The academy has spoken and the nominees are in for the 2012 OC Music Awards. The annual ceremony celebrates the best in local music and this year the nominees include a few past winners as well as some fresh talent. The area's biggest break-through act, Irvine's Young the Giant, garnered six nominations including best album (though its self-titled debut was released in October 2010), best alternative, best indie, best rock, best song and music video for its debut single "Cough Syrup."

Tied with YTG for the highest number of nominations is new quintet Jeramiah Red with nods for best new artist, best new album ("Ghost Tracks from the Getty"), best song ("Can't Help Myself"), best blues, best country/Americana and best rock.

The OC Impact and Lifetime Achievement awards will be announced on Feb. 1 and the best live band and best live acoustic showcase series finalists will be announced following the final showcase on Feb. 15.  The People's Choice award will be announced on Feb. 27 and the final event will take place on March 3 at City National Grove of Anaheim.

The free live showcase series kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa with Jeramiah Red, Paulie Pesh, the Gromble, Strange Birds and James Fletcher. The showcases will be held every Tuesday in a different local venue through Feb. 14. The final showcases will be held Feb. 24 and 25. The venues and bands are to be announced. For a complete list of OC Music Awards showcases go here.

Best Album
The Aquabats - Hi-Five Soup!
Jeramiah Red - Ghost Tracks from the Getty
Social Distortion - Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes
Thrice - Major/Minor
Young The Giant - Young The Giant

Best Song
DJ Tempo - "June Serenadez" featuring Ashley Morphew
Jeramiah Red - "Can't Help Myself"
Kiev - "Loot Recovered"
Thrice - "Promises"
Young The Giant - "Cough Syrup"

Best New Artist
Ethan Hulse
Golden Afternoon
Jeramiah Red
Portrait of a Nightmare
The Ultimate Bearhug

Best Alternative
Ceasefire
Jack's Mannequin
Railroad to Alaska
Suedehead
Young The Giant

Best Blues
Jameson
Jeramiah Red
Parker Macy Blues
Robert Jon & the Wreck
Roman Alexander & The Robbery

Best DJ
DJ Bobby Soul
DJ Oldboy
DJ Tempo
DJ Thrifty Lips
Kedd Cook

Best Country/Americana
Big Sandy & the Fly-Rite Boys
Billy Kernkamp
Falling Stars
Jeramiah Red
Nicole Vaughn

Best Electronic
Blok
Electric Valentine
Free the Robots
Mphase
Speaker Junkies

Best Folk
Ethan Hulse
Field Trip
I Hate You Just Kidding
Micah Brown
The Ultimate Bearhug

Best Hip Hop
BLOK
Cirious and Deelux
I&I
Pwest
Speach Impediments

Best Indie
Kiev
The Devious Means
The Gromble
The Steelwells
Young the Giant

Best Jazz
Chris Williams
Evan Stone
Nancy Sanchez
Ron Kobayashi
Tony Guerrero

Best Latin
!Aparato!
Boogaloo Assassins
Nancy Sanchez
Signa
The Latin Jazz Syndicate

Best Metal
Anna Vexa
Avenged Sevenfold
Bleeding Through
Death By Stereo
Railroad to Alaska

Best Pop
Amanda Lamb
The Aquabats
Ethan Hulse
Stacy Clark
Suedehead

Best Punk
Audacity
Chaser
Death Hymn Number 9
The Adolescents
The Gospels

Best Rock
Echo Echo
Jeramiah Red
Red9
Thrice
Young The Giant

Best Surf
Alejandor Awesome Surf Band
Death Hymn Number 9
Headshine
Hindu Pirates
The Growlers

Best World
80 Proof
Craic Haus
Dirty Heads
Reel Big Fish
Seedless

Best Music Video
Blok - Jungle Dog Fang Hell
Red9 - Fanatico
Red Devil Squadron - Bobcat Wrangler
Semi Sweet - Chemicals Corrected
Young The Giant - Cough Syrup

Best Youth
CHIXX RULE
McKenzie Brandon
Ugly Paint
Un D Vided
Whiplash