The APRA Music Awards celebrate excellence in contemporary music, honouring songwriters and publishers that have achieved artistic excellence and outstanding success in their fields.
The 2021 APRA Music Awards will be held on at the International Convention Centre, Sydney on Wednesday 28 April.
APRA AMCOS would like to thank our event sponsors for helping make the APRA Music Awards possible:
Song of the Year shortlist announced!
See who is in the running for the 2021 Peer-Voted Song of the Year
About
The APRA Music Awards celebrate excellence in contemporary music, honouring songwriters and publishers that have achieved artistic excellence and outstanding success in their fields.
The 2021 APRA Music Awards will be held on at the International Convention Centre, Sydney on Wednesday 28 April.
Song of the Year Shortlist
| Peer-Voted Song of the Year | |
|---|---|
Top 25 Short list | |
| Title: | Bad child |
| Artist: | Tones and I |
| Writers: | Toni Watson |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music |
| Title: | Booster Seat |
| Artist: | Spacey Jane |
| Writers: | Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu / Caleb Harper / Kieran Lama / Peppa Lane |
| Publishers: | Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process Publishing |
| Title: | Break My Heart |
| Artist: | Dua Lipa |
| Writers: | Andrew Farriss*^ / Michael Hutchence*^ / Dua Lipa^ / Jordan Johnson+ / Stefan Johnson> / Ali Tamposi# / Andrew Watt> |
| Publishers: | Warner Chappell Music* / Universal Music Publishing^ / BMG Rights Management+ / Kobalt Music Publishing>/ Mushroom Music# |
| Title: | Carry You |
| Artist: | Missy Higgins |
| Writers: | Tim Minchin |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing |
| Title: | Everybody Rise |
| Artist: | Amy Shark |
| Writers: | Amy Shark / Joel Little* |
| Publisher: | Mushroom Music / Sony/ATV Music Publishing* |
| Title: | Gadigal Land |
| Artist: | Midnight Oil ft Dan Sultan, Joel Davison, Kaleena Briggs & Bunna Lawrie |
| Writers: | Robert Hirst* / Joel Davison / Bunna Lawrie |
| Publisher: | Sony/ATV Music Publishing* |
| Title: | Getting the Band Back Together |
| Artist: | Cold Chisel |
| Writers: | Don Walker |
| Publisher: | Sony/ATV Music Publishing |
| Title: | Ghosteen |
| Artist: | Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds |
| Writers: | Nick Cave / Warren Ellis |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing |
| Title: | If I Never Say A Word |
| Artist: | Matt Corby |
| Writers: | Matt Corby* / Matthew Neighbour |
| Publisher: | Sony/ATV Music Publishing* |
| Title: | I’ll Take Lonely Tonight |
| Artist: | Tim Minchin |
| Writers: | Tim Minchin |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing |
| Title: | I’m Good? |
| Artist: | Hilltop Hoods |
| Writers: | Barry Francis (DJ Debris) / Daniel Smith (MC Pressure)/ Matthew Lambert (Suffa) / John Bartlett* / Paul Bartlett* |
| Publisher: | Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Mushroom Music* |
| Title: | Is It True? |
| Artist: | Tame Impala |
| Writers: | Kevin Parker |
| Publisher: | Sony/ATV Music Publishing |
| Title: | It Might Be Time |
| Artist: | Tame Impala |
| Writers: | Kevin Parker |
| Publisher: | Sony/ATV Music Publishing |
| Title: | Lost In Yesterday |
| Artist: | Tame Impala |
| Writers: | Kevin Parker |
| Publisher: | Sony/ATV Music Publishing |
| Title: | Love Songs |
| Artist: | Daryl Braithwaite |
| Writers: | Michael Fatkin* / Rosalind Crane / David Snyder^ |
| Publisher: | Universal Music Publishing* / Warner Chappell Music^ |
| Title: | Masochist |
| Artist: | Polaris |
| Writers: | Jamie Hails/ Daniel Furnari / Rick Schneider / Ryan Siew / Jacob Steinhauser |
| Publisher: | Kobalt Music Publishing |
| Title: | Meditjin |
| Artist: | Baker Boy ft. JessB |
| Writers: | Danzal Baker / Jess Bourke* / Dion Brownfield^ / Jerome Farah+ / Dallas Woods^ |
| Publisher: | Native Tongue Music Publishing* / Kobalt Music Publishing^ / Mushroom Music+ |
| Title: | On Our Own |
| Artist: | Lime Cordiale |
| Writers: | Louis Leimbach* / Oli Leimbach* / David Haddad^ / Michael Wofford |
| Publisher: | Universal Music Publishing obo Chugg Music* / Kobalt Music Publishing^ |
| Title: | Say Something |
| Artist: | Kylie Minogue |
| Writers: | Kylie Minogue* / Jonathan Green^ / Ashley Howes / Richard Stannard+ |
| Publisher: | Mushroom Music* / Universal Music Publishing^ / Native Tongue Music Publishing+ |
| Title: | Silver |
| Artist: | DMA’s |
| Writers: | Matthew Mason* / Thomas O’Dell* / John Took* / Thomas Crandles^ / Liam Hoskins* / Joel Flyger |
| Publisher: | Mushroom Music* / Sony/ATV Music Publishing^ |
| Title: | Situation Room |
| Artist: | Something for Kate |
| Writers: | Stephanie Ashworth / Paul Dempsey / Clint Hyndman |
| Publisher: | Sony/ATV Music Publishing |
| Title: | Standing With You |
| Artist: | Guy Sebastian |
| Writers: | Guy Sebastian / Jamie Hartman* / Greg Holden^ |
| Publisher: | Universal Music Publishing / Mushroom Music* / Warner Chappell Music^ |
| Title: | Tell Me Why |
| Artist: | Archie Roach with Sally Dastey |
| Writers: | Archie Roach |
| Publisher: | Mushroom Music |
| Title: | Two Of Us |
| Artist: | Birds Of Tokyo |
| Writers: | Ian Berney / Ian Kenny / Glenn Sarangapany / Adam Spark / Adam Weston |
| Publisher: | Mushroom Music |
| Title: | When We’re Both Old and Mad |
| Artist: | Paul Kelly & Kasey Chambers |
| Writers: | Paul Kelly |
| Publisher: | Sony/ATV Music Publishing |
Sponsors
APRA AMCOS would like to thank our event sponsors for helping make the APRA Music Awards possible.
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Categories
Song of the Year
Nominations and winner for Song of the Year will be determined by APRA members. All members who are currently living in Australia or are Australian citizens living overseas are eligible to vote. Votes are received electronically and tallied by APRA.
Songwriter of the Year
Songwriter of the Year is assessed by an independent Advisory Group, as appointed by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors, rewarding the songwriter or group of songwriters who have achieved the most impressive body of work in the previous year as reflected by single and album releases, charts, co-writes, awards and tours/supports; and the advisory committee's assessment of the outstanding quality of that body of work. A recipient may receive this award in consecutive years if their achievements are deemed worthy by the Committee. All nominees/recipients must be a member of APRA. The final determination of this Award lies with the APRA Board.
Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music
Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music is decided by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors for an individual or group considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the Music industry over a number of years.
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year is assessed by an independent Advisory Group, as appointed by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors, for an emerging songwriter or group of writers. The recipients’ work should reflect achievements in the previous year based on single and album releases, charts, awards and tours/supports; and the advisory committee's assessment that the recipient has, in the past year, released songs of outstanding quality. All nominees/recipients must be a member of APRA. The final determination of this Award lies with the APRA Board.
Licensee of the Year Award
The Licensee of the Year Award as assessed by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors, is designed to reward licensee groups for good music citizenship. The recommended recipient has been selected against the criteria of consistent compliance and demonstrated support of music such as the presentation of local content or innovative use of music.
