HMA22 Event Details Unveiled Including Full Performing Line-Up
The sixth annual Heavy Music Awards takes place at London’s historic O2 Forum Kentish Town on Sunday 5 June 2022 - and we can now reveal exactly what is planned for the biggest awards show in rock’s calendar!
With another capacity crowd of 2,400 expected, the event will once again see multiple awards handed out across 11 public voted categories in addition to the HMAs’ one community award, The H, all under the prestigious headline sponsorship of streaming giant Amazon Music and soundtracked between bands and awards by the event’s official party partner, Fireball Whisky, whose DJs will be keeping energy levels up high from the first moment to the last.
Hosting the event will be Kerrang! Radio’s Alex Baker, a champion of emerging and established artists for more than a decade - and one of the most respected voices across the UK’s rock scene.
The performing line-up is once again packed with some of the most exciting bands in heavy music right now - representing a spectacular cross-section of genres and styles, and featuring four artists who have graced the covers of major magazines in the UK and US.
Opening proceedings on the night will be fast-rising, genre-destroying upstarts Static Dress, a band who have consistently stunned and surprised fans and journalists with their fearless approach to both songwriting and visual identity. The Leeds quartet have pocketed nominations for Best UK Breakthrough Artist in both 2021 and 2022 - and continue to build serious excitement for a debut album later in 2022.
Next up, Meet Me @ The Altar bring their high energy pop punk from the USA to the HMAs stage for what is sure to be an explosive and memorable performance. The band - signed to Fueled By Ramen alongside such genre heavyweights as Paramore, Twenty One Pilots and A Day To Remember - have toured hard since their first run in 2018, building a status among their peers rarely earned by an emerging artist - especially one that has yet to release a debut album. This will be a sensational opportunity to see just why MM@TA have bagged nominations for Best International Breakthrough Artist in both 2021 and 2022.
Having performed on the HMA20 live stream, Welsh rock outfit Holding Absence will finally get a chance to perform in front of the Heavy Music Awards audience - showing just why their second full-length ‘The Greatest Mistake Of My Life’ is up for Best Album. The Cardiff four-piece recently finished up a UK tour alongside former HMA headliners Creeper, and will underline their reputation as one of the scene’s hardest working bands by hitting the USA, Canada and Australia before taking to the O2 Forum’s stage at HMA22.
The night will be rounded out by melodic metallers Beartooth, who have built a huge following globally since their inception in 2012. Their Best International Artist nod is one of two nominations the band have picked up at this year’s HMAs, and following the postponement of their blockbuster UK run to 2023, this appearance will be one of the first chances for fans to hear songs from the band’s acclaimed fourth album ‘Below’ in the UK.
The Heavy Music Awards takes place on Sunday 5 June 2022 at the O2 Forum Kentish Town. All voters will be entered into a ballot to win the chance to book tickets. No tickets will be made available for sale.
