Fat Freddy’s Drop announced as Aotearoa Charts Icon, to be celebrated at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards on Thursday 28 MayMay 21, 2026

Recorded Music NZ has announced Fat Freddy’s Drop as the 2026 – and second ever – recipient of the Aotearoa Charts Icon award. The taonga acknowledges the group’s success in the Official Aotearoa Music Charts over the course of their career. It’s been an impressive, ongoing run that has seen the group release eight acclaimed studio albums, four of which went to #1 on the Top 40.

The Aotearoa Charts Icon award was established by Recorded Music NZ in 2025 to recognise local artists that have had significant success in the Official Charts over an extended period. The inaugural recipient was Six60.

Fiercely independent, Fat Freddy’s Drop formed in Pōneke in 1999, emerging from the city’s underground dance music scene into an eight-piece juggernaut that are now as loved internationally as they are in Aotearoa.

The group’s 2005 debut album Based On A True Story (BOATS) entered the Top 40 at #1 its week of release. The LP spent 112 weeks in the Chart – 108 of them consecutive – at a time when CD sales ruled, setting a record for any New Zealand album that would remain unsurpassed until well into the streaming era. They also set an unusual record with their hit single ‘Wandering Eye’ being the longest-ever single from Aotearoa to make the Top 40, clocking in at 9 minutes and 52 seconds.

Following BOATS’ release, the band won four Tūī at the 2005 Music Awards, including Album of the Year, and a further two in 2006 for Highest Selling and People’s Choice – reflecting their commercial success. 21 years on, the much-loved album is now 12-times platinum. It is a constant feature in the Aotearoa Catalogue Albums Chart and sits at the pinnacle of the recently refreshed Aotearoa Albums Vinyl Chart, which captures the highest selling vinyl albums between 2003 and 2025.

BOATS isn’t the only Freddy’s album to have shaken up the Charts. In 2009, the band was back at #1 with Dr Boondigga & The Big BW, then did the same again in 2013 with Blackbird and in 2015 with Bays. Over this period the band picked up a further four Tūī at the Aotearoa Music Awards, including for International Achievement in 2016. More recently, Fat Freddy's Drop has been back in the Top 40 four times since 2020, bringing their overall career Charts run to 251 weeks.

All this success is underpinned by the band’s renowned live performances, which have seen them build an impressive global fanbase. They have toured the UK and Europe annually since 2003, working their way up from small clubs to headline shows at the likes of Roundhouse and Alexandra Palace (London), Zenith and L’Olympia (Paris), and Waldbuhne and Zitadelle (Berlin) alongside numerous iconic summer festival fixtures.

In July 2025, Freddy’s sadly lost their matua, “talismanic founding member, production maestro, selector and brother, Chris Ta’aloga Faiumu aka DJ MU aka Fitchie”, but continue to play live. They are currently partway through their BOATS 21st Anniversary Tour, with a string of sold out shows around Australia, Aotearoa, Europe and the UK. Along with the live shows paying tribute to the album and in honour of MU, Freddy’s has repressed BOATS on vinyl as a limited edition 21st Anniversary Edition 2LP with OBI strip.

Recorded Music NZ CEO Jo Oliver says:

“Fat Freddy’s Drop has been a mainstay in the Official Music Charts in Aotearoa over the last two decades. We are very pleased to recognise the band with the Aotearoa Charts Icon award at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards – as they celebrate 21 years of their chart-topping debut studio album Based On A True Story.

“The Charts and Aotearoa Music Awards are key touchstones in New Zealand’s musical heritage and have evolved over the years to reflect our unique cultural identity. Introduced in 2025, the Aotearoa Charts Icon award serves as a complement to the Tūī presented annually by Recorded Music NZ. The award recognises and celebrates our most successful charting artists and Fat Freddy’s Drop are wonderfully deserving as our second ever Aotearoa Charts Icon.”

Fat Freddy’s Drop will be celebrated as Aotearoa Charts Icon at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards on Thursday 28 May at The Civic in Tāmaki Makaurau. The event will be hosted by return host Kara Rickard and comedian Tom Sainsbury. AMA 2026 will be livestreamed via AMA Official Media Partner RNZ. The broadcast is brought to our screens with the invaluable support of sponsorship and broadcast partner Irirangi Te Motu | NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho.

The following AMA 2026 finalists will be performing live on the night: Dick Move, Tami Neilson, Alien Weaponry, RIIKI REID, Tom Scott, MĀ, Te Wehi and Hori Shaw, as well as Recorded Music NZ’s 2026 Te Whare Taonga Puoro o Aotearoay | NZ Music Hall of Fame inductee Che Fu. For more, please visit aotearoamusicawards.co.nz

Fat Freddy’s Drop line-up

DJ Fitchie a.k.a Chris Faiumu – MPC, Live Mix, Producer (1999 - 2025)
Joe Dukie a.k.a Dallas Tamaira – Vocals & Guitar
Chopper Reeds a.k.a Scott Towers – Saxophone
Tony Chang a.k.a Toby Laing – Trumpet
Kuki Blaze a.k.a Iain Gordon – Keyboard & Synths
Hopepa a.k.a Joe Lindsay – Trombone, Tuba
C-Way Green a.k.a Conway Jeune – Guitar
MC Slave a.k.a Mark Williams – MC

With honourable mention to BOATS-era past members Fulla Flash a.k.a Warren Maxwell (saxophone) and Jetlag Johnson a.k.a Tehimana Kerr (guitar).

Fat Freddy’s Drop album releases
Live At The Matterhorn EP (2001) – 1x Platinum
Based On A True Story (2005) – 12x Platinum
Dr. Boondigga & The Big BW (2009) – 2x Platinum
Live At Roundhouse (2010), limited edition vinyl remaster (2023)
Blackbird (2013) – 2x Platinum
BAYS (2015) – 2x Platinum
Special Edition Part 1 (2019)
LOCK-IN (2020)
WAIRUNGA (2021)
Blackbird Returns remix album (2023)
SLO MO (2024)

And a stash of limited edition vinyl singles and remixes, including: ‘HOPE’ 10” (2003) ‘Wandering Eye’ single (2005) – x6 Platinum; and ‘The Raft’ 7” single (2010) – x1 Gold; ‘HOPE’ remaster 12” (2017).