Nominations for the 2020 Syracuse Area Music Awards People’s Choice Awards open on Jan. 1. Each year, the SAMMYS provides a web-based competition in four categories. This year the live category has been changed to accommodate livestreams, which have become the live music platform of choice during the pandemic.
Nominations are open to the public and can be submitted here from Jan. 1 – Jan. 10 in the following categories: Artist or Band, Livestream Event or Series, Academic or Musical Organization, and Venue. Online voting will begin on Jan. 12.
The SAMMYS will take place on Friday, March 5 live from SubCat Studios in Syracuse. The awards will be livestreamed this year rather than the usual in-person event held annually at the Palace Theater. In addition to the People’s Choice Awards, SAMMYS will be awarded in 12 recording categories. Special awards to be presented are the Jack O Bocchino Spirit of the SAMMYS Award, the Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist, and the Community Spirit Award.
Artists who have released commercially available recordings between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020, are eligible to submit recordings for consideration through Jan. 6. The submission process this year is digital-only. Recordings must be available on Apple Music, Spotify, or Tidal and should be submitted using this form.
Below is a list of the 2020 winners.
| Jack O Bocchino Spirit of the Sammys Award | 2020 | Marge Nolan |
| Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist | 2020 | Stephen Phillips |
| People’s Choice Best Artist | 2020 | Long Time Coming |
| People’s Choice Best Festival or Music Series | 2020 | Village of Phoenix Locktoberfest |
| People’s Choice Academic or Musical Organization | 2020 | Baldwinsville Marching Band |
| People’s Choice Best Venue | 2020 | Lock 1 Distilling Co. |
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