CMAT wins big in the Hot Press Readers' Poll 2026 – see the full results

Following another massive year for CMAT, with the release of her chart-topping third album, EURO-COUNTRY, the Irish singer-songwriter has emerged as the big winner in the Hot Press Readers' Poll 2026 – coming out on top in a hugely impressive six categories...

This year's edition of the Hotties was another closely-fought competition – with tens of thousands of votes cast over the past few weeks, from Hot Press readers and music fans of every sonic persuasion.

We can now, at last, present the full list of winners – as selected by you...

The level of support for CMAT was off the charts this year – with the artist also known as Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson ultimately winning Irish Album of the Year, Track of the Year (for 'Take A Sexy Picture Of Me'), Live Act of the Year, Individual Artist of the Year, Groundbreaking Woman of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.

Of course, CMAT wasn't the only Irish act to impress voters in this year's Readers' Poll. Following a major run of international tour dates and festival slots, Fontaines D.C. have scored top honours in Group of the Year, as well Best Musician for guitarist Carlos O'Connell – while KNEECAP, Kingfishr, Florence Road, Belters Only and Amble also won in their own respective categories.

CMAT at 3Arena on December 5th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

But it's not just musicians who are celebrated in the Hotties. Tommy Tiernan has been named Irish Comedian of the Year for a second year running – while Dec Pierce and Michaela Hayes have scored the top spots in the National and Local/Regional Radio DJ categories, respectively. The 3Arena in Dublin, meanwhile, was voted Live Venue of the Year.

Following another brilliant year for film and TV, Hamnet and Adolescence were selected as the Hot Press readers' favourites – and Joseph O'Connor came out on top in the Best Book category with The Ghosts of Rome.

Finally, the International Best Album category was dominated by women this year – with Olivia Dean's acclaimed The Art of Loving followed by projects from Florence + The Machine, Taylor Swift, Lily Allen, Lady Gaga, Zara Larsson and more.

See the full results of the Hot Press Readers' Poll 2026 below:

Album of the Year (Irish)

1. CMAT - Euro-Country
2. Amble - Reverie
3. Kingfishr - Halcyon
4. David Keenan - Modern Mythologies
5. KETTAMA - Archangel
6. Cian Ducrot – Little Dreaming
7. Michael D Higgins - Against All Certainty
8. Ash - Ad Astra
9. Inhaler - Open Wide
10. Ólafur Arnalds & Talos - A Dawning

Debut Album of the Year (Irish)

1. Kingfishr - Halcyon
2. Amble - Reverie
3. Michael D Higgins - Against All Certainty
4. KETTAMA - Archangel
5. Moncrief – Maybe It’s Fine
6. DUG – Have At It!
7. Huartan - Huartan
8. Scustin – Confessions Of A Pub Talker
9. Bren Berry - In Hope Our Stars Align
10. Biig Piig - 11.11

Kingfishr at 3Arena on December 18th, 2025. Copyright Jason Doherty/ hotpress.com

Track of the Year (Irish)

1. CMAT - Take A Sexy Picture Of Me
2. Kingfishr - Diamonds And Roses
3. Fontaines D.C. - It’s Amazing To Be Young
4. Dermot Kennedy - Let Me In
5. Kneecap - Sayōnara
6. Amble - Hand Me Downs
7. Lisa O’Neill - The Wind Doesn’t Blow This Far Right
8. Madra Salach - I Was Just A Boy
9. Florence Road - Heavy
10. KhakiKid - Date Night

Live Act of the Year

1. CMAT
2. Kneecap
3. Fontaines D.C.
4. Kingfishr
5. Amble
6. Hozier
7. Dermot Kennedy
8. Christy Moore
9. Bell X1
10. Imelda May

Group of the Year

1. Fontaines D.C.
2. Kingfishr
3. Kneecap
4. Amble
5. The Mary Wallopers
6. BIIRD
7. Florence Road
8. The Script
9. The Coronas
10. Lankum

Fontaines D.C. at All Together Now on August 1st, 2025. Copyright Trevor McGrath/ hotpress.com

Individual Artist of the Year

1. CMAT
2. Dermot Kennedy
3. Hozier
4. Christy Moore
5. Damien Dempsey
6. Jazzy
7. Cian Ducrot
8. Junior Brother
9. Nell Mescal
10. KhakiKid

Groundbreaking Woman of 2025

1. CMAT
2. Jazzy
3. Imelda May
4. Cathy Jordan
5. Allie Sherlock
6. Lyra
7. Lisa O’Neill
8. Nell Mescal
9. Muireann Bradley
10. Roisin O

Most Promising Act of The Year

1. Florence Road
2. BIIRD
3. Muireann Bradley
4. Madra Salach
5. KhakiKid
6. RÓIS
7. Ellie O’Neill
8. CamrinWatsin
9. Cliffords
10. Dave Lofts

Florence Road. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com.

Best Dance/Electronic (Irish)

1. Belters Only
2. Jazzy
3. Bicep
4. Saoirse
5. Sophie Reid
6. BLK.
7. Kettama
8. Al Gibbs
9. Caoimhe
10. Shona Brophy

Best Rap/Hip Hop (Irish)

1. KNEECAP
2. KhakiKid
3. Reggie
4. Rí Rá
5. God Knows
5. Bricknasty
7. Curtisy
8. Kojaque
9. Alex Gough
10. Tebi Rex

Best Folk/Trad (Irish)

1. Amble
2. Christy Moore
3. The Mary Wallopers
4. Cathy Jordan
5. Emma Langford
6. Biird
7. Ye Vagabonds
8. The Scratch
9. Lankum
10. Fiach Moriarty

Amble at 3Arena on December 11th, 2025. Copyright Jason Doherty/ hotpress.com

Best Songwriter

1. Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson (CMAT)
2. Dermot Kennedy
3. Andrew Hozier Byrne
4. David Keenan
5. Imelda May
6. Glen Hansard
7. Damien Dempsey
8. Cian Ducrot
9. Mick Flannery
10. Robbie Cunningham, Oisin McCaffrey and Ross McNerney (Amble)

Best Musician

1. Carlos O'Connell (Fontaines D.C.)
2. Sharon Shannon
3.The Edge (U2)
4. Steve Wickham
5. Wallis Bird
6. Roisin Ó
7. Dónal Lunny
8. John Spillane
9. Liam Ó Maonlaí
10. Colm Mac an Iomaire

Comedian of the Year (Irish)

1. Tommy Tiernan
2. Aisling Bea
3. Joanne McNally
4. Emma Doran
5. Chris Kent
6. Dara Ó Briain
7. Jason Byrne
8. Vittorio Angelone
9. Deirdre O'Kane
10. Shane Todd

Tommy Tiernan at History in the Making - The Concert at 3Arena on February 6th, 2026. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

Best Radio DJ (National)

1. Dec Pierce (Today FM)
2. John Creedon (RTÉ Radio 1)
3. Louise Cantillon (Today FM)
4. Fergal D'Arcy (RTÉ 2FM Appearances)
5. Beta Da Silva (RTÉ 2FM)
6. Ian Dempsey (Today FM)
7. Louise Duffy (RTE Radio One)
8. Tom Dunne (Newstalk)
9. Jenny Greene (RTÉ 2FM)
10. Dave Fanning (RTÉ 2FM/RTÉ Gold)

Best Radio DJ (Local / Regional)

1. Michaela Hayes (Spin 1038/ Spin SW)
2. Max Kane (FM104)
3. Colm Hayes (Classic Hits)
4. Martin Bridgeman (KCLR)
5. Marty Miller (Radio Nova)
6. Gemma Bradley (BBC Radio Ulster)
7. Ava Somers (Beat 102-103)
8. Kayte O’Malley (Galway Bay FM)
9. Stephanie Rainey (Red FM)
10. Lucy Kennedy (Classic Hits)

Live Venue of the Year

1. 3Arena, Dublin
2. Dolan’s, Limerick
3. Mike The Pies, Listowel
4. 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin
5. Whelan’s, Dublin
6. Vicar Street, Dublin
7. The Spirit Store, Dundalk
8. Maggie May’s Bar, Wexford
9. Cleere’s Bar and Theatre, Kilkenny
10. The Sound House, Dublin

Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in Hamnet

Best Film (Irish and International)

1. Hamnet
2. Sinners
3. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
4. One Battle After Another
5. Saipan
6. Christy
7. Marty Supreme
8. Steve
9. Begonia
10. Four Mothers

Best TV Show (Irish and International)

1. Adolescence
2. The Traitors Ireland
3. The Walsh Sisters
4. House of Guinness
5. Louis Theroux: The Settlers
6. The White Lotus
7. The Bear
8. Severance
9. One Day
10. Leonard and Hungry Paul

Best Book (Irish and International)

1. Joseph O’Connor – The Ghosts of Rome
2. Andrea Mara – It Should Have Been You
3. Roisin O’Donnell – Nesting
4. Maggie O’Farrell – Land
5. Elaine Feeney – Let Me Go Mad In My Own Way
6. Emma Jane Unsworth – Slags
7. Wendy Erskine – The Benefactors
8. John Banville – Venetian Whispers
9. Florence Knapp – The Names
10. Ian McEwan – What Can We Know

Olivia Dean. Photo: Gwen Trannoy

Best Album (International)

1. Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
2. Florence + The Machine - Everybody Scream
3. Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl
4. Lily Allen - West End Girl
5. Lady Gaga – Mayhem
6. Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
7. Pulp – More
8. Wet Leg - Moisturizer
9. Wolf Alice - The Clearing
10. Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos