Here Are the Winners of the 2015 RFT Music Awards

It was simply meant to be. After what felt like weeks of continuous rain in St. Louis, the clouds finally parted on Saturday, June 20, just in time for the annual RFT Music Showcase. Held for the second time in the Grove district of Manchester Avenue, this year's event saw record numbers in attendance and in performance, with nearly 90 acts sharing their art with St. Louis' most in-the-know music fans over the course of twelve hours. The sunshine, frankly, was just a bonus.

But we're not done yet. There's still the little matter of the RFT Music Awards, for which members of the public cast their ballots to support their favorite local artists. Thousands of votes later, the results are in.

See also: 20 Top Pics From the RFT Music Showcase 2015

Aside from a few instances of ballot-stuffing that we weeded out (tsk tsk, cheaters), this year's winners prove that you all have been paying attention, with many artists who have been making big waves in the last year coming out on top.

Lion's Daughter, which signed to the prestigious Season of Mist label in March, was voted Best Metal Band. Bruiser Queen, which has had a year of touring and pushing hard after signing with St. Louis' Boxing Clever Records, takes the top honors in the Rock category. Rapper Tef Poe, who has made quite a name for himself as a high-profile Ferguson activist, takes home the gold in the Best Hip-Hop (Solo) category.

But the winners weren't the only talented musicians on the ballot. After all, many of the acts that performed on Saturday didn't win their respective categories, but clearly they had the chops to show the masses a good time. In keeping, we are reprinting the entire list of 150 nominees this year. You will see the winners at the top of each category in bold -- tell them congratulations! Then go check out the ones that aren't in bold. We assure you, they are well worth your time.

See you all next year!

Americana Beth Bombara Brothers Lazaroff Cara Louise Band CharFlies Loot Rock Gang

Blues The Maness Brothers The Jeremiah Johnson Band Rich McDonough & Rough Grooves Rum Drum Ramblers Soulard Blues Band

Country The Hobosexuals Cree Rider Family Band Jack Grelle Old Salt Union Trigger 5

Cover Band The Town Drunks Diesel Island Jukebox Hooligans Queens Blvd We Bite

DJ Nappy DJ Needles Billy "Billy Brown" Brown DJ Boogieman DJ Crucial DJ Mahf

Electronic (Dance) Black James Abnormal D-M-Y Parisian Rai

Electronic (Eclectic) Hands & Feet 18andCounting .e Hylidae Syna So Pro

Emo I Could Sleep In The Clouds Carte de Visite Early Worm Foxing Old State

Experimental Demon Lover Darin Gray Eric Hall Travis Bursik Yowie

Folk Letter to Memphis The Aching Hearts Arthur and the Librarian Cassie Morgan and the Lonely Pine Grace Basement

More winners on the next page.