Public Nomination Window (Jan. 1–16)

Beginning January 1, the Eddies will introduce an additional nomination process. We are interested in hearing from a broad range of voices from the local music community.

For two weeks—January 1 through January 16—we will accept public nominations of artists and music professionals for consideration for the 2026 Eddies Music Awards.

This public submission window is not the voting ballot, nor is it the list of final nominees. Instead, it allows the community to help broaden the initial pool of nominations across all categories.

After January 16, our invited music-community nomination panel will review all submissions and curate the official list of 6–8 nominees per category, which will then move on to the standard voting process.

If you are an active member of the Capital Region music ecosystem and would like to be considered for participation in nominating or voting, please visit here.

Updated Submission Requirements for Two Categories

Beginning with the 2026 Eddies, Music Journalist of the Year and Music Photographer of the Year will now have structured submission requirements to ensure clarity, fairness, and a more comprehensive evaluation of each nominee’s work.

Music Journalist of the Year — Updated Criteria

Nominees must reside in Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, or Washington County. Nominees must submit 2–3 pieces of written work published between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025.

Eligible formats include:

Feature articles
Artist profiles
Scene reporting
Cultural coverage
Opinion pieces

Individual pieces should be 1,500–2,000 words. Nominees will be evaluated on the strength of their full submission package.

Music Photographer of the Year — Updated Criteria

Nominees must reside in Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, or Washington County. Nominees must submit 3–5 still photographs taken between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025.

Photos must: