New Zealand Music Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Breakthrough Artist of the Year is a New Zealand Music Award that honours New Zealand music artists for outstanding recordings. Artists who have previously been nominated for a New Zealand Music Award or has had a previous album reach the top 20 of the Official New Zealand Music Chart are ineligible. The award was first awarded in 1973 as Best New Artist.
Recipients
Best New Artist (1973-1976)
| Year | Winner | |
| 1973 | Shona Laing | |
| 1974 | Bunny Walters | |
| 1975 | Space Waltz | |
| 1976 | Dr Tree | |
| 1977 |
Most Promising (1978-2000)
Best New Act (2001-2002)
| Year | Winner | Album | Other finalists | |
| 2001 | Betchadupa |
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| 2002 | Goodshirt | Good |
Breakthrough Artist of the Year (2003-current)
| Year | Winner | Album | Other finalists | |
| 2003 | The Datsuns | The Datsuns |
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| 2004 | Brooke Fraser | What to Do with Daylight | ||
| 2005 | The Checks | "What You Heard | ||
| 2006 | Bleeders | As Sweet as Sin | ||
| 2007 | Hollie Smith | Long Player | ||
| 2008 | Flight of the Conchords | Flight of the Conchords | ||
| 2009 | Ladyhawke | Ladyhawke | ||
| 2010 | Holy Smoke | |||
| 2011 | Passive Me, Aggressive You | |||
| 2012 | Kimbra | Vows | ||
| 2013 | Lorde | The Love Club EP | ||
| 2014 | Broods | Broods | ||
| 2015 | Marlon Williams | Marlon Williams | ||
| 2016 | Kings | "Don't Worry Bout It" | ||
| 2017 |