APMAS-logo2014

Announcing the first AP Music Awards! Get all the details and vote for your favorite artists!

Inaugural Alternative Press Music Awards fueled by Monster Energy Drink to be held at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum on July 21. The show will be hosted by Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and air live on AXS TV.

For almost 30 years, Alternative Press has been the go-to destination as the definitive source for news of the underground music scene. And for one very special night, music’s past, present and future will collide at the inaugural AP Music Awards fueled by Monster Energy Drink on July 21.

The AP Music Awards will be held at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum located on 
the shore of Lake Erie in Cleveland. The show will 
bring together the most talented musicians for one epic night to honor outstanding acts and celebrate the power of music. Fifteen awards in total will be handed out, including Album Of The Year presented by Journeys, Artist Of The Year presented by Monster Energy Drink and Most Dedicated Fans presented by Fearless Records, along with a special Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Victory Records.

Fans can cast their votes in 12 different categories on the APMAS voting page. Voting ends July 15.

Not only will the media company be presenting awards to the most celebrated artists, there will also be exclusive live performances from Fall Out Boy, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, legendary horror-punk mavericks the Misfits, A Day To Remember, All Time Low, Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco, Asking Alexandria, twenty one pilots and many more to be announced, including a few surprise guests.

Alternative Press publisher Mike Shea comments on the launch of this year’s award show: “For nearly 30 years, Alternative Press has been the leading voice in cutting-edge music and lifestyle. Now we can finally have a night of our own. I look forward to celebrating several generations' worth of artists from the ever-growing AP community, from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts to Fall Out Boy to the current Warped Tour headliners. This is not only going to be an amazing night for Alternative Press, but for the true fans, the musicians, the labels and the industry at large. Be prepared for many surprise, once-in-a-lifetime moments sure to be trending worldwide!”

Six-time AP cover star Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 will serve as host for the AP Music Awards. “I'm very pleased with AP's poor decision to choose me as host of the 2014 AP Awards,” Hoppus remarks. “I will do my best to make them regret their selection.”

Other confirmed artists making appearances include Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Korn, Andy Biersack (Black Veil Brides), Machine Gun Kelly and Frankie Palmeri (Emmure), with more to be announced.

Every year, Alternative Press will be honoring a musical trailblazer who has changed the landscape of modern music. It is with great honor that in our inaugural year, Smashing Pumpkins founder Billy Corgan will receive the Alternative Press Vanguard Award, which acknowledges the singer/guitarist’s considerable influence on the alternative-rock canon, from the Pumpkins' neo-psychedelic roots to the driven hard rock powered by his chameleonic vocals and wicked guitar tone—characteristics that have continued to resonate with generations of listeners and musicians over the course of 25 years. “I'm honored and thrilled to be AP's first Vanguard Award recipient,” says Corgan, “as the magazine continues to be a standard bearer for all independent music artists.”

Joan Jett doesn't need an introduction, which is why AP is honoring her and her band the Blackhearts with the AP Icon Award. In her many roles ranging from her stint in the all-female proto-punk band the Runaways, scene statesman (she produced (GI), the debut from notorious L.A. punks the Germs), successful recording artist and feminist icon, Jett helped build the groundwork for America's punk-rock scene with her hard-charging guitar prowess, attitudinal vocals and a string of anthems so positively vibrant, they could've been recorded yesterday.

AXS TV will broadcast the show live to its more than 42 million U.S. household audience. “Alternative Press is one of the most important and influential publications in the music industry,” says AXS TV founder Mark Cuban. “Their unique and uncompromising vision is a perfect fit with the brand of programming AXS TV is known for, and this is reflected in the all-star lineup that will be performing in the show. This is truly an historic event, and we’re proud to be the official broadcaster of this innovative awards show.”

