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• Best Pop Band

  Pretty Ricky

  The members of Pretty Ricky should be feeling pretty damn good about themselves. After all, it's not every day that a Miami pop group gets to hit number one on the Billboard album charts (they held it for a week). The four brothers — Baby Blue, Spectacular, Pleasure, and Slick Em — have been working for this moment their entire… More >>

• Best Girl Band

  AKA

  We've all heard it before: "There is no music scene in Miami." Although the 305 may not be a band-manufacturing machine like Chicago, even elitist naysayers can't argue that the Magic City has its share of laudable live acts. The ubiquitous Spam Allstars have garnered a loyal following playing Afro-Cuban jazz, while the tight-knit Down Home Southernaires appeal to throngs… More >>

• Best Haitian Band

  T-Vice

  Miami based T-Vice is the undisputed king of the new konpa, a deliciously melodious Haitian tropical blend infused with American pop influences like hip-hop and R&B. Founding members Roberto Martino and Reynaldo Martino have been doing their thing since the mid-Nineties, when they moved to Miami and reunited with their father, Robert Martino, leader of popular Haitian band Top-Vice. Naming… More >>

• Best Caribbean Band

  Carl Jacobs

  In the Eighties, Carl and Carol Jacobs were the lead singers of the band Shandileer, and they were stars on the calypso scene in Trinidad and Tobago. They came up alongside luminaries like David Rudder and Charlie's Roots, in an era when calypso was still about lyrical content and pushing the music into new forms of expression. Their hit songs… More >>

• Best Band Name

  Mekago NT

  You're not officially a punk rock band until you come up with an offensive moniker. A year ago Mekago NT officially joined the club when these Miami thrashers decided on a name that literally translates to "I crap on you" in Spanish. Yet the name is appropriate. Mekago NT'S music sounds like a cacophonous amalgam of frenzied guitar riffs, banshee… More >>

• Best Solo Musician

  Rick Ross

  If you're good at what you do and you stick to it long enough, success will come. That's essentially Rick Ross's story in a nutshell. "He's been grinding for a long time, put in work for 12 years, and stayed humble, helping other people in his camp," says DJ Khaled, of 99 Jamz (WEDR-FM 99.1). "He deserves everything he got."… More >>

• Best Rap Artist

  Pitbull

  Whatever you call him — Pitbull, Mr. 305, or his real name, Armando Christian Pérez — this talented young rapper stays ahead of the game. Last October he released his sophomore album, El Mariel, which quickly ranked on Billboard's charts as number one top independent album, and number two rap album. Despite losing his dad and best friend back to… More >>

• Best Music Legend

  Luther Campbell

  Luther Campbell paved the way for Pitbull, Trick Daddy, and Rick Ross. And his fight for freedom of speech, some say, laid the groundwork for performers like the late Notorious B.I.G. and Ludacris. You may remember Luke from his days with 2 Live Crew, when his album As Nasty as They Wanna Be launched a court battle over obscenity that… More >>

• Best Rap Release of the Past Year

  Trick Daddy, "Bet That"

  Remember the first time you heard Trick Daddy's "Bet That"ç The track opens with a heavy-duty bassline exploding underneath voices fluttering like an operatic hiccup. T Double D's gravelly voice and Miami lilt are distinctive, so it didn't take you long to realize who it was. And once you did, you reached over to the dial and thought, "Been too… More >>

• Best Album of the Past Year

  Timbaland's Shock Value

  What happens when one of the most widely respected musicians in hip-hop sets up shop in the 305ç Although Timothy "Timbaland" Mosely is a Virginia boy to the core, you can find him chillin' behind gates in a two-story, $8 million compound in Pizzinecrest. And so far, you can go ahead and call 2007 the Year of Timbaland. He spent… More >>

• Best Latin Singer

  Andy Aguilera

  These are hard times for Latin singers. What with everyone playing reggaeton and Latin hip-hop, there's almost no room on the radio for traditional Latin artists. So what's a young tropical singer to doç Adapt, of course. Miami's Andy Aguilera is the best example of the new breed of Latin crooners. After debuting in 2003 with the wonderful bachata-infused Cita… More >>

• Best Percussionist

  Lazaro Alfonso

  The rhythmic history of Cuban music rests firmly in Lazaro Alfonso's hardened hands. Every Thursday night the conga maestro joins Miami's celebrated Spam Allstars collective and turns up the heat at Little Havana's Hoy Como Ayer nightclub. Those fortunate to see Lazaro let loose will undoubtedly come away with one conclusion: When it comes to Afro-Caribbean rhythms, no one in… More >>

• Best Rock Band

  Torche

  As comedy icon/Tenacious D frontman Jack Black will attest, rocking is a serious endeavor, and only the truly righteous should attempt it. Miami's foursome Torche has proven its devotion to the fires of aural bombast. Established in 2005, Torche is the brainchild of lead singer/guitarist Steve Brooks and fellow guitarist Juan Montoya, who, along with Juan Nuñez and Rick Smith,… More >>

• Best Latin Rock Band

  Feneiva

  While some bands like to hide their musical influences, others proudly wear them on their sleeves. Latin rock band Feneiva belongs to the latter group and are all the better for it. Fronted by Miami Beach High alumni Fabian Hernandez and lead guitarist Angel Batrez, the chicos from Feneiva share as much with British band Coldplay as they do with… More >>

• Best Latin Metal Musician

  Mess €nger

  Local thrashician Mess €nger captured metal in two languages last fall when he released his two-DVD, two-CD box set, Monster of Loch Mess. Raised in a land where Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osborne, and Metallica never went out of style, the Guatemala-born artist has metal down to perfection, incorporating distorted guitar riffs, energetic synthesizers, classical violin, and dark, philosophical lyrics into… More >>

• Best Modern Tango

  Jimena Fama

  Some gals got all the skills, and local Argentine artist Jimena Fama, frontwoman for the electronica ensemble Tango Conspiracy, has the term "multifaceted" down to a musical science. In the last couple of years the young singer, producer, composer, and guitarist has masterminded three electronic tango, dub, acid jazz, and bossa nova albums on her Maktub Records label. She also… More >>

• Best Electronica Artist

  PG-13

  Electronic music has come a long way since the days when indie icon Beck sang about "two turntables and microphone." Nowadays it's all about having your laptop souped up with the latest music-making software. In Miami, no one rocks the MacBook Pro quite like PG-13, a.k.a. Paul Gaeta, a DJ/producer with a knack for creating fun and intelligent dance music.… More >>

• Best Funky Fusion Band Even Your Mom Would Like

  The Elastic Bond

  Imagine a world beat band cool enough to vibe in Miami's hottest young clubs and smooth enough to make your easy-listening mom break out doing the samba in the elevator. Since its formation last summer, the Elastic Bond has been expanding its retro-futuristic sound all over Miami's live music circuit and onto Madrugada, a CD that's been making its way… More >>

• Best Miami Idol

  Nadia Turner

  When Nadia Turner appeared on American Idol's fourth season — hereafter known as the one that Carrie Underwood won — Simon Cowell lavished praise on her. "In a competition full of hamburgers, you are a steak," the smug Brit smirked after a jaw-dropping rendition of Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me." Too bad this contest is… More >>

• Best Acoustic Performer

  Robert Thomas Jr.

  Typically this award goes to a singer-songwriter-guitarist — some guy or gal carrying on the troubadour tradition, like a Grant Livingston or August Campbell type, to mention two worthy contenders. Sometimes, though, talent trumps tradition, and Robert Thomas Jr. has talent to spare. If the name rings a bell, you must have heard of Weather Report, the famous Seventies jazz… More >>

• Best Jazz Artist

  Pan con Bistec

  The name makes us hungry for a Cuban steak sandwich, but the jazz this duo makes is even tastier. Violinist Federico Britos and flautist/saxophonist Bobby Ramirez play jazz standards, Latin jazz, and even a bit of bebop. Ramirez is from Cuba and Britos is from Uruguay, but their music crosses continents. More often than not, the band plays outside of… More >>

• Best Prodigy

  Lucciano Pizzichini

  Lucciano "Luchy" Pizzichini, age seven, glumly kicked a soccer ball on the sidewalk outside a Little Havana steakhouse this past February as he waited for his dad, guitarist Adrian Pizzichini, to finish setting up the stage for rock and reggae outfit Kayak Man. "I hope he lets me perform," the kid sniffed. Asked what song he'd use to open the… More >>

• Best Songwriter

  Scott Storch

  What do 50 Cent, Christina Aguilera, and Beyoncé have in commonç They all have sought the golden ears of Miami's top beatmaker/producer Scott Storch, who at just 33 years of age has written a string of hits for many of the top-selling acts in the music industry. From Fat Joe's 2004 hip-hop banger "Lean Back" to Beyoncé's delicious "Baby Boy,"… More >>

• Best Songwriting Duo

  Graham Wood Drout and Albert Castiglia

  This is such a devious award. Drout (famous as frontman of Miami's premier blues-rock band, Iko-Iko) and Castiglia (a local blues vet perhaps best known as a longtime sideman for Junior Wells) have won "Best of Miami" and all sorts of other awards in the past. They're stunning talents to be sure. And when their paths crossed — well, consider… More >>

• Best Painting to Live Music

  Kiki Valdes

  Imagine having to perform your job in the middle of a party — music blasting, people talking and dancing, buzzed eyes focused on you. That's exactly what artist Kiki Valdes does — he paints live to music at events, setting his brush strokes to the tempo. "He uses the energy from the event around him and focuses it on the… More >>

• Best Band to Break Up in the Past Year

  Awesome New Republic

  When Michael John Hancock and Brian Robertson took off their shirts, put on their sweatpants, and covered their faces in a rainbow of grease paint, Miami's small cadre of indie rockers would gather and dance. The duo was a mainstay at Poplife and the anchor of the label Sutro Music. They were also really good musicians. Hancock played drums and… More >>

• Best Concert of the Past Year

  Os Mutantes

  First there was the news last May that Os Mutantes, pioneers of Brazil's psychedelic tropicália movement in the Sixties and Seventies, would reunite for one night only in London. (No less a figure than Kurt Cobain had tried to accomplish this in 1993 and failed.) Then there was the news that the band would come to the states for a… More >>

• Best Concert Series

  The Cleveland Orchestra Miami Residency

  The Florida Philharmonic breathed its last gasp only months before construction began on the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts. Its instruments had been auctioned off by the time the venue finally opened. It seemed that we would have to make do with the green (though by no means slight) talent of the New World Symphony. But then the Carnival… More >>

• Best Reggae Radio Program

  The Reggae Ride

  Host Howard "Flagga Dupes" Duperly isn't exactly humble about the weekly lineup for his Saturday afternoon show, The Reggae Ride, on WDNA. "The type of reggae I play is what I would call a more authentic kind of reggae — and I say that unequivocally," declares Flagga. His three-hour program features ska, rocksteady, and roots reggae, as well as some… More >>

• Best Music Website

  elHood.com

  First came MySpace and YouTube. Now, there's a new kid in town. If MTV and Google got married, their baby would be elHood.com. This music Website works directly with artists and their music labels. It's actually designed as a tool for artists: They upload their own songs, share photos, announce news and events, and communicate with fans. Web users register… More >>

• Best Jazz Radio Program

  The Steppers Set with Jim Berry

  Steppin' has been called the African-American form of ballroom dancing, and Jim Berry is South Florida's unofficial DJ for the genre. On Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Berry — who is also the sports anchor for CBS Channel 4 — hosts the two-hour weekly show that features uptempo jazz, soul, and R&B. Listeners can hear anything from Maxi Priest; to Spyro… More >>

• Best Rock Radio Program

  The Metal Revolution

  Since 1991, Kevin Warhaft, age 34, has been working at the Dadeland Mall food court as a janitor. "I clean the tables and the bathrooms. I collect the trays that people leave. I don't mind my day job," he smiles. For the past sixteen years, Kevin has also been hosting local rock radio's most violent program, The Metal Revolution on… More >>

• Best Sound Engineer

  Adrian "Drop" Santalla

  In the beginning, singers were the ones belting out tunes, so they got all the credit. Then producers started getting props, even making debuts on artists' albums. Scott Storch, Pharrell, Cool and Dre — they've all become household names in the same way Christina Aguilera has. But there's one more player that makes a song a hit: the sound engineer,… More >>

