APRA is proud to announce the nominees for the 2023 APRA Music Awards.
The Awards will be presented on Thursday 27 April at ICC Sydney, Gadigal land with host Celia Pacquola, guest presenters Fred Leone and Henry Wagons and Musical Director François Tétaz
APRA AMCOS has today announced the nominees for the 2023 APRA Music Awards, with a heavyweight roll call that recognises songwriters spanning pop, rock, country, R&B, hip hop, rap, soul, blues & roots, and dance genres.
The Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year features a musically diverse field with Julia Jacklin making the final five with her contemplative Lydia Wears a Cross. Julia is joined by the late, great Uncle Archie Roach with his moving One Song. Coming in at No 1 on triple j’s Hottest 100 in January, Say Nothing (feat. MAY-A) has been chosen by members, co-written by two previous APRA Songwriter of the Year recipients Flume and Sarah Aarons. Three-time APRA Songwriter of the Year Daniel Johns has been nominated with co-writers Laura Raia, Maxwell Bidstrup (pka MXXWLL) and Mark Landon (pka M-Phazes) for I Feel Electric from his recent solo album FutureNever, while King Stingray songwriter Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu appears in the Peer-Voted category for the first time with Lupa.
King Stingray songwriters Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu and Roy Kellaway are also named in the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year category, which is determined by the APRA Board of Writer and Publisher Directors. They appear with poet and singer-songwriter Sampa the Great, pop-soul-gospel songwriter Budjerah, and Vincent Goodyer, the ARIA Award-winning, GRAMMY-nominated producer, composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and artist, professionally known as 18YOMAN. Completing the Breakthrough category is Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu, Caleb Harper, Kieran Lama and Peppa Lane – the indie fab four known as Fremantle band Spacey Jane.
With their nod in the Most Performed Rock Work category for Lunchtime, Spacey Jane join an impressive list of songwriters nominated twice in 2023. Other dual nominees include Flume and Sarah Aarons, Vincent Goodyer, and GRAMMY Award winners RÜFÜS DU SOL who have landed in the Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work categories for On My Knees. Ruel and co-writer M-Phazes are in the mix for Growing Up Is ___ in the Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Pop Work categories.
Written over Zoom by Vance Joy and co-writer Joel Little, Clarity is nominated for Most Performed Pop Work and Most Performed Australian Work. Songwriting twins Cosmo Liney and Patrick Liney have also cracked the double appearing in Most Performed R&B/Soul Work for Bang My Line (co-written with Tkay Maidza) and for their work on Jessica Mauboy’s Glow (Most Performed Pop Work). And it’s two times a charm for co-writers Dean Lewis and Jon Hume whose work on Hurtless (Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Alternative Work) became an instant fan favourite, quickly amassing 20 million plus streams.
The Most Performed Alternative Work category also features songwriting superstars Sycco, Gang of Youths, Ocean Alley, and actor/songwriter Idris Elba for his collaboration on Lime Cordiale’s Apple Crumble.
The Most Performed International Work category features hit songs by recent touring stars Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Lil Nas X, as well as Adele and GAYLE.
Other nominees include Miiesha, Kylie Chirunga, Rumor duo Lenny Pearce and Mitchell Curley, Jerome and Jacob Farah, Jordan Rakei, Cosmo’s Midnight, Brothers with Joel Fletcher, Ash Grunwald, Kristy Lee Peters, Taylor Moss, Becca Hatch, Casey Barnes, James Johnston, Nixon Jackson, Hilltop Hoods, and the legendary Joe Camilleri among many others.
The 2023 APRA Music Awards will be held on Thursday 27 April at ICC Sydney, Gadigal land with host Celia Pacquola, guest presenters Fred Leone and Henry Wagons and Musical Director François Tétaz.
The 2023 APRA Music Awards nominees playlist is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music.