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The Northern Music Awards return with an impressive live music lineup

I've prepared 10 different speeches already.

Thomas Melia - 28th January 2025

After their inaugural celebration last year, the Northern Music Awards are back for 2025 and they’ve got some incredible guests ready to soundtrack the night.

As if we Northerners needed any more excuses to celebrate and revel in our achievements, we now have an annual award show dedicated to celebrating our music, as we all know it’s the best in the country. Ah, stuff your modesty, it’s the best in the world.

Last year saw a stripped-back set by Liam Fray (The Courteeners), as well as performances by fellow award winners English Teacher, The Ks and a standing ovation for the first-ever ‘Northern Icon’, Lisa Stansfield.

Now returning for just its second ceremony, not only has the location been revealed but so too has the lineup of live performers set to delight crowds on the night.

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This time it’s Merseyside who gets to welcome this important music night and it’s taking place at the Liverpool Olympia, a stunning 2,000-cap room and one of the city’s most historic live venues.

Performers, nominees, and winners alike will be seated in a venue packed with music royalty, as everyone from Manchester’s very own New Order, contemporaries like Jake Bugg and hometown hero Jamie Webster have all played here. Oh yeah, and some band called The Beatles…

One of the most anticipated performances of this year’s show comes in the form of the Stockport superstars Blossoms, who have been touring up and down the country with their latest release, Gary.

Also helping provide entertainment is indie rockers, The Zutons, who are ready to raise the roof and celebrate Northern music in style, especially after a Richard Ashcroft opening slot last summer.

Chiedu Oraka, an upcoming rapper from Hull, is set to put on a high-octane performance and is also shortlisted for the Newcomer of the Year Award.

Similarly, rising artist and Liverpudlian act Luvcat is also shortlisted and taking to the stage, bringing her unique brand of jazz-influenced romantic rock to her home crowd.

Also nominated for this same title are The KTNA who opened for R’n’B masterclass Janelle Monáe last summer. Other names include Beth McCarthy, Pixey and Seb Lowe.

As Northern music champions, more or less every region is covered from Greater Manchester all the way to Yorkshire, the North East, Lake District and beyond.

There is once again a great focus being pushed onto festivals at this year’s ceremony too, with the already coveted ‘Festival of the Year’ award going to Beat-Herder in Lancashire – but who will claim it this year and from which specific region?

Nominees include: Kendal Calling (Lake District), Tramlines (Sheffield), Neighbourhood (Manchester), Lytham Festival (Lytham Saint Annes), Parklife (Manchester) and Sound City (Liverpool).

The winner of this award championing live music festivals isn’t picked by officials; instead, it’s decided by public vote.

There are 16 awards in total with two new trophies courtesy of ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Industry Rising Star’. Here’s a full list of the awards you can expect at the 2025 Northern Music Awards:

The Northern Music Award 2025, sponsored by Live Nation
Special Recognition Award, sponsored by SJM Concerts
Artist of the Year, sponsored by Ticketmaster
Band of the Year, sponsored by ASM Global
Album of the Year
Music Moment of the Year, sponsored by American Express
Disruptor in Music
Newcomer of the Year
Breakthrough Act of the Year
DJ of the Year
Music and Culture for Wellbeing
Festival of the Year, voted for by readers of The Guide Liverpool
Inspirational Venue of the Year Under 2,000 Capacity, sponsored by Seat Unique
Inspirational Venue of the Year Over 2,000 Capacity, sponsored by Seat Unique
Industry Icon, sponsored by Tysers Live
Industry Rising Star