2026 San Diego Music Awards nominees and performers revealed ahead of May 6 ceremony at Humphreys

Nominee list and performance roster set the stage for the 35th annual show

The 2026 San Diego Music Awards has published its nominees and initial performer lineup, outlining the field for the 35th annual ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at Humphreys by the Bay.

The organization has also set a timeline for audience participation: public voting is scheduled to begin Wednesday, February 26, 2026, at noon. Advance tickets are set to go on sale Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at noon.

Top categories reflect a mix of local and nationally recognized names

Among the most closely watched categories, the Artist of the Year nominees include Obed Padilla, Pierce the Veil, Rebecca Jade, Slightly Stoopid, Swami John Reis, The Frights and The Schizophonics. The Song of the Year category includes tracks from almost monday (“lost”), P.O.D. (“I Won’t Bow Down”), Pierce The Veil (“Kiss Me Now”), Shane Hall & Ash Easton (“Midnight Pine”), Slightly Stoopid (“Step Into The Sun”), Switchfoot featuring Buddy Guy (“Last Man Standing”), and Thee Sacred Souls (“We Don’t Have to Be Alone”).

The Album of the Year nominees are Agent 51 (“Age of Validation”), Anthony Cullins (“Inside Out & Backwards”), Buck-O-Nine (“Cut Out The Noise”), Obed Padilla (“Do You Still Love Me?”), Swami John Reis (“Time To Let You Down”), The Frights (“Ready When You Are”), and Wavves (“Spun”).

Genre categories span recordings and artists across San Diego’s scene

The nominee list is structured across multiple genre and craft categories, including Jazz (artist and album), Blues (artist and album), Country/Americana (artist, song and album), Hip Hop/Rap (artist and song), Pop (artist, song and album), Indie/Alternative (artist and album), Rock (artist, album and song), World Music (artist and song), as well as Best R&B/Funk/Soul Song, Best Local Recording, Best Video, and Best New Artist.

• Best New Artist nominees: Doylestown, Jettee, Payback & Associates, Saint Misty, Tigers in Cairo, Vurv, and You Can Call Me Sugar.
• Best Video nominees include: Almost Monday (“enjoy the ride”), Cheyenne Benton (“Lessons”), Emilia Vaughn (“Rock Music, Girl Secrets”), The Gravities (“Stuck In The Desert”), Eric Sage (“Rise Up San Diego”), KBong (“Good News”), and Doah’s Daydream (“Girls Girl”).

Performers announced for the live show

The awards has also listed performers slated for the 2026 ceremony:

• The Frights
• Young Lions
• Steve Poltz
• sullvn
• Agent 51
• San Diego Blues Allstars: Whitney Shay, Earl Thomas, Anthony Cullins, Robin Henkel
• Obed Padilla

Lifetime Achievement honor named

The 2026 Country Dick Montana Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Steve Poltz, who is also listed among the performers for the live ceremony.

Key dates: Advance ticket sales begin February 25, 2026 at noon; public voting begins February 26, 2026 at noon; awards ceremony is May 6, 2026 at Humphreys by the Bay.