The very first New Zealand Single of the Year was annointed in 1965 with the Loxene Golden Disc Awards which continued until 1972 when it was replaced by the RATA Awards. Thereafter the name has changed several times as the awards changed or were reworked by the organisers. The concept, however, remains the same: the supreme New Zealand single of the year.
There are two gaps in this list, 1977 and 1991, as in both these years there were no awards and so we've taken the biggest single each year sales-wise. We've done the same in 1976 where, despite their being an award ceremony, no single was named for some forgotten reason.
The Loxene Golden Discs
1. 1965 - Ray Columbus & The Invaders - Till We Kissed (Zodiac)
2. 1966 - Maria Dallas - Tumblin' Down (Viking)
3. 1967 - Mr. Lee Grant - Thanks To You (HMV)
4. 1968 - Allison Durbin - I Have Loved Me A Man (HMV)
5. 1969 - Shane - Saint Paul (HMV)
6. 1970 - Hogsnort Rupert - Pretty Girl (HMV)
7. 1971 - Craig Scott - Smiley (HMV)
8. 1972 - Creation - Carolina (UBA/Viking)
The RATA Awards
9. 1973 - John Hanlon - Damn The Dam (Family/Pye)
10. 1974 - John Hanlon - Is It Natural (Family/Pye)
11. 1975 - Rockinghorse - Thru The Southern Moonlight (EMI)
12. 1976 - Max Merritt & The Meteors - Slippin' Away (Arista)
13. 1977 - Mark Williams - It Doesn't Matter Anymore (EMI)
The RIANZ Awards
The RIANZ (Record Industry Association Of New Zealand) awards were introduced in 1978 and continued in various forms until 1995.
14. 1978 - Golden Harvest - I Need Your Love (Key)
15. 1979 - Th' Dudes - Be Mine Tonight (Key)
16. 1980 - Jon Stevens - Montego Bay (CBS)
17. 1981 - Coup D'Etat - Doctor I Like Your Medicine (Vertigo/PolyGram)
18. 1982 - Prince Tui Teka - E Ipo (Tui/RCA)
19. 1983 - DD Smash - Outlook For Thursday (Mushroom NZ)
20. 1984 - The Narcs - You Took Me (Heart And Soul) (CBS)
21. 1985 - Netherworld Dancing Toys - For Today (Virgin)
22. 1986 - Peking Man - Room That Echoes (CBS)
23. 1987 - Dave Dobbyn - Oughta Be In Love (Magpie/CBS)
24. 1988 - Holidaymakers - Sweet Lovers (Pagan)
25. 1989 - Margaret Urlich - Escaping (CBS)
26. 1990 - The Chills - Heavenly Pop Hit (Flying Nun)
27. 1991 - Push Push - Trippin' (Tall Poppy)
28. 1992 - The Exponents - Why Does Love Do This To Me? (Mercury/PolyGram)
29. 1993 - The Mutton Birds - Nature (Virgin)
30. 1994 - Headless Chickens - Juice/ Choppers (Flying Nun)
31. 1995 - Purest Form - Message To My Girl (Madam X)
The first "Tui".
The Clear Music & Entertainment Awards
In 1996 and 1997 RIANZ and NEOA (New Zealand Entertainment Operators Association) joined forces, sponsored by telco Clear Communications, to present the awards.
32. 1996 - OMC - How Bizarre (Huh!)
33. 1997 - DLT featuring Che Fu - Chains (BMG)
RIANZ Awards
The NEOA and RIANZ cultures did not prove to be a happy mix so in 1998 the two split again.
34. 1998 - Bic Runga - Sway (Sony)
35. 1999 - Che Fu - Scene III (BMG)
36. 2000 - Stellar* - Violent (Sony)
37. 2001 - Fur Patrol - Lydia (Wishbone)
38. 2002 - Che Fu - Fade Away (BMG)
39. 2003 - Goodshirt - Sophie (Cement/EMI)
40. 2004 - Scribe - Stand Up (Dirty)
41. 2005 - Breaks Co-Op - The Otherside (EMI)
42. 2006 - Pluto - Long White Cross (EMI)
The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards
43. 2007 - Evermore - Light Surrounding You (Warner Music)
44. 2008 - Opshop - One Day (Siren)
45. 2009 - Ladyhawke - My Delirium (Modular/Universal)
46. 2010 - Kids of 88 - Just A Little Bit (Dryden St)
47. 2011 - The Naked and Famous - Young Blood (CRS)
48. 2012 - Six60 - Don't Forget Your Roots (Massive)
49. 2013 - Lorde - Royals (Universal)
50. 2014 - Lorde - Team (Universal)