• Best Record Label

  Slip-N-Slide Records

  You have to give Slip-N-Slide Records props. For more than a decade this local imprint has been delivering some of the most notorious releases on the hip-hop scene. Founded in 1993 by ex-concert promoter Ted "Touche" Lucas, Slip-N-Slide serves as the de facto home base for the Magic City's hip-hop glitterati. With a slogan that proudly announces, "We are Miami,"… More >>

• Best Dance Club

  Blue

  Blue is the antithesis of big, glamorous clubs and the arrogance, crappy music, and cover charges that come with them. At this humble little watering hole, there's rarely a cover or a line and the dress code is as relaxed as the place itself — which makes sense. If you're going to dance, you need to be comfortable, and the… More >>

• Best Club DJ

  Joe Dert

  Why do we like Joe Dertç Well, because his mashups are Derty, damn it! Not long ago, the Miami Beach Jewbano homeboy was on his way to celebreality superstar status as the drummer for nu-metal band Endo. He signed right before the band went on tour with rock icons Megadeth, which led to an avalanche of accolades and hype for… More >>

• Best Latin Club

  Atarazana Nightclub

  Miami has more than its fair share of Latin music hot spots, but they don't get much sweeter than Atarazana Nightclub. For nearly three years this cozy local venue has attracted some the biggest names in the genre. Celebrated for its no-nonsense door policy and roomy dance floors, the reasonably priced Atarazana always spins the tropical standards, while also keeping… More >>

• Best Place to Hear Tango

  Amadeus Bar

  From the beach to Little Havana, and even out in West Kendall, the energetic rhythms of salsa have become as ubiquitous as empanada stands and guayaberas. But what of salsa's Argentine cousin, tangoç The venues that play this sensual music are few and far between. Luckily dancer Monica Llobet is taking steps (literally) to help milongas (tango parties) flourish in… More >>

• Best Bar to Model-Watch

  Maxine

  The chic red-and-white motif inside the Catalina is a magnet for trendy types looking for a chill place to enjoy an $8 glass of pinot grigio. But the hotel has a secret appeal that lies in its convenient location and layout. From the outdoor patio, regular guys can stare discreetly at hot chicks in heels hobbling along Collins Avenue without… More >>

• Best Rock Club

  Studio A

  After you've done the prerequisite night at Churchill's (our CBGB), it's time to move on to Studio A. This downtown Miami nightspot is significantly larger than the lovable British pub, and has a superb sound system, so it's more appropriate for the midlevel, touring rock bands that play there. The space also looks nicer — if you like fancy chandeliers… More >>

• Best Poolside Bar

  Conrad Hotel

  During the high season between January and March, the pristine breeze that courses through the open-air pool deck of the Conrad Hotel is enough to make you forget about the $6 it costs for a Corona. Lush palm trees and chic cabanas line the perimeter of the pool. Sip your beer and stare at the rippled reflection of Brickell Avenue's… More >>

• Best VIP Room

  The Fifth

  At the Fifth, you'll see celebrities, but you'll also be treated like one. That's the customary service of marketing director Gerry Kelly. Just talk to some of the club's VIPs. "You can be in a club with a thousand people and Gerry can give each person his attention," says Donna Preudhomme, a fashion model who recently celebrated her birthday there.… More >>

• Best New Bar

  Circa 28

  Maybe the books on Circa 28's shelves aren't for reading (The Y2K Survival Guide and Richard Nixon and His America are among the titles that occupy the diamond-patterned bookshelves.) But from the vintage neon sign outside to the stylishly raw interior, Circa 28's ambitions are in sync with its Wynwood surroundings. Velvet chairs, dim lighting, and ornate chandeliers are the… More >>

• Best Bar Food

  Jake's Bar - CLOSED

  Don't be fooled by the name of this establishment. Back in 2001, it was known as Jake's Bar and Grill, a deliberately dim, plush place across the street from Sunset Place that offered a pool table and killer steak at a great price. Now they've lost the "and grill." This might give a passerby the impression that Jake's is nothing… More >>

