2015 New Zealand Music Awards celebrating 50th Anniversary

The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with award winning film director, writer, actor and comedian Taika Waititi hosting the evening.

And for the first time this year's awards will be broadcast live on TV3 with the broadcast expected to reach the largest audience in the event's history.

CEO of Recorded Music NZ Damian Vaughan is looking forward to celebrating what is now New Zealand's biggest night in entertainment. "We're enormously excited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Vodafone NZ Music Awards. In half a century, we've seen Ray Columbus and the Invaders win the Golden Disc in 1965 with Till we Kissed to Lorde winning Best Single for Team in 2014. We've recognised some excellent Kiwi music in the past and 2015 is shaping up to be no different. This is certainly one of the strongest years for local releases we've ever had."

Taika Waititi is returning home to New Zealand from directing his latest film in Hawaii to host this year's landmark show.

With his trademark charm and humour, Taika says of the awards, "I'm really excited at being given this opportunity to read out a list of sponsors in front of thousands of people and rub shoulders with some of New Zealand's most talented people who also do music".

The 50th annual Recorded Music NZ Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards ceremony is at Auckland'sVector Arena on Thursday 19 November.

Key dates for this year's Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards:

Technical award finalist's announcement: Thursday 1 October
Finalist's announcement, Legacy award recipient, Technical award winners and Critics' Choice line-up: Tuesday 13 October
Critics' Choice winner: Thursday 5 November

Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards ceremony: Thursday 19 November at Vector Arena.