Amadeus Austrian Music Awards

The Amadeus Austrian Music Awards (AAMA) are Austria's most prestigious music awards, organized annually by IFPI Austria since 2000. The awards recognize outstanding achievement in the Austrian music industry across 14 categories spanning genres, live performance, songwriting, and production. The 26th edition took place on March 6, 2026, at the Marx Halle in Vienna, hosted by Tom Neuwirth (Conchita Wurst).

How the Amadeus Awards Work

The AAMA selection process combines public voting and industry professional evaluation:

1. Nominations: IFPI Austria oversees nominations based on Austrian chart performance, streaming data, and industry submissions. In 2026, 52 artists were nominated across 14 categories, including 16 debut nominees.
2. Voting: Winners are determined through a mix of public voting and professional jury voting. The FM4 Award is decided by the FM4 radio audience. The Best Sound category is judged by an expert jury evaluating recording, mixing, and mastering quality.
3. Ceremony: The awards ceremony is held annually in Vienna and broadcast on ORF1. The 2026 edition took place at the Marx Halle under the motto "All Eyes on Music."

Genre categories include Pop/Rock, Hip Hop/Urban, Electronic/Dance, Alternative, Hard and Heavy, Jazz/World/Blues, and Schlager/Volksmusik. Major categories include Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Live Act of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year. A Lifetime Achievement award is presented annually.

Real-World Example: The 2026 Amadeus Awards

At the 26th AAMA on March 6, 2026, Seiler und Speer were the only act to win two awards, taking home both Pop/Rock and Live Act of the Year. Their Live Act win followed their sold-out concert at Vienna's Ernst-Happel-Stadion in July 2025, where they became the first Austrian band to sell out the 50,000-capacity venue, celebrating the 10th anniversary of their album "Ham kummst."

Folkshilfe won Album of the Year for their fifth studio album "bunt." Pizzera and Jaus won Song of the Year for "Zweifelturm," which reached number 3 on the Austrian charts. NENDA won the FM4 Award, and newcomer Caro Fux won Songwriter of the Year for "Aff im Kopf."

RAF Camora won Hip Hop/Urban for the ninth consecutive year. Melissa Naschenweng won Schlager/Volksmusik for the seventh year in a row, setting a new record. Parov Stelar won his eleventh Amadeus in the Electronic/Dance category. Peter Cornelius received the Lifetime Achievement award.

Klangkarussell won Best Sound for their album "Petrichor." OSKA won Alternative for the second consecutive year. Vulvarine won Hard and Heavy, and 5/8erl in Ehr'n won Jazz/World/Blues.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

The Amadeus Awards are specifically designed to recognize Austrian artists, regardless of label size. The 2026 edition featured 16 debut nominees, showing that emerging artists can earn nominations alongside established acts. The Songwriter of the Year category, won by newcomer Caro Fux in 2026, specifically honors composition and is open to artists who may not have major chart success yet.

Winning an Amadeus Award provides significant domestic recognition. Austrian radio stations including ORF and FM4 give increased airplay to winners. The Live Act category, won five times by Seiler und Speer, can directly boost concert ticket sales and festival bookings.

If you are an Austrian artist, ensure your releases are registered with IFPI Austria and that your streaming and sales data is being tracked. Submit your work through the AAMA website during the nomination period. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate the revenue impact of increased streams following a nomination.

Award Categories Explained

The Amadeus Austrian Music Awards present 14 category awards each year. Here is what each category recognizes:

• Album of the Year: Honors the best full-length album by an Austrian artist, judged on overall quality, chart performance, and cultural impact.
• Song of the Year (presented by Hitradio O3): Awards the most successful Austrian single of the year, voted on by O3 listeners from a shortlist of 5 nominees.
• Live Act of the Year (presented by oeticket): Recognizes the best live performer or band, based on tour success, festival appearances, and concert attendance.
• Songwriter of the Year (presented by AKM/AUME): Honors composition and lyric writing excellence. Open to emerging writers who may not have major chart success.
• FM4 Award: Decided by FM4 radio audience vote. Recognizes artists who resonate with the alternative and youth radio audience.
• Best Sound (presented by FAMA): Judged by an expert jury evaluating recording, mixing, and mastering quality. Rewards technical production excellence.
• Pop/Rock: Genre category for Austrian pop and rock artists.
• Hip Hop/Urban: Genre category for Austrian hip hop, rap, and urban music artists.
• Electronic/Dance: Genre category for Austrian electronic and dance music producers and artists.
• Alternative: Genre category for Austrian alternative music artists.
• Hard and Heavy: Genre category for Austrian hard rock and heavy metal artists.
• Jazz/World/Blues: Genre category for Austrian jazz, world music, and blues artists.
• Schlager/Volksmusik: Genre category for Austrian Schlager and folk music artists.
• Lifetime Achievement: Honors an Austrian artist or band for their long-term contribution to the domestic music scene. Selected by IFPI Austria.

Notable Past Winners

The following tables cover the main category winners from 2021 through the most recent ceremony in 2026.

Major Categories:

Genre Categories (2026 winners):

Genre Categories (2025 winners):

RAF Camora has won Hip Hop/Urban for 9 consecutive years (2018 through 2026). Melissa Naschenweng has won Schlager/Volksmusik for 7 consecutive years (2020 through 2026), setting a new record. Parov Stelar won his 11th Amadeus in Electronic/Dance in 2026.

Video Highlights

Eligibility and Submission Info

• Who qualifies: Austrian artists (citizens or residents) who have released music commercially during the eligibility period. Both label-signed and independent artists are eligible.
• How entries are submitted: Artists and labels submit entries through the AAMA website during the annual nomination period. IFPI Austria also uses Austrian chart data, streaming figures, and sales data to identify eligible releases.
• Eligibility period: Releases from the previous calendar year qualify for consideration.
• Deadlines: Submission deadlines are typically announced in late autumn, with nominations revealed in January or February. The ceremony takes place in late February or early March.
• Fees: There is no submission fee for artists or labels. The awards are funded by IFPI Austria and sponsorship partners.
• Registration requirement: Artists should ensure their releases are registered with IFPI Austria and that their streaming and sales data is being tracked. Register with AKM or other PROs for royalty collection.

Similar Awards

• Grammy Awards - The American counterpart for music industry awards
• Brit Awards - The UK's main national music awards
• Echo Music Award - Germany's former national music prize
• Danish Music Awards - Another national music awards ceremony organized by IFPI
• Fonogram Awards - Hungary's national music prizes

Related Resources

• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Project earnings from post-nomination streaming increases
• Tour Revenue Calculator - Plan touring revenue around the Live Act award boost
• PRO (Performance Rights Organization) - Register with AKM or other PROs to collect performance royalties in Austria
• 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue streams alongside awards recognition
• What Is Stem Mastering and Do You Need It - The Best Sound category rewards excellence in production and mastering