• Best Happy Hour

  Round Table Sports Bar & Lounge

  With its castle-shape roof, the Round Table certainly lets weary Miami motorists on U.S. 441 know it's the place to quench their parched thirst for affordable libations. Located in an industrial warehouse district about ten blocks away from the 103rd Street exit of I-95, the Round Table has been in business for 40 years. From 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday… More >>

• Best Dive Bar

  El Rincon de Quisquella

  Some go to find love, others to drown their sorrows. The rest of us visit simply for a warped refuge from reality. They're dive bars, the true rebels among the shiny, expensive nightclubs and their overpriced cover charges. El Rincon de Quisquella is the epitome of a dive bar in all its dilapidated, seedy glory. Located just south of Opa-locka,… More >>

• Best Sports Bar

  Seven Seas

  Catching a Heat game at Seven Seas is almost like watching it at home. The small bar (max occupancy 120) could double for a living room with its tight quarters, wooden warmth, and garage-sale decorations. Some of the old items hanging from the wall and ceiling include baseball bats, football helmets, golf clubs, turtle shells, and a plastic Guinness bottle.… More >>

• Best Neighborhood Bar/Miami Beach

  X-treme Cafe

  With so many foreigners clinking glasses on Miami Beach, you'd think that most bars would carry an extensive line of imported beers — but truly international taps are few and crowded. Because of that, the oddly named X-Treme Cafe has become a favorite with adventurous locals who have stumbled over this hidden gem. X-treme opened a couple years ago in… More >>

• Best Neighborhood Bar/West

  Mi Bohio - CLOSED

  We're pounding a $40 bottle of Aguardiente, surrounded by buxom cowgirls with some serious junk in the trunk. Their hips sway seductively and emphatically, as if their gyrations are sending sonic signals to Cartagena. The band plays a sizzling mix of vallenato and salsa that sends electric subliminal sexual messages into our grain alcohol-soaked frontal lobes. We're dressed in ten-gallon… More >>

• Best Neighborhood Bar/Central

  Tiki Bar

  The downtown tourist area just north of the Miami River looks like a ghost town once the sun sets. But life can still be found inside Tiki Bar after 6:00 p.m. Squeezed in between knockoff clothing and shoe stores, Tiki is situated on the second floor of the Flagler Station mall. If you need help locating it, look up and… More >>

• Best Neighborhood Bar/North

  Ivy Aventura

  Aventura's neighborhood bars should reflect the city's lush landscaping, prestigious condos, and high-end malls. And Ivy Aventura certainly does. Couture and cocktails reign supreme at the restaurant/bar/club where, on weekends, well-coiffed rears occupy every seat at the bar. The crowd ranges from locals in their twenties and thirties to fifty-something Porsche owners from nearby Williams Island. Every strand of hair… More >>

• Best Neighborhood Bar/South

  Sunset Tavern

  South Miami is anchored by Sunset Place, an outdoor mall and headquarters for sulky teenagers. But the narrow off-roads nearby hold intriguing options for an evening of adult debauchery. For University of Miami students and hip Coral Gables residents, there's no better neighborhood bar than Sunset Tavern. Located on the corner of a cute and cobblestone street, the collegiate watering… More >>

• Best Place to Play Darts

  Free Spirits Lounge

  The game of darts can be quite serious and dangerous, especially when the hard liquor kicks in and you start seeing two bull's eyes. Throwing sharp needles at the dartboard takes concentration and precision, like a drunken ninja. The bartenders at Free Spirits Lounge know how to mix drinks, and they can also throw some darts. "This is one of… More >>

• Best Jukebox

  Finnegan's on the River

  What's great about the Finnegan's jukebox is that it's a flat-panel touchscreen inside a fire engine-red telephone booth, the same type you'd find outside a real Irish pub. So when someone is lurking behind you, breathing down your neck to hurry up your music selection, you can just slide the door closed and stick your tongue out at them. Most… More >>

• Best Gay Bar

  Anam's

  Miami is a playground for the gay male community — from downtown to South Beach, the boys have plenty of places to romp. Unfortunately Miami doesn't offer as many options for lesbians. What's a girl (who loves girls) to do when she just wants to have fun? For starters, look hard. Anam's, an exclusive women's club, is easy to miss.… More >>

