Congrats to homegrown Unsigned Only 2023 winners

Congrats to Unsigned Only First Place category winners Hattie Oates (Adult Album Contemporary) and Ignasyo (Adult Contemporary)

A staggering 25 homegrown artists were honoured this year including the two 1st place winners, four 2nd place winners and 19 receiving honourable mentions.

This year's Unsigned Only comp brought in 6,000 entries from around the globe.

Australian artists have continued to rake in accolades at this year’s international Unsigned Only music competition. Based in the US, Unsigned Only is an important platform for discovering some of the best unsigned contemporary musical talent from all around the world.

A staggering 25 homegrown artists were honoured this year, with 19 receiving honourable mentions, and six scoring First and Second Place wins. Many of these artists were honoured across multiple song categories. 5 of the 6 winners are APRA AMCOS members!

“Australian artists benefit from a very supportive community which encourages their innovative spirit resulting in unique and groundbreaking music,” said co-founders Candace Avery and Jim Morgan. “This ensures that their music resonates not only within Australia but also on a global stage, and we are proud to throw the spotlight on these immensely talented artists.” We agree!

First Place in the Adult Album Alternative category was awarded to Tamworth local Hattie Oates for her song 'Goodbye'. Sydney's Ignasyo also took home First Place in the Adult Contemporary category for his song 'Get You (Closer)'.

An additional congrats to the four local acts who received Second Place honours: Greta Stanley from FNQ with her track "Red Earth Dirt" (Adult Album Alternative); Haiku Hands from Sydney & Melbourne for their dancefloor banger "Nunchucka" (EDM); Brissie teenager Lottie McLeod with her nostalgia-soaked "Happy Birthday" (Teen); and Melbourne's Royal Drue for her track "Body" (Top/Top 40).

Congrats also to Kiwi artist Alayna who won First Place in the Folk/ Singer-Songwriter category for her song "Meteors"!

A judging panel of prominent artists and music industry experts selected the winners. The judges included Robert Smith (The Cure), Aimee Mann, Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC), Derek Brown (Flaming Lips) and Ruthie Foster, among others. The panel also included journalists from a range of music publications such as Rolling Stone, Guitar Player, Billboard, Summerfest, Seattle Times, Collective Music Nashville and more.

Established in 2012, this year’s competition garnered almost 6,000 entries from almost 100 countries, reflecting the immense pool of musical talent worldwide. Winners share in over $150,000 in cash and prizes split among 38 winners, including a $20,000 (US) cash prize to the overall Grand Prize winner. In addition to cash and merchandise, winners receive invaluable exposure through press, social media, and more.

Unsigned Only is now accepting entries for the 2024 competition. More information can be found at: https://www.unsignedonly.com