The results are in! Thank you for all of your submissions; the support for this project was overwhelming, and we'd like to thank every one of you for your participation. We had an absolute blast (and a difficult time) judging this contest, and we hope to continue this tradition for years to come. The winners for each category are below, with a few honorable mentions per.
Best New Artist
Undoubtedly, 2021 ushered in a new generation of talented and unique artists. However, there was a standout among this group of newcomers; Ilir Bajri's groovy and jazz-inspired tracks have been music to our ears. His keyboard mastery is apparent, and he has complimented this talent with a great sound selection. Stand out tracks among his growing catalogue include Unleash the kid in ya! , which was featured on the official Audiotool YouTube channel and Get on it . We can't wait to see what he'll create in 2022!
Honorable mentions: Soph, sea foam and the wind
Most Improved Artist
So many artists have grown leaps and bounds over the past year; it makes us so proud to see this progress from our fellow artists. There was, however, one standout: Dreamweaver. The difference between his tracks from a couple of years ago and now is certainly undeniable. His gritty and deeply emotional projects have left us all wanting more. Not only does he use AT devices and synths, but he also incorporates guitar and other instruments into his work. Here's an example of one from only three years ago: vast . Now check out his latest: yōsei . An absolute show of what dedication and hard work can produce in a short time.
Honorable mentions: Client, Call me Lito, Vista
Best Cover Art
Wow, this one was close. We had the privilege to explore several dozen fantastic suggestions from the community. There was, however, one user whose cover art stood out to us. Heissen perfectly complements his masterful cacophony of sounds with equally unique artwork. We could easily see the connection between the two and appreciate what he is after. A few examples include Tallest Hallway ✚ and Ever After . Thanks, Heissen!
Honorable mentions: Goon, Jetdarc
Most Creative Use Of An AT Device
It's an understatement to say the submissions in this category wowed us; blown away would be more accurate! 2021 was a fantastic year for innovation and creativity in the community. One such entry that blew us came from sea foam and the wind; it's simply insane what he created with just a few synths. He recreated animal noises! Most notably was his synthesized sounds album, where he imitated multiple styles. I mean, it's just spectacular. We can't wait to see what's next!
Honorable mentions: rai. 9.0.9 , Audial worn
Most Helpful Artist
Now, this was a hard category for sure. We've had numerous emerging leaders and veteran artists within AT teaching the ropes to the next generation. We had a tie for this category! First up, we have Sandburgen. Sandy is the go-to guy; there are no artists too small or new to the site for him to help out. He welcomes all with open arms and happily takes the time to mentor and critique their work. We love to see it! Next up, we have Audiotool Man, or as some may know him, ssagg. A quick browse of the most recently published tracks, and you will see him leaving great feedback and encouragement to newer artists. He always takes the time to make us all feel loved and valued, and for that, we thank him!
Artist Of The Year
We asked you guys to vote on who you thought embodied the spirit of creation and artistry this year, and the community has spoken! Sila captured our imagination with his mind-blowing "Brainworks" series, where he recreated the headspace he thinks artists are in during the creative process. Each entry uses new techniques to portray the latest artists. It has been a lovely journey to follow, and his inventiveness has inspired us all. Check out the complete series here: Brainworks - Audiotool Role Play.
Honorable mentions: Kepz, for his Body rests and soundscape_01 series. sea foam and the wind, for synthesized sounds
Track Of The Year
Another challenging category for us! There was a two-way tie for this, with both tracks deserving recognition. To start, we have paper trail by Nico. Every aspect of this track blends beautifully, from the warm bass to the soaring arpeggio. Nico has been wowing us with each new project, and we hope to see more in the coming months. Secondly, we have your depths i call home by Tophat. This track is an emotional roller-coaster, with a beautiful melodic backdrop topped with powerful percussion. We recommend that everyone sit back and close their eyes while you listen, and let it paint a picture in your mind.
Honorable mention: spastic |+| ◁ by laevent
Collaboration Of The Year
Some stunning creations can occur when two or more uniquely talented artists work together. 2021 brought out the best of this! The community came together with a nearly unanimous decision: Back To You - Icebox, SIREN & dcln . Not only did this trio win the Collaborative Music Contest put on by the School of Music Collaboration, but it took the site by storm. It is a delicious converging of multiple styles and genres and a fast-paced adventure for the ears. Thank you to Icebox, SIREN and dcln for creating this work of art.
Honorable mentions: audiotool tapes vol. 2 and joet (joe X po9t)
Thanks again for everything! Keep up the great work, and we will be seeing you next year.
| 1 |
 |
paper trail | 2184 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 |
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your depths i call home | 633 | |
| 3 |
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Back To You - Icebox, SIREN & dcln | 8650 | |
| 4 |
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spastic |+| ◁ | 3171 | |
| 5 |
 |
audiotool tapes vol. 2 | 4614 | |
| 6 |
 |
joet (joe X po9t) | 8113 |
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meatloaf is dead i have to cry!
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I will get there someday
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im never going to make it :(
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congrats all! well deserved awards for sure
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dan i wanted to be best new artist but not this year xD
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@Soph Good shit, bruddah
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[a comment downvoted by multiple users] 
bullshit
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Congratulations, well time to disappear. Gonna try to find someone to rip into my songs and explain to me why i can't seem to make better music.
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thats true... relationships help a lot. im social on this site, so i get more people looking at me. its just a fact.
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hey bro, i have been in the same shoes as you for a while. i've only been on here two years, but i feel u. i recently discovered that u have to take responsibility of your own progress. no one is going to care more about you getting better than u. y would they when they can go listen to a professional's music? by giving you feedback they are going out of their way to do you a favor. there are awesome people who love doing that for people like @Snadbrugen , @SYNRGY , and @XyPhr . i appreciate them so much i try do follow their good example. as to nobody listening to ur music, why do people listen to indie pop when they could listen to mainstream pop? because they have a personal affiliation with that artist; they have one reason or another that they engage with them. e.g. their friend enjoys their music, or a song's lyrics touched them. be actively engaging people in "relationships" and give them a reason to listen. hope this helps! ;)
P.S. i will now rip into ur songs hehe...
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thats quitting talk. dont say shit like that. keep making music. you'll make it eventually
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thanks for the honourable mentions and congrats to everyone on this <3. will def check out the work!
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hi
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the post is blocked for me. who won which categories?
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@Jordi Moragues , it also had an "Export" option with .png image as an option. And there's the .pdf option too.
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AUDIOTOOL AWARDS 2021
* Best new artist
Winner: Ilir Bajri
Honourable mentions: Soph, Sea Foam, the Wind
* Most improved
Winner: Dreamweaver
Honourable mentions: Client, Call me Lito, Vista
* Best cover art
Winner: Heissen
Honourable mentions: Goon, Jetdarc
* Most interesting use of an AT device
Winner: Sea Foam and the Wind
Honorable mentions: Rai "909", Audial "Worn"
* Most helpful
Winner (tie): Sandburgen, Audiotool Man (ssagg)
* Artist of the year
Winner: Sila
Honourable mentions: Kepz for "fake_ensemble" and "soundscape", Sea Foam and the Wind for "Synthesized Bird Sounds"
* Track of the year
Winner (tie): "Paper Trail" by Nico, "your depths I call home" by Tophat
Honourable mention: "Spastic +" by Laevent
* Collaboration of the year
Winner: "Back to you" by Icebox, dcln and Siren
Honourable mentions: "Audiotool Tapes vol. 2", "joet"
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yayayayayayayayaya
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congrats
congrats :)