A limited amount of discounted early bird general admission tickets as well as VIP and Monster ticket packages will go on sale Friday via frontgate tickets, April 25 at 10:00 am EDT. Both VIP and Monster packages will include a ticket to the pre-show boat party on the Goodtime II, located right behind the Rock Hall, sets sail at 1:30 p.m. and will include performances by Issues, Ghost Town and Marmozets, three bands recently featured in AP’s 100 Bands You Need To Know In 2014 special.

In addition to Monster Energy Drink, sponsors of the AP Music Awards include Journeys, Fearless Records, Hopeless Records, Sumerian Records, Roadrunner Records, Fueled By Ramen and Victory Records.

The AP Music Awards are produced by Kevin Lyman (founder & CEO of 4FINI) and Josh Bernstein (Golden Gods creator and producer).  Executive Producers are Mike Shea, Dawn Marshman, and Joe Scarpelli.

AP MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES

Artist Of The Year Presented by Monster Energy Drink
A Day To Remember 
Avenged Sevenfold 
Black Veil Brides
Bring Me The Horizon
Fall Out Boy
Of Mice & Men
Panic! At The Disco
Paramore
Pierce The Veil
Sleeping With Sirens

Album Of The Year presented by Journeys
A Day To Remember • Common Courtesy
Avenged Sevenfold • Hail To The King
Black Veil Brides • Wretched And Divine: The Story Of The Wild Ones
Bring Me The Horizon • Sempiternal
Fall Out Boy • Save Rock And Roll 
Paramore • Paramore 
Sleeping With Sirens • Feel
Touché Amoré • Is Survived By 
twenty one pilots • Vessel
The Wonder Years • The Greatest Generation

Artist Philanthropic Award Presented by Sub City / Take Action
All Time Low — Skate4Cancer
Memphis May Fire— peta2
Modern Baseball — 1BlueString
Pierce The Veil — The Keep A Breast foundation
Rise Against — Shirts For A Cure
The Used — Living The Dream Foundation

Best Live Band
A Day To Remember 
All Time Low 
Asking Alexandria
Fall Out Boy
Pierce The Veil
twenty one pilots

Breakthrough Band
The Color Morale
Crown The Empire
Issues
letlive. 
The Story So Far
twenty one pilots

Song of the Year
All Time Low feat. Vic Fuentes • “A Love Like War”
Bring Me The Horizon • “Shadow Moses”
Fall Out Boy • “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)”
Falling In Reverse • “Alone”
Paramore • “Still Into You”
Sleeping With Sirens feat. Machine Gun Kelly • “Alone”

Best International Band
Asking Alexandria (U.K.)
Bring Me The Horizon (U.K.)
Crossfaith (Japan)
Parkway Drive (Australia)
Silverstein (Canada)
Frank Turner (U.K.)

Most Dedicated Fans Presented by Fearless Records 
All Time Low
Avenged Sevenfold 
Black Veil Brides
Mayday Parade
My Chemical Romance
Pierce The Veil

Best Vocalist
Andy Biersack (Black Veil Brides)
Vic Fuentes (Pierce The Veil)
Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens)
Oli Sykes (Bring Me The Horizon)
Brendon Urie (Panic! At The Disco)
Hayley Williams (Paramore)

Best Guitarist
JB Brubaker (August Burns Red)
Synyster Gates (Avenged Sevenfold) 
Phil Manansala (Of Mice & Men)
Jack O’Shea (Bayside)
Chris Rubey (The Devil Wears Prada) 
Jacky Vincent (Falling In Reverse)

Best Bassist
Jeremy Davis (Paramore)
Zack Merrick (All Time Low)
Ryan Neff (Miss May I)
Jaime Preciado (Pierce The Veil)
Devin “Ghost” Sola (Motionless In White)
Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy)

Best Drummer
Jess Bowen (The Summer Set)
Josh Dun (Twenty One Pilots)
Mike Fuentes (Pierce The Veil)
Matt Greiner (August Burns Red)  
Luke Holland (The Word Alive)
Ryan Seaman (Falling In Reverse)