuna Memon ‘More Than I Bargained For’
Saint Levant ‘From Gaza With Love
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner
– Nobro ‘Love Your Truth Shred Some Gnar’
2021 Winner
– Wooze ‘Get Me To A Nunnery’
2020 Winner
– Tina Boonstra ‘City of Doubt’
2019 Winner
– Sick Joy ‘Them Days’
2018 Winner
– Jones ‘New York’
2017 Winner
– Mux ‘Can You See Who?’
2016 Winner
– Joanna Cooke ‘Wound Up’ / Bare Hunter ‘Dry Rot’
2015 Winner
– Alex Gregory ‘Critical Perfection EP’
---
Best Album 2023 Shortlist
Zoe Johnston ‘Come Back Once More’
Charlotte Carpenter ‘A Modern Rage’
Chappaqua Wrestling ‘Plus Ultra’
Corinne Bailey Rae ‘Black Rainbow’
Ash ‘Race The Night’
The Heavy ‘Amen’
Previous Winners
2022 Winner
– Jamie Lenman ‘The Atheist’
2021
Winners – Zuzu ‘Queensway Tunnel’/UPSAHL ‘Lady Jesus’
2020
Winners – Nana Adjoa ‘Big Dreaming Ants’/Moriaty ‘The Die Is Cast’
2019
Winners – William the Conqueror ‘Bleeding on the Soundtrack’ / X Ambassadors
‘Orion’
2018
Winners – The Nectars ‘Sci-Fi Television’ / Henge ‘Attention! Earth’
2017
Winners – Noah Gundersen ‘White Noise’ / Rews ‘Pyro’
2016
Winners – Narcs ‘A Thinking Animal’ / Jake Morley ‘The Manual
2015
Winners – Lost Dawn / Malka
---
Best Video 2023 Shortlist
The HU ‘Sell The World’
 |
| Big Special |
Erotic Secrets of Pompeii ‘Osiris at the Large Hadron Collider’
Ash ‘Like A God’
Big Special ‘Desperate Breakfast’
Malka ‘What You Get Out’
Erin K ‘Breathe’
Monowhales ‘Hear Me Out’
Previous Winners
2022 Winner
– Wooze ‘Huge Axeman’
2021 Winner
– Middle Kids ‘Questions’
2020 Winner
– Spang Sisters ‘Eddie Murphy’
2019 Winner
– Penguin Café ‘Chapter’
2018 Winner
– Calva Louise ‘Tug of War’ / LibraLibra ‘Tongues’
2017 Winner
– Vei ‘Rolling on You Romeo’
2016 Winner
– Michelle O Faith ‘Lemonade’
2015 Winner
– Husky ‘I’m Not Coming Back’
---
Best Live Show 2023 Shortlist
Jamie Lenman + Blank Atlas + Moosehead @ the Junction, Plymouth
 |
| Patter Pusher |
Muse + Royal Blood @ Home Park, Plymouth
Reef + Mother Vulture @ The Depo, Plymouth
Pet Shop Boys @ the Eden Project, Cornwall
Incubus @ the Eden Project, Cornwall
Madonna @ the Ziggo Arena, Amsterdam
Pattern Pusher @ Tunes in the Park, Cornwall
Ellie Gowers + Billie Maree @ the Barrel House Ballroom, Totnes
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner
– Bicurious @ The Junction, Plymouth
2021 Winner
– Bailey Tomkinson @ Panda Fest, Lanivet
2020 Winner
– Wille Edwards & Andy Quick @ the Village Hall, Downderry
2019 Winner
– Shihad @ the Thekla, Bristol
2018 Winner
– Looe Saves the Day Festival, Looe
2017 Winner
– Wildwood Kin @ The Brook Inn, Plymouth
2016 Winner
– Blogtober 2016 feat. Berries/Pattern Pusher/Seaker/Jamie Yost/Rosa
Belle
2015 Winner
– Tankus the Henge @ Looe Music Festival
---
Best Name 2023 Shortlist
Bludnymph
 |
| Pigeon Wigs |
Black Belt
Eagle Scout
Frog Dylan
Chappaqua
Wrestling
Meatraffle
Pigeon Wigs
All Day
Breakfast Cafe
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner
– Robocobra Quartet
2021 Winner
– Mandrake Handshake
2020 Winner
– Death By Unga Bunga
2019 Winner
– Those Fucking Snowflakes
2018 Winner
– Have You Ever Seen the Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS?
2017 Winner
– Playboy Manbaby
2016 Winner
– Yes Babez! / Taco Hell / Queen of Jeans
2015 Winner
– Get Inuit / Rangleklods
---
Best Debut 2023 Shortlist
Maisy Grace ‘Based On A True Story’
 |
| Maisy Grace |
Comfort ‘What’s Bad Enough?’
milkshed. ‘Apex Predator’
Mothman, the Man ‘1000 Eyes’
Fe Salomon ‘Living Rooms’
Twat Union ‘UTI’
Previous Winners
2022 Winners – Peaness ‘World Full Of Worry’/
The Assist ‘Council Pop’
2021 Winner
– DEJA ‘Intro EP’
2020 Winner
– Nana Adjoa ‘Big Dreaming Ants’
2019 Winner
– Gazel ‘Gazel’s Book of Souls’
2018 Winner
– Georgia Fearn ‘Perfect on Paper’
2017 Winner
– Black Futures ‘Karma, Ya Dig?’
2016 Winner
– Berries ‘Siren’
2015 Winner
– Vanessa Forero ‘Heaven Knows’
---
Best Year 2023 Shortlist
Tors
 |
| Izo Fitzroy |
Mega
Big Special
Flo Milli
Chappaqua Wrestling
Izo Fitzroy
Burr Island
Previous
Winners
2022
Winners – Peaness/The Assist
2021 Winner
- Cherym
2020 Winner
– Lack of Afro
2019 Winner
– Deux Furiesues
2018 Winner
- Idles
2017 Winner
- Cassels
2016 Winner
– Wildwood Kin
2015 Winner
– Sound of the Sirens
---
Best PR 2023 Shortlist
Beast PR
Big Mouth Publicity
Rap And Soul Promotion
Auteur Research
LPR Agency
A Badge of Friendship
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner
– Stay Golden PR
2021 Winner
– Wall of Sound PR
2020 Winner
– Sonic PR
2019 Winner
– Prescription PR
2018 Winner
– Fine Company
2017 Winner
– Cannonball PR
2016 Winner
– Wilful Publicity
2015 Winner
– Hannah Gould Music PR
---
Best Label 2023 Shortlist
RCA
One Line Independent
FatCat Records
Partisan Records
Venn Records
Easy Life Records
Not Saints
Previous
Winners
2022 Winner
- Jalapeno Records
2021 Winner
– Tantrum Records
2020 Winner
– Alcopop! Records
2019 Winner
– Say Something Records
2018 Winner
– Integrity Records
2017 Winner
– Cooking Vinyl
2016 Winner
– Superfan 99
2015 Winner – Clue Records