A look at the Top 20 New Zealand Songs Of The Year shows the influence of the country’s only nationwide, original, youth music event, Smokefreerockquest.

APRA (the Australasian Performing Right Association) has just announced the Top 20 songs in line for Silver Scroll songwriting award, and Smokefreerockquest founder and director Pete Rainey says it’s gratifying to see the prominence of bands and soloists he first saw on stage at rockquest events.

The list includes national winners such as Jesse Sheehan, Die! Die! Die! (Andrew Wilson, Michael Prain, Lachlan Anderson), Anna Coddington, Julia Deans and Annah Mac; as well as bands that succeeded at the regional level such as Avalanche City (Dave Baxter) and ClapClapRiot (Stephen Heard, Dave Rowlands, Strachan Rivers, Tristan Colenso) among others.

“We are thrilled to see this hard evidence of the role that Smokefreerockquest has in providing a platform for young songwriters,” Rainey said. “By providing them with a framework where they are encouraged and recognised Smokefreerockquest nurtures that initial talent and sets it forth into the flourishing music scene we now have in New Zealand.”

Rainey encouraged other Smokefreerockquesters past and present to go online and vote for the top 20 in the Silver Scroll Awards, at www.apra-amcos.co.nz <<a href="file://localhost/x-msg/::529:www.apra-amcos.co.nz">file://localhost/x-msg/::529:www.apra-amcos.co.nz</a>> – voting is open for APRA Members via the website until Sunday 31st July.

Meantime Smokefreerockquest 2011 has just one regional event to go, in Christchurch on August 6 and 7. Since mid May over 800 bands have competed in 27 regional finals. The top six bands will play off at the national final, to be held this year in the new 5000-seat Claudelands Arena in Hamilton on 17 September. The prize package is designed as a big helping hand into the music industry. It includes a NZ On Air new recording and music video grant worth $10,000, a place on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops, recording time at York St Studio, 1000 single CDs produced by Forge Media, and radio and TV play of a single. There is also the MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship, the APRA Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award and the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award.

To find out more about Smokefreerockquest 2011, visit the official website sfrq.co.nz.