WTMD’s Baltimore Alternative Music Awards is a new way of showcasing the area’s best music – from albums to songs to live performances – in our format.  Some of the best music in the world is made right here in our backyard, and WTMD is one of its biggest supporters.

WTMD's Baltimore Alternative Music Awards - Tune in February 15thThe nominees are: *

Song of the Year

No King” — Outcalls

Preaching To the Choir” — Snakes

Shadow” – Andy Bopp – WINNER

On & Off” — Maggie Rogers

Never Look Back” – The Herd of Main Street

Album of the Year

Some Twist” – Michael Nau – WINNER

Sleeping With the Lights On” – June Star

The Far Field” – Future Islands

Destroyers of the Soft Life” – J. Roddy Walston and the Business

The Tower” – Fractal Cat

Artist of the Year

Kurt Deemer Band

Maggie Rogers – WINNER

Snail Mail

Future Islands

Cris Jacobs

In-Studio Live Performance of the Year

EMBODY – WINNER

Fractal Cat album release show

Pocket Bells at the Baltimore Band Block Party

Saturday Morning Tunes Schoolhouse Rock tribute with Blackroot

Lafayette Gilchrist and the New Volcanoes on Baltimore Hit Parade

Best New Artist

Matt Ellin

MyKey

The Lushpockets

Snail Mail – WINNER

Thunder Club

 Best Debut Song

Friends” – Matt Ellin

ETC” – Amazing Bill

Real Boy” – High Gravity Sounds

Monsters in the Dark” — MyKey

Jealous” – A Hoodoo Few – WINNER

Best Vocal Performance

Monsters in the Dark” — MyKey

No King” – Outcalls – WINNER

What It Feels Like” — Pocket Bells

Right Where You Want Me” – The Last Year

On & Off” – Maggie Rogers

Best Music Video

Ran” – Future Islands

Artificial Sin”– Super City – WINNER

On & Off” – Maggie Rogers

It’s Better Now” – Pressing Strings

Love Survive” — Michael Nau

Best Album Artwork

Full Flower” – Us and Us Only – WINNER

No King” – Outcalls

Some Twist” – Michael Nau

Love Deluxe” – ELM

Ride That Wave” – Thee Lexington Arrows

Concert of the Year

J. Roddy Walston and the Business at The Ottobar

Dan Deacon’s “Spiderman of the Rings” 10th anniversary show at 2640 Space – WINNER

Future Islands at The Ottobar

Sun Club’s Baltimore farewell at WTMD’s First Thursday Concert

Baltimore Boom Bap Society’s 6-year anniversary show at The Windup Space

Band We Wish Would Reunite

Myracle Brah

The Chaumonts

Lungfish

Double Dagger

Lake Trout – WINNER

Lifetime Achievement Award

MILTON DUGGER

For decades, Milton Duggar has been a tireless champion of Baltimore’s soul and rhythm and blues musicians.

In 1967, he founded Bay Sound Records, which quickly became one of the area’s top record labels. Its roster included the Bleu Lights, (pronounced “Blue Lights”), Clay Hunt, the Fuzzy Kane Trio and the Chaumonts. Milton himself was the singer of the Chaumonts, a racially integrated soul band featuring a teenage guitarist named Carl Filipiak.

Milton recorded with George Massenburg, who would go on to become one of the world’s best known and most innovative recording engineers.

For years, he was a host of a monthly Doo-Wop radio show on WEAA.

Today, more than 50 years after he founded Bay Sound Records, Milton continues to support Baltimore soul and R&B artists and is a vital part of this city’s musical history.

We are proud to honor Milton Dugger as the recipient of the very first WTMD lifetime achievement award.

*The awards are for music released and performed in 2017.