Band T-Shirts & Music Merch To Show Your Love For NZ Music
Celebrate NZ Music Month in style. Plus, tracks to listen to while you do.
Mark your calendars: May 29 is NZ Music T-Shirt Day. On that Friday – the last of Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa/NZ Music Month – embrace the occasion and spotlight local musicians, and signal your support for the creative arts.
The designated NZ Music Month charity tee for 2026 has just a few sizes left. But local musicians extend their artistry to design, too: screen printing T-shirts to hawk at merch tables for their gigs around Aotearoa.
For long periods, band T-shirts have been styled ultra-casually with jeans and a jacket. However, more contemporary street style approaches see the staple dressed up – layered as vests or highlighted through colour blocking.
In this collection, you’ll find T-shirts from all sorts of musicians who play in all different genres. Some are obviously pledging allegiance to a certain musician, but others feature more subtle nods to our local artists.
Last week, Geneva AM took home a Taite Prize for Best Independent Debut for her album Pikipiki. This tee is branded with her name and a love heart – ideal for signalling the way you feel about her music.
Listen to: ‘Tīpuna Rākau’
Electronic musician Mokotron has the cover of his EP Tawhito, designed by James Paratii Lainchbury, rendered on a grey marle tee.
Listen to: ‘Waerea’
This dreamy tee captures the vibe of Fazerdaze’s sophomore album Soft Power.
Listen to: ‘So Easy’
Introduce a shock of colour with this lime tee from Marlin’s Dreaming. It reads “hold on to your ears!” at its centre.
Listen to: ‘Lucky Star’
Ready for a dance? A little revelry? Consider the text and album title from Jazmine Mary – tell others you want to rock and roll.
Listen to: ‘Memphis’
Lucy Suttor, lead vocalist of Dick Move, is staunch and energetic. The slogan on this tee reinforces that perspective: “Dream, Believe, Achieve.”
Listen to: ‘Scared Old Men’
Benee’s tee captures angst in a swirly pink font, with the slogan saying “Ur an angel, I’m just particles”. One for the lovers!
Listen to: ‘Doomsday’
Marlon Williams took out the top award at the Taite Music Prize for his album Te Whare Tīwekaweka. He has a range of merch for the album (which Viva has highlighted before), but also a few from the archive.
Listen to: ‘Make Way For Love (Pou Tiriao Singers)’
Let a ‘yeehaw’ loose in this tee by country artist Sig Wilder.
Listen to: ‘Sylvia’
A gooey illustration brings this Pheobe Rings sweatshirt to life (it’s also realised in a more vibrant green for their tees).
Listen to: ‘Fading Star’
Singer-songwriter Reb Fountain has just released a new album called Smoke Signals, so this tee is particularly timely.
Listen to: ‘Keep Your Heart Open’
The Beths merch is always cheery – even when it depicts a frowny face. This design is by Lily Paris West.
Listen to: ‘Mosquitos’
Good music always feels a little magic. This cap from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, featuring magician hands and a wand, captures this quite literally.
Listen to: ‘Earth 2′
These teensy robot characters come from the cover art for Pickle Darling’s album Bots.
Listen to: ‘Violence Voyager’
Made in collaboration with Eleventeen Ceramics, each one of these creatures is Not A Bee, But A Wasp.
Listen to: ‘Sundog’
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