Heavy Music Awards 2023 nominations revealed - VOTE NOW

The event takes place at London's OVO Arena Wembley this May

Halestorm's Lzzy Hale, Vukovi's Janine Shilstone and Ghost's Papa Emeritus IV
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 14th Mar 2023
Last updated 14th Mar 2023

The finalists have been revealed for the seventh annual Heavy Music Awards.

Kerrang! Radio is extremely proud to be the official radio partner for the event, which takes place on Friday 26th May 2023 at London’s OVO Arena Wembley making it the biggest rock music awards ceremony ever held in the UK.

Once again celebrating the most influential and ground-breaking artists and creatives in the heavy music world, Scottish two-piece Vukovi lead the charge with five prestigious nominations - Best Album, Best Production and Best Album Artwork for their acclaimed third record ‘NULA’, plus Best UK Artist and Best UK Live Artist.

Heavy Music Awards with Kerrang! Radio

Vukovi lead vocalist Janine Shilstone says: “Being the first and only band to receive 5 nominations in one year in the history of the HMAs has given us such a sense of purpose and achievement. We feel seen, and we feel heard.

“My younger self would be so proud of me and everything I’ve overcome at this point. I’m so excited about the future of female and non-binary in this genre and industry. There is room for EVERYONE”.

Vukovi

Not too close behind Vukovi are Nova Twins, Halestorm and Ghost with four nods apiece, while Witch Fever, Architects, Static Dress and Cassyette are all up for three gongs.

Other artists who have picked up nominations across the various categories include Slipknot, Creeper, Skindred, Enter Shikari, Biffy Clyro, Sleep Token, My Chemical Romance, Parkway Drive, Wargasm, Neck Deep and many more.

Brand new for this year, the Best Breakthrough Live Artist nominations feature Witch Fever, As Everything Unfolds, Cassyette, Heriot, Joey Valence & Brae, Lake Malice and Static Dress.

The Best Festival category will see Download Festival, Slam Dunk, Hellfest, Outbreak, BMTH Malta Weekender, Aftershock and 2000Trees all fight it out for the honour.

Nova Twins

Vote for the Heavy Music Awards nominees:

The shortlist for the Heavy Music Awards has been crafted by a panel of almost 1,000 industry experts, and now YOU get the chance to vote for the winners.

Voting is open RIGHT HERE for exactly one month until Friday 14th April.

Vote for the Heavy Music Awards nominees

Kerrang! Radio’s very own Alex Baker and Alyx Holcombe will host the ceremony alongside Nels Hylton.

Alex Baker says: "I am absolutely stoked to be back for another year, hosting an event that I so passionately believe in.

"It's been a genuine pleasure to be a part of The HMAs as it’s grown and grown each year... and walking out on stage at Wembley this year is going to be something else.

"The nominees are utter FIRE and I can't wait to share such a special evening with the best music fans on earth.”

Alyx Holcombe adds: “The HMAs have finally got the huge arena they deserve for the best night celebrating alternative music.”

Andy Pritchard of the HMAs enthuses: “Once again the HMA finalists showcase the spectacular breadth of talent across the rock and metal scene. To see so many different styles and sub-genres represented - in addition to the diversity across all the artists - proves once again that the heavy music landscape is as vibrant and non-apologetic as ever.”

He continues: “For us, it’s another chance to send the wider world a reminder that there is life-affirming, vital music being created every single day by people from all backgrounds.

“Since we started this journey in 2017, we’ve been committed to building the HMAs, and kicking down as many walls as we can to give these incredible artists a platform they can be proud of.

“Staging the biggest ever rock awards show is our most ambitious step yet, but we’ll keep pushing. We can’t wait to welcome everyone for what will be a crazy and memorable night in May!”

