https://www.hauraki.co.nz/rss NZME 2026-10-26T21:28:52.952Z en https://www.hauraki.co.nz/gigs-events/live-broadcast-from-bunnings-glenfield/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/gigs-events/live-broadcast-from-bunnings-glenfield/ We are getting behind Movember this year with our mates at Bunnings Trade Kick off Movember with Jerry & Manaia at Bunnings Glenfield Auckland this Friday from 7 to 9am Support Movember and join us there. Hauraki also have your chance to win Bunnings gift cards  by pinning the mo on the show - Jerry & Manaia - plus free brekkie and great yarns. If you aren't in Auckland you can still head to your local Bunnings for a free trade brekkie this Friday 30th Oct. Wear your support this Movember with a limited edition Bunnings Trade x Movember flannel shirt.Only $49 We are getting behind Movember this year with our mates at Bunnings Trade 100% of profits donated to Movember. Grab yours today, from your local Bunnings.  Available while stocks last in sizes M - 4XL Check it out here Sign up below to become an official member of our Great NZ'er Club - an exclusive club of fellow great Kiwis. Your lifelong membership entitles you to exclusive 'member only' deals, comps, and announcements straight to your inbox + bragging rights with your mates! (function(d,s,id,u){ if (d.getElementById(id)) return; var js, sjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], t = Math.floor(new Date().getTime() / 1000000); js=d.createElement(s); js.id=id; js.async=1; js.src=u+'?'+t; sjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, sjs); }(document, 'script', 'os-widget-jssdk', 'https://www.opinionstage.com/assets/loader.js')); Yarns and tunes, give us a hoon! 2026-10-27T08:45:48.371Z https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/hauraki-breakfast-melbourne-sweepstake/ https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/hauraki-breakfast-melbourne-sweepstake/ We've teamed up with TAB for the 2026 Melbourne Cup, to give you the chance to win like a racehorse.  Listen out for when Jerry & Manaia are allocating the horses to listeners and call 0800 HAURAKI. Don’t miss out because you never know which horse is the winner!  Every caller who gets through will claim a horse. We will place $100 bonus cash from TAB on EVERY horse giving every listener a chance to win if their horse crosses the line ahead.  We are starting the allocation early so it will be a completely blind pick until the horses are declared on Saturday 31st Oct.  Listen to Radio Hauraki Breakfast, 6am to 10am, to claim a Melbourne Cup horse with TAB. Get your bet on this Melbourne Cup with TAB! Everything you need for the Melbourne Cup is front and Centre on the TAB app. Download the TAB app today and get your bet on for the Melbourne Cup. R18. T&C’s apply. Bet responsibly. Give the Hauraki Breakfast a listen... let's get bizzaaaaay! Ts and Cs Apply. Hyperlink PDF by selecting text then using add link then add media button 2026-10-27T06:04:28.508Z https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/capital-punishment-win-auckland-fc-lounge-access/ https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/capital-punishment-win-auckland-fc-lounge-access/ The Radio Hauraki team are heading along to the first NZ Derby, Auckland FC v Wellington Phoenix, Saturday 7th November, GO Media Stadium. We've got space in the lounge to have a couple of ya join us.    Whether you're Team Auckland or Team Phoenix, Radio Hauraki has the hook-up. We're sending a winner and their mate to join our Hauraki crew in the lounge for the biggest football showdown of the season. (Note: prize is a double pass, no travel.) Enter Below! Campaign not loading? Click here Join the Music Jury! Have your say on what we play (and win free sh*t) Campaign not loading? Click here 2026-10-26T06:00:21.268Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/wrongun/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/wrongun/ 2026-10-23T17:00:38.968Z https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/the-hauraki-mascot/ https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/the-hauraki-mascot/ The Radio Hauraki mascot has officially got a name... say g’day to Wrong'un! Our larger-than-life cricket bat is ready to hit the road and bring some Hauraki cheer to events all over the country. Got a fundraiser coming up? A community event? Party or parade?  Register your event below and tell us when and where. If Wrong'un can make it, we'll see what we can arrange. Campaign not loading? Click here View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Alternative Commentary Collective (@theaccnz) 2026-10-23T11:08:38.053Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/1-and-only-midwave-breaks/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/1-and-only-midwave-breaks/ Midwave Breaks follow up the release of their album Echo. Tide. Awake. with an upbeat retrospective rocker to kickstart the New Zealand Summer! 