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.
The 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
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
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
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.