The Heavy Music Awards 2023 nominatons:

BEST ALBUM:

Architects - The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit

Bad Omens - The Death of Peace of Mind

Ghost - Impera

Halestorm - Back From The Dead

Nova Twins - Supernova

Slipknot - The End, So Far

Vukovi – NULA

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ALBUM:

Bloodywood - Rakshak

Cassyette - Sad Girl Mixtape

Charlotte Sands - Love And Other Lies

Heriot - Profound Morality

Static Dress - Rouge Carpet Disaster

Wargasm - EXPLICIT: The MiXXXtape

Witch Fever – Congregation

BEST UK ARTIST:

Presented by MNRK Heavy

Bob Vylan

Creeper

Holding Absence

Malevolence

Nova Twins

Sleep Token

Vukovi

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST:

Presented by Arising Empire

Bad Omens

Electric Callboy

Ghost

Halestorm

I Prevail

Polyphia

Spiritbox

BEST UK LIVE ARTIST Presented by Allianz Musical Insurance:

Biffy Clyro

Creeper

Enter Shikari

Neck Deep

Nova Twins

Skindred

Vukovi

BEST INTERNATIONAL LIVE ARTIST:

Alexisonfire

Electric Callboy

Ghost

Halestorm

My Chemical Romance

Parkway Drive

Turnstile

BEST BREAKTHROUGH LIVE ARTIST:

As Everything Unfolds

Cassyette

Heriot

Joey Valence & Brae

Lake Malice

Static Dress

Witch Fever

BEST UK BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST:

As December Falls

Blackgold

Cody Frost

Delilah Bon

Kid Bookie

Lake Malice

ZAND

BEST INTERNATIONAL BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST:

Charlotte Sands

Chat Pile

LS Dunes

Scene Queen

Scowl

Soul Blind

ZULU

BEST FESTIVAL Presented by Ticketmaster:

2000Trees

Aftershock

BMTH Malta Weekender

Download

Hellfest

Outbreak

Slam Dunk

BEST SINGLE:

Architects - When We Were Young

Bring Me The Horizon - sTraNgeRs

Creeper - Ghost Brigade

Enter Shikari - The Void Stares Back ft. Wargasm

Ghost - Call Me Little Sunshine

Ithaca - They Fear Us

Neck Deep – STFU

BEST PRODUCTION:

Architects - The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit

Bad Omens - The Death of Peace of Mind

Halestorm - Back From The Dead

Ithaca - They Fear Us

Rolo Tomassi - Where Myth Becomes Memory

Static Dress - Rouge Carpet Disaster

Vukovi – NULA

BEST VIDEO:

Cassyette - Sad Girl Summer

Coheed And Cambria - The Liars Club

Electric Callboy - Hurrikan

Motionless In White - Werewolf

Nova Twins - Choose Your Fighter

Parkway Drive - Glitch

Polyphia - Playing God

BEST ALBUM ARTWORK:

Coheed And Cambria - Vaxis – Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind

Malevolence - Malicious Intent

Parkway Drive - Darker Still

Polyphia - Remember That You Will Die

Vukovi - NULA

Witch Fever - Congregation

Zeal & Ardor - Zeal & Ardor

Vote for the Heavy Music Awards nominees

28 rock bands named after real people:

Pink Floyd

Rock legends Pink Floyd took their moniker from the given names of two Piedmont blues artists that Syd Barrett had in his record collection, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.

Pink Floyd - Pink Anderson and Floyd Council

Photos of Pink Anderson and Floyd Council at the Pink Floyd exhibition Their Mortal Remains at London's Victoria and Albert Museum in 2017.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd are named after high school gym teacher Leonard Skinner who taught Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, and Bob Burns at Robert E. Lee High School in Florida in the 1960s. Skinner was reportedly notorious for enforcing the school's policy against boys having long hair, and the Lynyrd Skynyrd band name was seen as an act of rebellion against him.

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Leonard Skinner

A high school yearbook photos of Leonard Skinner in 1969. He died in 2010 aged 77.

The Yardbirds

The influential British band's name was partially inspired by the nickname of American jazz saxophonist Charlie 'Yardbird' Parker. It's also the name given to rail yard hobos in Jack Kerouac's 1957 novel On the Road.

The Yardbirds - Charlie 'Yardbird' Parker

Jazz musician Charlie 'Yardbird' Parker in 1955 – the year of his death aged just 34.

Ramones

New York punk trailblazers Ramones were named by Dee Dee Ramone (Douglas Glenn Colvin) after Paul McCartney's briefly adopted pseudonym Paul Ramon in his Silver Beetles days in 1960.

Ramones - Paul Ramon with The Silver Beetles

Paul McCartney (aka Paul Ramon) performs with The Silver Beetles in 1960. John Lennon and George Harrison were also in the group.

The Hollies

The Hollies' co-founder Graham Nash revealed in a 2009 interview that they coined their band just moments before they were due to step on stage at the Oasis Club in Manchester in December 1962. The name comes from their admiration for Buddy Holly.

The Hollies - Buddy Holly

Rock legend Buddy Holly in the late 1950s who inspired The Hollies band name. He died aged just 22 in the 3rd February 1959 plane crash that also claimed the lives of Ritchie Valens, "The Big Bopper" J. P. Richardson and their pilot Roger Peterson. It was later known as 'The Day the Music Died.'

Tesla

Previously called City Kidd, the Sacramento rockers renamed themselves Tesla in homage to inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla during the recording of their debut album 'Mechanical Resonance' in 1986. Some of the band's song and album titles nod towards Nikola Tesla too.

Tesla - Nikola Tesla

An 1890 photo of 34-year-old inventor Nikola Tesla. He lived until he was 84 and was famously portrayed by David Bowie in the 2006 movie The Prestige.

Jethro Tull

With Ian Anderson struggling to settle on a name for his band in the late 1960s (names included Navy Blue, Ian Henderson's Bag o' Nails, and Candy Coloured Rain), a member of the band's booking agent's staff christened them Jethro Tull after the 18th-century agriculturist.

Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull, who helped to bring about the British Agricultural Revolution of the 18th century. He perfected a horse-drawn seed drill in 1701 that economically sowed the seeds in neat rows, and later developed a horse-drawn hoe. What a guy!

Creedence Clearwater Revival

In 1967 the band toyed with renaming themselves Muddy Rabbit, Gossamer Wump, and Creedence Nuball and the Ruby, however they settled on Creedence Clearwater Revival with the 'Creedence' a nod towards guitarist Tom Fogerty's friend Credence Newball.

Crazy Horse

Formerly known as The Rockets, the American band became known as Crazy Horse in 1969 when they first teamed up with Neil Young. The band was named after the 19th Century Sioux Tribe leader Crazy Horse.

Crazy Horse

The Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Work began on the sculpture in 1948 and it's still unfinished.

ZZ Top

Billy Gibbons took direct inspiration from blues artists BB King and ZZ Hill as he liked the way the initials sounded in their stage names. He was initially going to call his band ZZ King but became concerned it sounded to similar to the original artist. Gibbons ultimately settled on ZZ Top as he remarked the "king is at the top."

ZZ Top - BB King and ZZ Hill

Late blues icons BB King and ZZ Hill.

Greta Van Fleet

The retrogressive rockers are named after a bluegrass musician called Gretna VanFleet, who hails from their home town of Frankenmuth, Michigan. Although Greta Van Fleet didn't initially ask her for permission, the 93-year-old subsequently gave them her blessing.

Molly Hatchet

Just like their fellow Jacksonville rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet were named after a real person. Molly Hatchet's moniker is more steeped in history, however, as they're named after an infamous 17th-century axe murderess dubbed 'hatchet molly'.

Kasabian

Leicester indie rockers Kasabian take their name from Linda Kasabian who was a member of Charles Manson's cult, the Manson Family, in the late 1960s and 1970s. Linda Kasabian was present at both the Tate and LaBianca murders committed by the cult in 1969, but received immunity for her testimony as a key witness in the trial of Manson.

Kasabia - Linda Kasabian

Linda Kasabian at a press conference in 1970. She passed away on 21st January 2023 aged 73.

Mookie Blaylock (Pearl Jam)

Huge fans of the New York Jets basketball player Mookie Blaylock, the Seattle rockers decided to name their band in his honour. After playing a series of shows as Mookie Blaylock, they renamed themselves Pearl Jam in October '90 after signing to Epic Records.

Mookie Blaylock (Pearl Jam) - Mookie Blaylock

Basketball player Mookie Blaylock when he played for Golden State Warriors

Franz Ferdinand

Scottish indie rockers Franz Ferdinand are named after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria whose assassination in Sarajevo in June 1914 sparked World War I.

Franz Ferdinand - Archduke Franz Ferdinand

A portrait of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.

