The 2025 Native American Music Awards (NAMMAs) took place yesterday, in Niagara Falls, NY, celebrating the best in Native music this year and showcasing a range of Indigenous artists across traditional and contemporary genres.
Founded in 1998 by music industry veteran Ellen Bello, NAMA is the largest and longest-running music awards program dedicated to Native artists.ย
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The all-volunteer, industry-led organization has become a foundation for Indigenous musicians, giving them a national platform, professional recognition, and a space to preserve and innovate their cultures through music.ย
Each year, nominees are chosen by NAMAโs members, and winners are decided by a combination of membership and public votes, with over a million ballots cast annually.
Hereโs the full list of this yearโs honorees:
Best Alternative Recording: Indian Route 15 โ One Way Sky (Gila River)
Best Americana Recording: Good People โ Indian City (Sagkeeng First Nation/T’Karonto)
Best Blues Recording: The Witch Queen of New Orleans โ Quartz featuring Raven Hernandez and Pat Vegas (Yaqui/Shoshone/Navajo/Chumash)
Best Country Recording: Sandbar Sunsets โ Mickie James (Powhatan)
Best Folk Recording: Just To Be โ Indigie Femme (Navajo/Dinรฉ, Samoan and Mฤori)
Best Hip Hop Recording: Top Mike Bone Tracks โ Lil Mike & Funny Bone (Pawnee)
Best Instrumental Recording: Butterfly Moon โ Michael Charette & Severin Behnen (Ojibwe)
Best Pop Recording: The Light In My Bones โ Annie Humphrey (Ojibwe)
Best R&B Recording: Tribal Roots featuring Edmund Bull โ Tribal Roots (Mรฉtis/Anishinaabe/Cree)
Best Rap Recording: Blessings โ Stella Standingbear (Oglala Lakota)
Best Rock Recording: A Light In The Attic โ Logan Staats (Mohawk)
Best Traditional Roots Recording: Sing. Pray. Love. โ Joel Wood (Cree)
Native Heart Award: Rise Up On Eagle Wings โ Wolfsheart
Best Music Video: REZ CHICK โ Callie Bennett and Keith Secola (Navajo/Ojibwa)
Best Music Video Animation: THE SHE WOLF โ Jimmy Lee Young (Mayan)
Best Music Video Narrative: We Are The Medicine – Native American Flute Music Album โ Max “Wind” Cameo and Wayne “Standing Bear” Snellgrove (Mendota Mdewakanton/Fishing Lake First)
Best Live Music Performance Video: War Bonnet โ Bigfoot
Record of the Year: Wicahpi Olowan Vol. 1 โ Various Artists, Program Managers Talon Bazille Ducheneaux and Tiana Spotted Thunder
