Loxene Golden Disc

The Loxene Golden Disc was an annual New Zealand music award. It ran from 1965 to 1972. It was superseded by the Recording Arts Talent Awards (RATA).

The awards launched in 1965 and is the forerunner of the New Zealand Music Awards. It was created by the advertising agency of British multi-national company Reckitt & Colman, with support from the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC), the New Zealand Federation of Phonographic Industries and the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), with the awards named after Reckitt & Colman's anti-dandruff shampoo, Loxene.

10 finalist songs (later 12) were selected annually by a panel, with the winner decided by a public vote. While initially only one prize was given, other awards were added, including categories for record cover, recording artist of the year, and a producer award. From 1969, two awards were given - one to a solo artist, the other to a group however there was still one supreme award.

In 1965 and 1966 compilation LPs with tracks by annual finalists were released by Viking Records, with the 1970, 1971 and 1972 LPs released by HMV on behalf of the industry.

The television broadcast of the 1972 show won the 1973 Feltex Award for Best Light Entertainment.

The final Loxene Golden Disc awards were presented in 1972. In 1973 the New Zealand Federation of Phonographic Industry (later named the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand) created its own awards, the Recording Arts Talent Awards (RATA).

The first Golden Discs ceremony was broadcast on radio, live from the White Heron Lodge in Wellington on 25 November 1965. An earlier television programme featured the 10 finalists performing their songs live in studio.

The 1966 award was again held at the White Heron Lodge in Wellington, on 9 November 1966. The event was broadcast live on radio. The night before, the finalist performed on an hour-long television special.

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