1 And Only, the Tauranga Duo’s latest Radio Single, is a throwback-style  track, unapologetically re-embracing all that was great about early 2000s Pop-Rock. “Building from soaring vocal hooks and towering guitar stacks before breaking down to nothing in a heartbeat, 1 And Only is an absolute high watermark for modern New Zealand rock (and a personal favourite off the record).” Carlo Hayman, muzic.net Album Review Drummer Paul Russell explains the story behind the song: “It’s about that person we’ve all comes across, that has an inflated sense of self, who thinks they’re the centre of attention, but in reality, it’s all in their own head, and nobody’s looking!” Midwave Breaks have a proven track record of independent radio success, already delivering 3 Top 10 Radioscope Rock airplay tracks for 2026 ahead of their full album release earlier this month. Bruce (Singer, Guitarist) and Paul (Drummer) can’t wait to bring 1 And Only to the stage for their NZ Album Release Tour through Nov/Dec, with four shows across the Motu, joined by Special guests, The Response, The Rainfall, Courtnay and The Unholy Reverie, No Pilot, Not Exact, and Van Brookes. 1 And Only is Out Now as part of the 13 track Album, Echo. Tide. Awake. available on Vinyl and CD from local record stores across NZ, online, and on streaming platforms worldwide. Check out Midwave Breaks - Facebook / Insta / YouTube / Website 2026-10-22T09:34:00.526Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/jase-in-aussie/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/jase-in-aussie/ 2026-10-21T17:00:03.646Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/earth-grazer-ha-the-unclear/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/earth-grazer-ha-the-unclear/ Ha the Unclear have released their Astigmatic! EP, featuring focus track 'Earth Grazer'. A jittery pop number that mixes levity with introspection, the song starts out pondering a missed encounter before devolving into a reflection on existential brevity amidst a meteor shower. Astigmatic! sees the band rollick through five new tracks, and teases a full album release in 2027. Recorded with award-winning producer and engineer Tom Healy at his Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland studio, the EP is the band's first new material since they released their 2024 amalgam LP A Kingdom in a Cul-de-Sac (Think Zik!/Virgin). Made with the stage in mind, Ha the Unclear are due to tour Astigmatic! across Aotearoa in November, giving fans in the four main centres an opportunity to experience the new material live Since forming in 2014, Ha the Unclear have built a loyal following internationally and in Aotearoa; broken into the Top 10 on the Aotearoa Albums Chart; been longlisted twice for the APRA Silver Scroll; and have supported The Shins and toured with Courtney Barnett and The Dandy Warhols. After showcasing at MaMA Festival and signing to a Paris-based imprint, the band made their European debut in 2024 with the release of A Kingdom... marked also by their first headline show on the continent, at Paris venue Supersonic. They were warmly received by French press and radio, including FIP – which described the record as "a kaleidoscopic and surreal pop journey." As well as additional dates supporting Lime Garden (Paris) and Feldup (Nantes), A Kingdom in a Cul-de-Sac was praised by Le Figaro, Libération, Télérama, Rock & Folk and Rolling Stone France, with rotation on France Inter, FIP and Europe 2. Check out Ha The Unclear! - Facebook / Insta / YouTube / TikTok 2026-10-21T16:02:11.524Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/keyzie-hits-the-hotsrping/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/keyzie-hits-the-hotsrping/ 2026-10-20T18:00:46.809Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/exclusive-competitions/want-to-score-a-kings-of-leon-double-pass/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/exclusive-competitions/want-to-score-a-kings-of-leon-double-pass/ ENTER BELOW! Campaign not loading? Click here 2026-10-20T13:01:48.640Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/gigs-events/kings-of-leon-live-at-the-domain/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/gigs-events/kings-of-leon-live-at-the-domain/ Kings of Leon return to Aotearoa, performing live at Auckland’s Live At The Domain on Wednesday 24 February 2027, with special guests Ocean Alley.  The show follows the announcement of their 10th studio album, O My Beloved, set for release on 6 November 2026.  📍 Wednesday, February 24th, 2027 - Auckland Domain GET YOUR TICKETS HERE! Tickets on sale 1pm Tuesday, October 27th Or win your way there by commenting below! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Radio Hauraki (@radiohaurakinz) 2026-10-19T18:00:29.000Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-days/travis-pastrana-chats-to-bec-from-hauraki-days/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-days/travis-pastrana-chats-to-bec-from-hauraki-days/ For the first time ever, the Race of Champions is coming to New Zealand, with Wellington set to host some of the biggest names in motorsport this January. Among them is Travis Pastrana, a man who's made a career out of pushing the limits. From freestyle motocross and X Games gold medals to rally championships, NASCAR and founding Nitro Circus, there's not much he hasn't had a crack at. He's no stranger to New Zealand either, and Bec caught up with him ahead of his return for what promises to be a pretty spectacular event. Want to head along to the Race of Champions in Welly? - We've got you sorted CHECK IT OUT! 2026-10-19T14:33:31.000Z https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/win-the-ultimate-race-of-champions-vip-experience/ https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/win-the-ultimate-race-of-champions-vip-experience/ Radio Hauraki is sending you and a mate to Race Of Champions NZ in Wellington! Watch some of the world's greatest drivers from Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR, Supercars, World Rally and Le Mans go head-to-head in identical cars, where raw talent and skill are all that matter.    Check out the drivers announced so far HERE  For the first time ever, the Race of Champions is coming to New Zealand, transforming Hnry Stadium into an epic racetrack on the 9th & 10th January 2027 You'll score flights from anywhere in New Zealand, accommodation, VIP pit access and more, giving you an unforgettable behind-the-scenes experience as the world's best battle to be crowned the Champion of Champions. ENTER BELOW! Campaign not loading? Click here 2026-10-19T06:00:19.000Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/packing-tubes/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/packing-tubes/ 2026-10-18T18:00:10.145Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-breakfast-with-jeremy-wells-manaia-stewart/top-5-mps-in-the-sack/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-breakfast-with-jeremy-wells-manaia-stewart/top-5-mps-in-the-sack/ 2026-10-16T15:50:29.909Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/gigs-events/the-hauraki-mascot/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/gigs-events/the-hauraki-mascot/ The Radio Hauraki mascot has officially got a name... say g’day to Wrong'un! Our larger-than-life cricket bat is ready to hit the road and bring some Hauraki cheer to events all over the country. Got a fundraiser coming up? A community event? Party or parade?  Register your event below and tell us when and where. If Wrong'un can make it, we'll see what we can arrange. Campaign not loading? Click here View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Alternative Commentary Collective (@theaccnz) 2026-10-14T08:20:32.002Z https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/hauraki-tradie-of-the-week/ https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/hauraki-tradie-of-the-week/ Know a tradie who deserves a bit of recognition?  Maybe they’re always the first one on site, the last one packing up, the person who keeps the crew going, or simply a bloody good tradie who deserves something for all the hard work they put in.  Hauraki Tradie of the Week is all about celebrating the hardworking tradies, contractors and crews who help keep Hawke’s Bay moving, and we’ve teamed up with PlaceMakers Hawke’s Bay to give one deserving local tradie an epic reward.  Think you know someone who deserves it? Nominate your Tradie of the Week below, tell us why they’re worthy, and they could be our next winner.  And when there’s a job to get done, PlaceMakers Hawke’s Bay has the Know How and Can Do to help. From timber, plasterboard, roofing and insulation to tools, hardware, kitchens, bathrooms, fastening, adhesives, sealants, landscaping and more, you’ll find everything you need to get the job sorted.  So, if there’s a tradie in your crew who’s been putting in the hard yards, now’s your chance to give them the recognition they deserve.  Nominate them below for Hauraki Tradie of the Week and they could score a $150 Bushbuck Hunting and Tradie Gear voucher, thanks to PlaceMakers Hawke’s Bay.  PlaceMakers Hawke’s Bay. Know How. Can Do. Your Team Across the Bay.  Campaign not loading? Click here Ts and Cs Apply.  