FAQ
Find answers to common questions about the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards and Hall of Fame, including how the process works and how honorees are selected. We’re committed to transparency and providing insight into every step.
Beginning in the 2026, the Eddies Awards introduced an expanded nomination process designed to include more voices from across the local music community.
From Jan. 1–16, the public is invited to submit artists and music professionals for consideration. These submissions help build the nomination pool — they are not the final ballot or list of official nominees. To submit, visit bit.ly/4s5TFUX.
After the submission period closes, an invited panel of music community members reviews all entries and curates the official list of 6–8 nominees per category. Finalists are determined through a combination of electronic voting and panel discussions.
To support a thorough and informed process, both panelists and judges are provided with the quarterly “Local 518 Music (and More)” reports, produced by Andy Gregory of WEXT. These reports, available free on the station’s website, document local releases, including albums, recordings, and videos, and help ensure no work is overlooked. Artists interested in being included should follow submission guidelines on the WEXT website.
Judges are given approximately four weeks to review finalists, with access to recordings, websites, and social media. They are encouraged to vote only in categories where they feel knowledgeable, and participation varies by category.
Award categories continue to evolve over time, with additions and updates based on feedback from judges and the needs of the local music community. Notably, categories were significantly adjusted in 2020 to reflect the impact of the pandemic.
Judges are asked not to nominate or vote for themselves. In the event where votes in a category are very close, electronic votes are checked to ensure this rule is followed.
No, and one award is provided for free to winners; additional copies are available to them (say, for instance, to give to every member of a band) at cost for a brief time period after the award ceremony.
Similar process as the Eddies Awards; the same panel of judges can nominate and vote for admission into the regional Eddies Music Hall of Fame at Universal Preservation Hall.
There is one change: finalists may be moved from one induction class to another to ensure a diversity of genres, eras, and levels of participation in the industry (artists, agents, promoters, radio personalities, etc.) in a class.
The number of nominees may vary from year to year though the goal beginning in 2020 was to admit roughly 6-8 inductees every year.
More on the HOF here.
You must be be nominated by another judge, be an active participant in the local music scene in some capacity, and have particularly strong knowledge of at least one area or genre of the business. New judges are added each year. If you would like to be considered, please fill out this form.
If you have a ticketing question or something urgent, please reach out to the Box Office at Proctors by calling (518) 346-6204. They will respond at their earliest convenience.
If you have a nominee idea, questions about becoming a judge or anything else, please reach out to us through this form. Thank you!