• Best Bartender

  Melissa Burley

  Twelve years ago Melissa Burley was an overworked and underpaid teacher in Miami-Dade's public school system. She supplemented that income with a job at late-night taco institution San Loco, located within stumbling distance of Mac's Club Deuce, Miami Beach's most venerably liquor-soaked bar. Within no time Ms. Burley found a new hangout and a family of fun regulars. She spent… More >>

• Best Martini

  Fox's Sherron Inn

  Fox's is where serious booze hounds do their thing. No better place for James Bond's favorite drink than this cozy, dimly lit, circa-1946 joint. Sit at a wood-paneled booth or just sidle up to the bar. The old pro behind the counter will make you a mean martini (the "dirty" version is a knockout here). Depending on the label you… More >>

• Best Bloody Mary

  14-Thirty-Five

  Mixing a bloody mary sounds easy. Just some vodka with tomato juice, rightç But it takes some serious skill to make a good one. A bad one may taste like ketchup and Skol, or bitter shrimp cocktail sauce. Some bartenders make it so spicy that your lips will burn. The perfect bloody mary can be found on the seventh floor… More >>

• Best Place for Cocktails

  Cielo Garden and Supper Club

  When it comes to cocktails and the places that serve them, details matter. Dirty martinis require just the right amount of vermouth and olive juice, while decent bars thrive on atmosphere and quality service. All things considered, Cielo has the right ingredients to make it the ideal place for relaxing with your drink of choice. Beads hang from the windows,… More >>

• Best Open Mike

  The Bohemia Room

  It's you on the stage, kickin' verses about your life. Just you, the band, a microphone ...oh yeah, and those hot-ass lights. You peer out into the crowd and the faces staring back seem to be standing at attention. Oh, this place is fly. The mood is right, they dim the lights. And the stiff drinks help to ease your… More >>

• Best Nightlife Trend

  Club-Hopping

  Miami's nightlife scene is undeniably fickle. Just think of all those clubs closing and opening like the legs of a pantyless celeb caught on camera. Wait, that's not right — there's nothing fickle about Paris, Lindsay, and Britney's ho antics. That stuff is permanent. But seriously, the one thing you can always count on (at least in Miami) is variety.… More >>

• Best Reggae Night

  Kulcha Shok Reggae Sundays

  Long live Jazid, the bastion of live music on Miami Beach — perhaps the only venue that assures a live performance every night. Once upon a time, there was a variety of venues at which reggae fanatics could find live vibrations at least one night a week. Now Kulcha Shok Reggae Sunday nights at Jazid keeps the heartical flame burning.… More >>

• Best Jazz Jam

  Churchill's

  Yeah, yeah, Churchill's is a great place to drink beer, shoot pool, smoke cigs, look surly, and show off your lousy acting talent — but it's also got one hell of a jazz jam. Monday nights are what you want. The music starts around 9:00 p.m. and includes a performance by a band, followed by a couple numbers on the… More >>

• Best Karaoke

  Felt

  Nowadays, when it seems like even the corner bodegas in South Beach demand a cover charge, it's reassuring to find a hangout that caters to low-rent locals. And it's even better when said spot has a kick-ass karaoke night. Thanks to Felt, the friendly and nonpretentious billiards bar on Washington Avenue, the community's would-be singers have a karaoke night to… More >>

• Best Cafe con Bellydancers

  Michael's Cafe

  You might be wondering: Is it a gas station, a restaurant, or a barç It's really a combination of all three. This former Texaco station has been converted into an elegant Middle Eastern eatery that specializes in alfresco dining, an experience formerly unheard of on bustling Kendall Drive. You can indulge in all of the traditional cuisine of the region… More >>

• Best Nightclub to Die in the Past Year

  Shine

  Only in South Beach does a nightclub experience a short-lived revival during Winter Music Conference. Such is the case with Shine at the Shelborne Hotel. It opened in late 2005 under the helm of nightlife veteran Gerry Kelly and techno music extraordinaire Jonathan Cowan. The place was divided into four environments, from a swanky lounge with handcrafted rock walls; to… More >>