We are pleased to announce the nominees for this year’s fifth annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards. Like the past two years, the nominating process was completely fan driven. We received so many nominations that we expanded the number of nominees in each category from seven to eight. We also added two new ones: “Video of the Year” and “Country Artist of the Year.”

As to how the nominees were selected, we simply took the top eight artists who received the most nominations and placed them in each category. Some bands received as many as 50 nominations. Anyone who won an award in a specific category last year is ineligible to be nominated for that same award this year. Public voting begins today and lasts until 11:45 PM on Friday, Jan. 25.

An all-ages awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 16, at the Rock Junction in Coventry, RI, where the winners will be revealed. Advanced tickets can be purchased online at this link: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/315633.

Check out the list of nominees below and be sure to vote in our poll at this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/limelightmagazinereaderspoll. Only one vote per computer (or IP address) counts.

N.E. Tribute Band of the Year

Beast over Boston: Tribute to Iron Maiden

The Great Escape: Tribute to Journey

Gun Powder Gelatine:Tribute to  Queen

Holy Diver: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio

Human Clay: Tribute to Creed

Klassik Kiss: Tribute to Kiss

Lotus Land: Tribute to Rush

LoveSexy: Tribute to Prince

Live Act of the Year

Awesome Express

Jeff Byrd & Dirty Finch

Indiana Handshake

Tony Jones & The Cretin 3

Lansdowne

Lisa Markovich & Beyond Blonde

Fly Kite Canvas (previously Scarlet)

Thurskills Vision

Female Vocalist of the Year

Lauren Bateman

Keturah Burgess

Dorian Havers

Tammy Laforest Schneider

Erin Elizabeth Ollis

Jessica Prouty

Jessica Scalese

Jenny White

Male Vocalist of the Year

Corey Amaral

Joseph L. Auger

Walter Barlow

Norman Bishop

Mark Cutler

Steven Scott Haidaichuk

Spogga Hash

Jesse Liam

Album/EP of the Year By Group

Closer Than We Appear – Evaluating Expressions

Fall and Bounce – Kickknack Avalanche

The Few – Headstock

Hemlok – A Cautionary Tale

Omega Reign – Arise

Satellites Fall – Lines On The Road

A Simple Complex – Come Undone

We Own Land – The Plan

Album/EP of the Year By Solo Act

Chris Allen – The Power of Chris Compels You

Sam Chase – Every Time I’m Home

Ian James – Grand Delusions

Brian Jarvis – Beautifully Broken

Ken Macy – Outlines

Jay Psaros – Simply

Hayley Reardon – Where The Artists Go

Sarah Swain – Every Little Bird

Metal Act of the Year

Bigtalkahh

A Dying Breed

The Folly of Man

Fuel of War

Nothing Left to Give

Omega Reign

Santagata

To Die This Night

Country Artist of the Year

Krista Angelucci

Dalton and the Sheriffs

Kiley Evans

Brianna Grace

Highway Ghosts

Shanna Jackman

Ashley Jordan

Erin Ollis

Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Closer Than We Appear

Consuelo’s Revenge

Tammy Laforest Schneider

Nymphidels

popALERT

Carlin Tripp

Weld Square

Zanois

Video of the Year

Krista Angelucci – “C R E E P”

Birch Hill Dam – “Fathom’s Below”

Sarah Blacker – “Knocked the Winds”

Brad Byrd – “On My Way Down”

Ashley Jordan – “Fading Away”

J. Kelley Band-“Shake You”

Greg Lato – “Help You Out”

PopALERT – “I Don’t’ Deserve It”

Singer-Songwriter of the Year

Joseph L. Auger

Samuel Bowen

Nick Duane

Joanne Lurgio

Amanda McCarthy

Danielle Miraglia

Hayley Reardon

Carly Tefft

Song of the Year

“Only Human” by Bigtalkahh

“One More Spin Around” by Kiley Evans

“Second Time Around” by Brianna Grace

“Wicked” by Sara Leketa

“Won’t Ever Quit” by Joanne Lurgio

“I Don’t Deserve It” by popALERT

“One Night” by Satellites Fall

“Silver Wishes” by Jenn Zapata and the Dan Kirouac Band

Band of the Year

City of Squares

Dead Nobodies

For the Love of Sloane

J. Kelley Band

Lisa Markovich & Beyond Blonde

The Mighty Good Boys

Grace Morrison and the SRO

Naked Stills