Founded in 2022 and named after musical prodigy, Virginia Commonwealth University professor, and performer Dika Newlin (1923-2006), the Newlin Music Prize is awarded to the best full-length album from the Richmond, Virginia metropolitan area based solely on artistic merit, as decided by members of the local music scene and fans.
The winner will be revealed on March 24, 2025, with the winning artist receiving a commemorative trophy as well as a cash prize of $2,500. Additionally, each of the remaining artists on the 2025 Short List will receive $250 for their selection.
The albums that comprise the 2025 Newlin Music Prize Short List are:
- Alex J Dimas – Alma Mia
- Doll Baby – Heirloom
- Drook – The Pure Joy Of Jumping
- False Nectar – Unlimited Things To Do Forever
- Fight Cloud – Ritual Disaster
- Holy Roller – Good Religion
- Inter Arma – New Heaven
- King Kaiju – Feature Film
- Landon Elliott – Aftermath
- Nickelus F – MMCHT
- Night Idea – Rocky Coast
- Prabir Trio – Long After The Empire
- Prisoner – Putrid | Obsolete
- Reppa Ton x Agent-X – Memento Mori: The Inevitability Of Death
- Rine – Intrusive Thoughts
- Tennishu – More To The Story
- Tentative Decisions – Public Access
- Terror Cell – All Quiet
- The Wayward Leaves – Thursdays At Six
- Tyler Meacham – Sad Girl Summer
“The 2025 Short List is a testament to the incredible creativity and passion that define Richmond’s music scene,” said Newlin president Doug Nunnally. “This year’s selected albums showcase a remarkable range of sounds, from intimate storytelling to boundary-pushing experimentation, reflecting the depth of artistry in our community. With more than 200 albums nominated, the sheer volume of outstanding music made this an especially exciting and difficult year for our jury. We hope this list serves as both a celebration of Richmond’s musical excellence and an invitation for listeners to discover their next favorite record.”
The 2025 Short List was chosen from albums released by artists in the Richmond-Petersburg metropolitan area in 2024 that either contained at least five songs or exceeded 25 minutes in length. All albums released under these parameters were considered for the award. There was no formal submission process or entry fee required from local musicians, labels, or studios.
A jury of 150 Richmond-area musicians, artists, journalists, photographers, and activists nominated albums for this award. From there, a 10-member committee reviewed the nominations and determined the official Short List of 20 albums. Each member of the jury will now review the 20 records and submit a ranked ballot which will be used to determine the winner.
There is also a public fan vote open from February 17 until March 20 at NewlinMusicPrize.com, valid for one vote per e-mail address. Results of the fan vote will count as one ballot towards the final result.
Modeled after similar awards such as Canada’s Polaris Music Prize and the United Kingdom’s Mercury Prize, the goal of the Newlin Music Prize is to raise awareness of the diverse music scene in Richmond, Virginia and to encourage more great recordings in the future. Since beginning in 2022, the Newlin Music Prize has awarded over $20,000 to Richmond-area musicians. Previous award winners are: Butcher Brown in 2024 for Solar Music, Deau Eyes in 2023 for Legacies, and McKinley Dixon in 2022 for For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her.