2026-10-13T10:30:43.995Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-days/bec-chats-to-paul-from-midwave-breaks/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-days/bec-chats-to-paul-from-midwave-breaks/ Midwave Breaks' debut full-length album Echo Tide Awake is out now. Days before its release their drummer Paul Russell called in to talk about the new record, making music independently, and hitting the road for release shows in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch across November and December. Plus, why touring in your 50s looks a little different to the old days.  2026-10-09T11:50:53.218Z https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/kick-start-your-record-collection-join-the-music-jury/ https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/kick-start-your-record-collection-join-the-music-jury/ The Hauraki Music Jury has moved to a shiny new platform. We just need you to sign up to our new platform with Airtime Surveys at the link below so you can keep helping decide what gets played on Radio Hauraki. Sign up now, give us 5 minutes to rate the tunes and you’ll be in the draw to win Audio Technica Turntable worth $370 + a $100 record voucher! ➡️➡️ JOIN THE MUSIC JURY HERE ⬅️⬅️ Go on. The station won't run itself. Well, technically it will... but we'd rather have your help. Already joined the Music Jury? ➡️➡️ Start the latest survey here!⬅️⬅️ Thanks mate. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Radio Hauraki (@radiohaurakinz) 2026-10-08T13:25:17.000Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/the-big-show-chat-to-blindspott/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/the-big-show-with-jason-hoyte-mike-minogue-keyzie/the-big-show-chat-to-blindspott/ 2026-10-07T09:31:58.259Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/exclusive-competitions/hauraki-bts/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/exclusive-competitions/hauraki-bts/ 2026-10-06T13:13:06.113Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/barricades-flax/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/barricades-flax/ BARRICADES is the first taste of the forthcoming EP TEETHING from Flax (formerly Flaxxies). From the start, we wanted Barricades to feel like an anthem. Coming out of a year-long hiatus, it needed a sound that matched the statement we wanted to make. “For about three years I scrubbed boats for a living... I’d spend pretty much every day with headphones in, listening to podcasts about politics, wars, history and whatever else was happening around the world. Probably filling my head with a fair amount of nonsense, to be fair.” “Somewhere amongst all of that - working every day, watching what was happening in the world and seeing my mates going through their own battles - the idea for ‘Barricades’ started to make sense. There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and it feels like rock and roll is finding its feet again.” Formed in 2019, Flax (formerly Flaxxies) are a five-piece alternative rock band out of Auckland, New Zealand. Through years of touring across Aotearoa, Flaxxies built a growing reputation for their soulful, high-energy live shows. After spending the past year away from the stage, writing and recording their new project: Teething, the band steps into a new chapter of their artistry. BARRICADES is the first single from that body of work, and Flaxxies now present themselves as a more refined and mature band: Flax. Check out Flax here - Facebook / Insta / YouTube 2026-10-06T11:58:13.031Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-days/bec-chats-to-neill-from-villainy/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-days/bec-chats-to-neill-from-villainy/ Villainy frontman Neill Fraser called in for a chat about the band’s latest single Demons and how it fits into their next album, how the band have been building these songs with the live show in mind and, because it happened to be his birthday, how celebrations tend to look a little different these days as a new dad.  2026-10-02T12:40:21.185Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/over-out-black-comet/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/over-out-black-comet/ Following their funk-driven reworking of Bobby Brown’s ‘My Prerogative’, Black Comet shift into a heavier orbit on ‘Over & Out’, a groove-led rock track built around cool riffs, tight rhythms, and the dynamic interplay at the centre of the Black Comet sound. Initially conceived with a Queens of the Stone Age-meets-Rage Against the Machine energy in mind, ‘Over & Out’ brings a harder edge to the band’s established blend of funk, rock and high-energy musicianship. Frontman Laughton Kora’s distinctive vocal tone and melodic lines sit comfortably over the band’s rhythmic weight, distortion and groove.‘Over & Out’ represents the next transmission from Black Comet as the band works toward the next chapter of their ongoing galactic narrative.