Best 4 AM bar
The Owl
Runner-up: The Continental
Best blues band
Joanna Connor Band
Runner-up: Bear Williams Band
Best classical ensemble
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Runner-up: Spektral Quartet
Best classical music event
Grant Park Music Festival
Runner-up: Thirsty Ears Festival
Best country band
Hoyle Brothers
Runner-up: Henhouse Prowlers
Best dance party
Nocturna at Metro
Runner-up: Windy City Soul Club
Best dive bar
Liar’s Club
Runner-up: Cole’s Bar
Best emerging band
Modern Nun
Runner-up: Nude Bodies
Best emerging local label
Sooper Records
Runner-up: Don’t Panic Records & Distro
Best established bar
Hopleaf
Runner-up: Liar’s Club
Best gay bar
Berlin
Runner-up: Sidetrack
Best gig poster designer
Ryan Duggan
Runner-up: Dan Grzeca
Best hip-hop DJ
DJ Ca$h Era
Runners-up: Bonita Appleblunt, BVax
Best hip-hop group
Pivot Gang
Runner-up: Glitter Moneyyy
Best hip-hop party
Ever Evolved at Subterranean
Runner-up: Skoli Moly Donut Shop at Cafe Mustache
Best hip-hop producer
No I.D.
Runner-up: Montana Macks
Best hotel bar
Cindy’s at Chicago Athletic Association
Runner-up: Palmer House
Best house music DJ
Derrick Carter
Runner-up: John Simmons
Best individual blues musician
Joanna Connor
Runner-up: Bear Williams
Best individual hip-hop artist
Mick Jenkins
Runner-up: Femdot
Best individual jazz musician
Makaya McCraven
Runners-up: Ben LaMar Gay, Quin Kirchner
Best international or world music act
Chicago Immigrant Orchestra
Runner-up: Dos Santos
Best jazz ensemble
Joel Paterson Trio
Runner-up: Damon Locks’s Black Monument Ensemble
Best lesbian bar
Nobody’s Darling
Runner-up: Big Chicks
Best LGBTQ+ party
Queen! at Smart Bar
Runner-up: Slo ’Mo
Best local album of the year
Girl K, Girl K Is for the People
Runner-up: Heet Deth, Hooray!
Best local label
Bloodshot Records
Runner-up: Sooper Records
Best metal band
Huntsmen
Runner-up: Immortal Bird
Best music festival
Riot Fest
Runner-up: Pitchfork Music Festival
Best music podcast
Sound Opinions
Runner-up: CHIRP Radio podcasts
Best music teacher
Bridget Skaggs
Runner-up: Dana Hall
Best music venue
Metro
Runner-up: Thalia Hall
Best music venue bartender
Gary Kessler at Liar’s Club
Runner-up: Kelly Wey at Transit Nightclub, Metro, Smart Bar
Best neighborhood bar
Skylark
Runner-up: Rogers Park Social
Best new bar
Nobody’s Darling
Runner-up: Golden Dagger
Best non-orchestra classical ensemble
Third Coast Percussion
Runner-up: Fourth Coast Ensemble
Best pop artist
Nnamdï
Runner-up: Justice Hill
Best punk band
Naked Raygun
Runner-up: Sincere Engineer
Best R&B artist
Jamila Woods
Runner-up: Jean Deaux
Best recording studio
Electrical Audio
Runner-up: Uptown Recording
Best rock band
Wilco
Runner-up: Local H
Best singer-songwriter
Tasha
Runner-up: Girl Named Nino
Best streaming concert series
Hideout
Runner-up: Audiotree
Best suburban music venue
FitzGerald’s
Runner-up: SPACE
Best venue for blues music
Kingston Mines
Runner-up: Rosa’s Lounge
Best venue for classical music
Millennium Park
Runner-up: Symphony Center
Best venue for dance music
Metro and Smart Bar
Runner-up: Berlin
Best venue for hip-hop
Subterranean
Runner-up: Promontory
Best venue for jazz
Green Mill
Runners-up: Constellation, FitzGerald’s
Best venue for magic shows
Chicago Magic Lounge
Runner-up: Liar’s Club
Best venue for rock music
Metro
Runner-up: Empty Bottle
Refer to the closed final ballot to see all the categories and finalists that were voted on.