We're proud to reveal the Top 20 contenders for the coveted Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year.
Shortlist includes Baker Boy, Thelma Plum, Julia Jacklin, King Stingray, Courtney Barnett, Daniel Johns and the late Archie Roach AM.
The winner will be announced at the 2023 APRA Music Awards in April.
With thousands of votes recorded over the last month, we are proud to reveal the Top 20 contenders for the coveted Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year, with the winner to be announced at the 2023 APRA Music Awards in April.
The APRA Song of the Year remains Australia’s only peer-recognised accolade and highest achievement. Voted by those with firsthand experience in the craft of songwriting; APRA members have named these songs as the best of 2022, offering a look at what might make the final five nominees in this category at this year’s awards.
The shortlist features several songwriting collaborations including Flume and Sarah Aarons, ('Say Nothing feat. MAY-A'), Sampa the Great and Denzel Curry ('Lane'), Budjerah and Ainslie Wills ('Ready for The Sky'), dual shortlisted Baker Boy with Lara Andallo, Willie Tafa and Dallas Woods ('Headphones') and also with Pip Norman and multiple APRA Award-winner Bernard Fanning for the reworking of the Fanning solo classic 'Wish You Well'.
Appearing on the shortlist for the first time are: Donny Benet, Antony Partos, Matteo Zingales, Jono Ma, Lara Andallo, Willie Tafa and Maxwell Bidstrup.
The final five nominees across all 2023 APRA Music Awards categories will be revealed in late March, with winners announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday 27 April at ICC Sydney, Gadigal land where music industry guests will gather to celebrate the songwriters and music publishers that have achieved artistic excellence and outstanding success in their fields.
All APRA AMCOS songwriter and publisher members who voted for the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year are automatically placed into the draw to win cash prizes totaling $5,000 courtesy of Marsh.
***Listed in alphabetical order of song title***
| Peer-Voted Song of the Year - Top 20 Short list | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Backseat of My Mind |
| Artist: | Thelma Plum |
| Writers: | Thelma Plum* / Alexander Burnett / Oliver Horton |
| Publisher: | Sony Music Publishing* |
| Title: | Clarity |
| Artist: | Vance Joy |
| Writers: | Vance Joy / Joel Little* |
| Publishers: | Mushroom Music obo UNIFIED Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing* |
| Title: | Complete Mess |
| Artist: | 5 Seconds of Summer |
| Writers: | Michael Clifford / Luke Hemmings / Calum Hood / Ashton Irwin |
| Publishers: | Sony Music Publishing |
| Title: | Edge of Something |
| Artist: | Missy Higgins |
| Writers: | Missy Higgins / Antony Partos* / Matteo Zingales* |
| Publisher: | Mushroom Music / Sonar Music* |
| Title: | GTFO |
| Artist: | Genesis Owusu |
| Writers: | Genesis Owusu* / Michael Di Francesco^ / Andrew Klippel+ / Jono Ma |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing obo Ourness Songs* / Kobalt Music Publishing obo Future Classic^ / Mushroom Music obo Ourness Songs+ |
| Title: | Headphones |
| Artist: | Baker Boy |
| Writers: | Baker Boy / Lara Andallo / Willie Tafa / Dallas Woods* |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing* |
| Title: | I Feel Electric |
| Artist: | Daniel Johns |
| Writers: | Daniel Johns* / Laura Raia / Maxwell Bidstrup^ / Mark Landon |
| Publisher: | Sony Music Publishing* / BMG^ |
| Title: | If I Don't Hear from You Tonight |
| Artist: | Courtney Barnett |
| Writers: | Courtney Barnett |
| Publisher: | Concord Music Publishing |
| Title: | lane |
| Artist: | Sampa the Great feat. Denzel Curry |
| Writers: | Sampa the Great* / Denzel Curry / Jeff Kleinman^ / Samuel Masta / Solomon Moyo / Powers Pleasant+ / Mason Sacks+ |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing* / Universal/MCA Music Publishing^ / Sony Music Publishing+ |
| Title: | Le piano |
| Artist: | Donny Benet |
| Writers: | Donny Benet |
| Publisher: | Embassy Music Publishing |
| Title: | Lunchtime |
| Artist: | Spacey Jane |
| Writers: | Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu / Caleb Harper / Kieran Lama / Peppa Lane |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process |
| Title: | lupa |
| Artist: | King Stingray |
| Writers: | Gotjiringu Jerome Yunupingu |
| Publisher: | Sony Music Publishing |
| Title: | Lydia Wears a Cross |
| Artist: | Julia Jacklin |
| Writers: | Julia Jacklin |
| Publisher: | Mushroom Music |
| Title: | Magenta Mountain |
| Artist: | King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard |
| Writers: | Ambrose Kenny-Smith / Stu Mackenzie / Joey Walker |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing |
| Title: | one song |
| Artist: | Archie Roach |
| Writers: | Archie Roach |
| Publisher: | Mushroom Music |
| Title: | Ready for the Sky |
| Artist: | Budjerah |
| Writers: | Budjerah / Ainslie Wills* |
| Publisher: | Mushroom Music / Sony Music Publishing* |
| Title: | Rising Seas |
| Artist: | Midnight Oil |
| Writers: | Jim Moginie |
| Publisher: | Sony Music Publishing |
| Title: | Say Nothing (feat. MAY-A) |
| Artist: | Flume |
| Writers: | Flume* / Sarah Aarons |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing |
| Title: | Say Something |
| Artist: | Flume |
| Writers: | Flume* / Sarah Aarons |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing |
| Title: | Thousand Miles |
| Artist: | The Kid LAROI |
| Writers: | The Kid LAROI* / Louis Bell# / Billy Walsh# / Andrew Watt^ |
| Publisher: | Sony Music Publishing* / Universal/MCA Music Publishing# / Kobalt Music Publishing^ |
| Title: | Wish You Well ft Bernard Fanning |
| Artist: | Baker Boy & Bernard Fanning |
| Writers: | Baker Boy / Bernard Fanning* / Pip Norman^ |
| Publisher: | Universal Music Publishing* / Mushroom Music^ |
Read more information regarding eligibility for the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year and the APRA Music Awards