“‘It’s about being sick and tired of waiting on others and just wanting to get things done - to get them over and out,” says Laughton. “It could be about music, jobs or anything really. That’s the root of the song, and we put it together with some cool ’90s guitar tones. Black Comet is a project led by Laughton Kora, bringing together a genre-fluid mix of funk, rock, soul, psychedelia and rhythmic experimentation. Alongside Laughton, the band features Poihakena Reid (keys, talkbox, vocals), Dan Antunovich (bass) and Mark Raymond (drums). Known for their powerful live presence and adventurous musical approach, Black Comet continue to carve out their own space within Aotearoa’s alternative music landscape. Black Comet have built their musical universe across 2024 debut album EPISODE 1: LOOKING FOR A NEW PLANET and 2025 follow-up EPISODE TWO: THE FORCE BETWEEN US, with each release exploring a different side of the band’s sound. Their distinctive collision of funk, rock, soul and psychedelia gives the band a sound that feels beamed in from another time and space, with the groove always front and centre. Check out Black Comet here - Facebook / Instagram / Youtube 2026-10-02T08:00:16.085Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/fortune-favours-a-life-underground/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/fortune-favours-a-life-underground/ “Fortune Favours” is a dark, confrontational exploration of control, deception and the idea of questioning the reality we’re given and the powers that be. Inspired by a lifelong instinct to challenge what we’re told, A Life Underground confronts fear, hypocrisy and division before turning that frustration into a demand for freedom. The song questions who controls the narrative, where truth sits within competing realities, and whether breaking away from those imposed beliefs is the only way forward. Its apocalyptic spoken-word outro expands the idea into something bigger, cycles of destruction, renewal and the possibility of a new beginning. Check out A Life Underground here - Facebook / Instagram / Youtube 2026-10-02T08:00:16.334Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/stitches-blindspott/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/listen/locals-only/stitches-blindspott/ Back with their new single ‘Stitches’, the legendary Blindspott rip stellar guitar riffs and pierce straight through the heart with clean vocals on this track, one that pulses with the intensity of a love turned dark. Inspired by the pull of a relationship that morphs love’s lust and complete surrender into dependency, ‘Stitches’ soundtracks the shift from desire to dread at the realisation something might never end. Here, Blindspott show us how to shift gears from mourning to channel the strength to finally walk away. Now, as ‘Stitches’ moves them closer towards the release of their third studio album, Volumes, Blindspott are entering another chapter, still proudly West Auckland, still heavy, and still very much here. Check out Blindspott here - Facebook / Insta / YouTube 2026-10-01T14:35:28.000Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-days/bec-chats-to-f1-world-champ-damon-hill/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/shows/hauraki-days/bec-chats-to-f1-world-champ-damon-hill/ Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill joins Bec ahead of his Auckland show this Friday night. They chat about life in and around Formula 1, his connection to New Zealand, Lando Norris, whether F1 drivers really count as athletes, and what fans can expect from An Evening with Damon Hill. Damon Hill is at Auckland’s Bruce Mason Centre this Friday, October 2, in conversation with Beyond The Grid host Tom Clarkson. Get your tickets here! View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Old Pit Wall (@theoldpitwall) 2026-10-01T12:43:01.257Z https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/gig-a-little-with-super-liquor/ https://hauraki.iheart.com/win/gig-a-little-with-super-liquor/ We've got over $10,000 in our Gig A Little Fund to help get you to that festival, gig or concert cheers to the legends at Super Liquor. When you hear the 'Roar of the Encore' play out on air, call 0800 Hauraki and you could score $250 to put towards a gig, festival, or concert of your choice. We've got over Ten Grand to give away across the month, so start thinking about your next gig ticket purchase   Whatever your next live music adventure looks like, Radio Hauraki and Super Liquor want to help make it happen with our Gig A Little fund. Over $10,000 up for grabs. $250 at a time. Cheers to Gigs. Cheers to Super Liquor. T's n C's 2026-10-01T06:00:52.516Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/music/nirvana-receive-mtv-video-vanguard-award/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/music/nirvana-receive-mtv-video-vanguard-award/ Nirvana have added another major honour to their already legendary history, taking home the MTV Video Vanguard Award. The prestigious award recognises an artist's impact on music videos and popular culture, with previous recipients including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses, Tom Petty, R.E.M., Beastie Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Nirvana were honoured at this year's ceremony with a speech from Public Enemy's Chuck D, who reflected on the band's huge cultural impact during their rise to fame in the late '80s and early '90s. While Kurt Cobain's death in 1994 brought Nirvana's career to an end, the band's influence has continued to grow. Their run of iconic tracks and videos, including "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Come As You Are", "In Bloom" and "Heart-Shaped Box", helped change the face of rock music and became staples of MTV. Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear were all on hand to accept the award, with Novoselic delivering the band's speech. Reflecting on Cobain's impact, Novoselic said: "Kurt was one of one. None of us could have imagined that our band, our sound, our aesthetic could mean so much to so many people, but ultimately the music had a life of its own." He continued by saying Nirvana's music still resonates because people are "hungry for authenticity" and "something real, something uncompromising." "Kurt would've loved that legacy," Novoselic added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Video Music Awards (@vmas) Across their career, Nirvana released nine official music videos, beginning with a 1990 version of "In Bloom" released through Sub Pop. The band found much bigger success with the 1992 video for "In Bloom", directed by Kevin Kerslake and famously styled as a parody of the classic Ed Sullivan Show. Then came "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Directed by Samuel Bayer, the video became a defining moment in Nirvana's rise to global fame and helped introduce the band to an enormous mainstream audience. Videos followed for "Come As You Are", "Lithium", "Sliver", "Heart-Shaped Box", "You Know You're Right" and "Dumb". The band's legendary MTV Unplugged in New York performance also spawned a number of videos following Cobain's death. More than three decades after Nirvana changed the game, the MTV Video Vanguard Award is another reminder of just how massive, and lasting, their impact has been. 2026-09-29T09:35:29.608Z https://www.hauraki.co.nz/latest-news/nirvana-receive-mtv-video-vanguard-award/ https://www.hauraki.co.nz/latest-news/nirvana-receive-mtv-video-vanguard-award/ Nirvana have added another major honour to their already legendary history, taking home the MTV Video Vanguard Award. The prestigious award recognises an artist's impact on music videos and popular culture, with previous recipients including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses, Tom Petty, R.E.M., Beastie Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Nirvana were honoured at this year's ceremony with a speech from Public Enemy's Chuck D, who reflected on the band's huge cultural impact during their rise to fame in the late '80s and early '90s. While Kurt Cobain's death in 1994 brought Nirvana's career to an end, the band's influence has continued to grow. Their run of iconic tracks and videos, including "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Come As You Are", "In Bloom" and "Heart-Shaped Box", helped change the face of rock music and became staples of MTV. Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear were all on hand to accept the award, with Novoselic delivering the band's speech. Reflecting on Cobain's impact, Novoselic said: "Kurt was one of one. None of us could have imagined that our band, our sound, our aesthetic could mean so much to so many people, but ultimately the music had a life of its own." He continued by saying Nirvana's music still resonates because people are "hungry for authenticity" and "something real, something uncompromising." "Kurt would've loved that legacy," Novoselic added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Video Music Awards (@vmas) Across their career, Nirvana released nine official music videos, beginning with a 1990 version of "In Bloom" released through Sub Pop. The band found much bigger success with the 1992 video for "In Bloom", directed by Kevin Kerslake and famously styled as a parody of the classic Ed Sullivan Show. Then came "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Directed by Samuel Bayer, the video became a defining moment in Nirvana's rise to global fame and helped introduce the band to an enormous mainstream audience. Videos followed for "Come As You Are", "Lithium", "Sliver", "Heart-Shaped Box", "You Know You're Right" and "Dumb". The band's legendary MTV Unplugged in New York performance also spawned a number of videos following Cobain's death. More than three decades after Nirvana changed the game, the MTV Video Vanguard Award is another reminder of just how massive, and lasting, their impact has been. 2026-09-29T09:20:12.000Z