It'll be a tight race at the upcoming AMI Awards

It's difficult to declare a favorite as all the nominees have enjoyed an impressive year on the billboard charts and live.

By VIVA SARAH PRESS
KNESIAT HASECHEL 88 2245 (photo credit: )
KNESIAT HASECHEL 88 2245
(photo credit: )
Hard rock band Hayehudim, veteran rock group Knesiat Hasechel, alternative-pop group Metropolin, pop-rockers Synergia and indie rockers Malkat Haplakat are this year's nominees for Band of the Year at the annual Israeli Music Channel Awards (Arutz Musika Israeli - AMI) which will take place tomorrow, December 26, in Tel Aviv and will be broadcast live on Channel 24 at 8 p.m. It's difficult to declare a favorite as all the nominees have enjoyed an impressive year on the billboard charts and live. Missing from the nominee roster is the popular Beit Habubot, which last year triumphed as Band of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. Whether this is because its album was released late in the year or because the band continues to garner poor critical reviews of its latest material, music fans - who helped make Beit Habubot into the top-selling band it is today - will have to split their votes on other musicians. Hayehudim, Metropolin, and Knesiat Hasechel are up for other awards as well. Like last year, the public's votes will count for 90 percent of the deciding poll, while Channel 24's judges will have a 10% say. Other honors up for grabs at the upcoming awards show include Singer of the Year (Male and Female), Album of the Year and Newcomers of the Year. Contenders for Male Singer of the Year are Eric Berman, Boaz Sharabi, Yoni Bloch, Idan Yaniv and Shlomi Shaban. Efrat Gosh, Dana International, Yehudit Ravitz, Miri Mesika and Sarit Hadad are the female nominees. In the running for Album of the Year are Hayehudim for Forte, Knesiat Hasechel for Autobiography, Metropolin for The Coil, Noam Rotem for Help on the Way and Shlomi Shaban for City. Music Channel 24 was launched in 2003 and quickly became Israel's version of MTV. It has helped develop the careers of many popular music stars by spotlighting homegrown talent and giving local music makers a chance to highlight their videos. This year's AMI awards will be hosted by actor/satirist Guri Alfi.