For the past couple of years the MK Awards have aimed to celebrate South Africa’s best Rock and Alternative music acts. The winners aren’t decided by any judges, but by you, the viewer. You have the opportunity to vote for you band or artist on the MK website. The winners will be announced on 23March, 2012, at the Pretoria State Theatre. The nominees are as follows:

 Best Video/Beste Video

aKing – The Runaround
Winterstasie – Los My
Spoek Mathambo – Control
Die Heuwels Fantasties – Modus Operandi
Locnville – Stars Above You
Jack Parow – Tussen Stasies

Best Newcomer/Beste Nuweling

Mr Cat & The Jackal – The Devil Always Wants to Dance
Graeme Watkins Project – Music Affair
Moses Metro Man – Huigelaar
Shadowclub – Guns ‘n Money
Bittereinder – Ware Verhaal

Best Group/Beste Groep

aKing – Catch Alight
Bittereinder ft. Tim Beumers – Slechte Mensen
Die Heuwels Fantasties – Buitenste Ruim
Zebra & Giraffe – Undo These Lies
Shadowclub – Good Morning Killer
Van Coke Kartel – Ondier Kom

Best International

Foo Fighters – Walk
Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger
LMFAO – Party Rock Anthem
Adele – Rolling In The Deep
Mumford & Sons – Little Lion Man

Best SFX/ Animation

aKING – Catch Alight
Van Coke Kartel – Ondier Kom
Die Heuwels Fantasties – Modus Operandi
Mr. Cat & The Jackal – Bad Man Comin
Goldfish – We Come Together

Best Rock

Dead Alphabet – Eat You Alive
Shadowclub – Guns ‘n Money
Taxi Violence – Long Way From Home
Van Coke Kartel – Vir Almal
Knave – Hollow Chamber

Best Indie

Wrestlerish – Bodies of Water
The LA Els – Soulkiller
Dance You’re On Fire – Boxes of Tigers
Yesterday’s Pupil – Too Tired to Disco
Ashtray Electric ft. Gazelle – Release

Best Hipster

Sedge Warbler – Paranormal Ox Man
Jack Parow – Byelville
Fire Through The Window – Succubus
Holiday Murray – Jirey
Fulka – Dancing In Our Darkest Days

Best Dance

Bittereinder ft. Tim Beumers – Slechte Mensen
Jax Panik – Get Up
Sedge Warbler – Paranormal Ox Man
Goodluck – Hop On Hop Off
Gazelle ft. Teba – Chic Afrique
PH Fat – The Big Five

Best Radio Hit

Tuks Fm, Kongos – I’m Only Joking
MFM, Jax Panik – Dinosaur
Jacaranda FM, Elvis Blue – Lighthouse
Puk Fm, Moses Metro Man – Huigelaar
Kovsie FM, aKing – Catch Alight

So go out and vote for your favourite artist. Who knows, they might even win.

(This is a post by our intern Kristian Meijer)

(Image by freelenz, CC by 2.0, via Flickr)