AMI Awards 2026 Introduces Four New Categories to Celebrate Indonesian Music Diversity

The AMI Awards are back for their 29th edition, celebrating the diversity of Indonesian music under the theme 'Nusantara Tone Space.' This year's event introduces four new categories, recognizing the growing vibrancy and creativity within the nation's music industry. A total of 5,360 song entries were curated for this edition, reflecting a significant increase in submissions. The theme 'Nusantara Tone Space' highlights Indonesia as an inexhaustible source of sound, encompassing everything from traditional heritage music and regional instruments to contemporary works. This reflects a high appreciation for the unique creativity that defines the Indonesian music landscape. The four new categories introduced are: Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album, Best Ethno Music Production, Best Hip-Dut Production, and Best East Party Song Production. The event is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. A press conference held on September 21, 2026, at the Fairmont Hotel Senayan, Jakarta, featured emerging talents like Kev NPD, Naura, Mingse, Akbar Chalay, and the new girl group Marbles, who became an AMI nominee just four months after their debut. Their presence underscores the encouragement for artists to pursue their creative endeavors. "Honestly, I never expected it, because we just debuted four months ago and we were nominated. This is our responsibility to continue to make better works in the future," said a representative of Marbles. Candra Darusman, General Chair of AMI, along with representatives from the categorization team, expressed their admiration for the quality of nominated works, stating, "Seeing all the works that were nominated, if I could, I would make a trophy factory, I would give them all. Because there are so many good works." The AMI Awards aim to further spur the spirit of creation within the Indonesian music community. Information Source: VOI English