Dead Kennedys

The politicised punk rockers' somewhat controversial name references the deceased members of the Kennedy family, including the assassinated President John F. Kennedy. Guitarist East Bay Ray said they weren't trying to insult the Kennedys. "The assassinations were in much more poor taste than our band," he argued. "We actually respect the Kennedy family. When JFK was assassinated, when Martin Luther King was assassinated, when RFK was assassinated, the American Dream was assassinated. Our name is actually homage to the American Dream."

Dead Kennedys - John F Kennedy

The 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in November 1963.

Kings of Leon

The three Followill brothers (Caleb, Jared and Nathan) and their cousin Matthew named Kings of Leon after their grandfather Leon Followill, who died in January 2014.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Founder and leader Anton Newcombe named his band after late-great Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones and the 1978 Jonestown Massacre.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Brian Jones

Late-great Rolling Stones guitarist, founder and original leader Brian Jones in 1964.

Jimmy Eat World

Jimmy Eat World indirectly take their moniker from guitarist Tom Linton's brother Jim. He explained in 1999: "My brother Jim beat up my younger brother Ed, and Jim ran into his room and locked his door, and Ed drew this picture that said 'Jimmy Eat World', and it was a picture of him eating the world. My brother Jim is kind of a big guy. A stupid name."

The Dandy Warhols

The Oregon alt-rockers' name is a play on the name of revered American pop artist Andy Warhol.

The Dandy Warhols - Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was an artist and experimental filmmaker and one of the founders of the Pop Art movement.

Melvins

Melvins are named after a man called Melvin who was frontman Buzz Osborne's supervisor when he worked at a supermarket in Montesano, Washington. The real Melvin was widely disliked by staff and Osborne thought it would be a gloriously ridiculous name for his band.

James Gang

James Gang are named after the 19th-century gang of American outlaws led by Jesse James. The band's final album 'Jesse Comes Home' references Jesse James and the artwork features a painting of the folk hero riding off into the sunset.

James Gang - Jesse James

Jesse James (5th September 1847 to 3rd April 1882) was an American outlaw, gang leader, bank robber, train robber, and murderer from the state of Missouri and the most famous member of the James-Younger Gang.

The Dillinger Escape Plan

Morris Plains metalcore merchants The Dillinger Escape Plan were christened by their friend Matt Makowski after he watched a documentary about 1930s bank robber John Dillinger, who made multiple escapes from jail.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - John Dillinger

Bank robber John Herbert Dillinger in a colourised photo from 1933. He was shot dead while running from police the following year aged just 31.

Hootie and the Blowfish

In 1986, American soft rockers Hootie and the Blowfish named themselves after the nicknames of two friends from college – 'Hootie' was Ervin Harris, and 'Blowfish' was Donald Feaster. ·

Van Der Graaf Generator

A few months after the death of pioneering American physicist Robert J. Van de Graaff in January 1967, Chris Judge Smith paid homage by christening his and Peter Hammill's newly formed band Van Der Graaf Generator after the scientist's famous high-voltage generators.

Van Der Graaf Generator - Robert J. Van de Graaff

Robert J. Van de Graaff with a spherical atom-bursting terminal in 1933.

Jane’s Addiction

Jane's Addiction's name honours Perry Farrell's housemate, Jane Bainter, who was their muse and inspiration. Farrell's then girlfriend Casey Niccoli initially suggested the name 'Jane's Heroin Experience' but Farrell decided to tweak the idea.

Dropkick Murphys

The American Celtic punk band are named after professional wrestler and sanatorium owner John 'Dropkick' Murphy, who died age 66 in 1977.

The Marshall Tucker Band

South Carolina rockers The Marshall Tucker Band are named after a blind piano tuner from Columbia, South Carolina. While rehearsing in a warehouse in their embryonic days, the fledgling band saw the name 'Marshall Tucker' inscribed on a key. They dubbed themselves The Marshall Tucker Band and later discovered the real Marshall Tucker had previously hired the rehearsal space. Marshall Tucker died in January 2023 at the ripe old age of 99.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Liverpool 80s pop icons Frankie Goes to Hollywood take their indirectly name from legendary crooner Frank Sinatra. The moniker is lifted from the words 'Frankie goes to Hollywood' on a 1940s billboard poster announcing a Frank Sinatra movie.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Ol' Blue Eyes himself Frank Sinatra in 1945.

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