THE FOLLOWING AWARDS ARE GIVEN BASED ON APRA'S STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:
Most Performed Australian Work
Most Performed International Work
Most Performed Australian Work Overseas
Most Performed Alternative Work
List of works compiled from ARIA, AIR, Shazam, The Music Network Australian and Indigenous charts. This is based on all works charted and released in the relevant period.
Most Performed Blues & Roots Work
Call for Blues & Roots Release information is emailed to APRA's membership. Members are asked to submit eligible works via APRA's website for the relevant period.
A further list of works compiled from ARIA, AIR, Shazam & The Music Network Australian charts. This is based on all works charted and released in the relevant period.
Most Performed Country Work
List of works compiled from the Country Tracks Top 40 and The Music Network Country Music chart. This is compiled from radio airplay of tracks released in Australia throughout the relevant period.
ARIA Top 20 Australian Country Albums chart is also used to cross reference with Country Tracks chart.
Most Performed Dance Work
List of works compiled from ARIA Dance Singles, ARIA Club Buzz, AIR, Shazam and The Music Network Australian and Indigenous charts. This is based on all works charted and released in the relevant period.
Most Performed Hip Hop/Rap Work
List of works compiled from ARIA Hip Hop / R&B, AIR, Shazam and The Music Network Australian and Indigenous charts. This is based on all works charted and released in the relevant period.
Most Performed Pop Work
List of works compiled from ARIA, AIR, Shazam, The Music Network Australian and Indigenous charts. This is based on all works charted and released in the relevant period.
Most Performed Rock Work
List of works compiled from ARIA, AIR, Shazam, The Music Network Australian and Indigenous charts. This is based on all works charted and released in the relevant period.
Most Performed R&B/Soul Work
List of works compiled from ARIA Hip Hop / R&B, AIR, Shazam and The Music Network Australian and Indigenous charts. This is based on all works charted and released in the relevant period.
Rules
THE AWARDS
1. 15 Awards are conferred
Eleven based on APRA's statistical analysis:
- Most Performed Alternative Work
- Most Performed Australian Work
- Most Performed Australian Work Overseas
- Most Performed Blues and Roots Work
- Most Performed Country Work
- Most Performed Dance Work
- Most Performed Hip Hop/Rap Work
- Most Performed International Work
- Most Performed Pop Work
- Most Performed Rock Work
- Most Performed R&B/Soul Work
One based on voting by APRA members:
- Song of the Year
Four given at the discretion of the Board of Directors of APRA;
- Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
- Songwriter of the Year
- Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Service to Australian Music
- Licensee of the Year
2. The Award is in the form of a trophy suitably inscribed.
ELIGIBILITY AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. For Most Performed Works (Excluding Most Performed International Work)
a) An APRA writer member must have co-written a minimum share of 20% in the work.
b) The work must have been released in a 15 month period. For example, for Awards held in 2021, the eligible release date period will be 1st July 2019 to 30th September 2020.
c) Repeat nominations in Most Performed categories over consecutive years will be reviewed by the APRA Board of Directors.
d) (Including Most Performed International Work, excluding Song of the Year) Nominees and subsequent winners are determined by performance activity, as reflected by earnings, according to APRA's statistical analysis for the relevant 12 month period.
e) Genre categories are cross referenced with all available chart information, as well as iTunes categories, genres and sub genres.
f) A maximum of one nominations per songwriter applies to these categories. This will be subject to review if there is a duplicate songwriter in the Top 5 with different APRA member co-writers
2. For Most Performed International Work nominations
a) The work must have been written principally by a member of a collecting society affiliated with APRA.
b) The work must have been released in a 15 month period. For example, for Awards held in 2021, the eligible release date period will be 1st July 2019 to 30th September 2020.
4. The Award for Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year is assessed by an independent Advisory Group, as appointed by the APRA Board, for an emerging songwriter or group of writers. The recipients’ work should reflect achievements in the previous year based on single and album releases, charts, awards and tours/supports; and the Advisory Committee's assessment that the recipient has, in the past year, released songs of outstanding quality. All nominees/recipients must be a member of APRA. The final determination of this Award lies with the APRA Board of Directors.
5. The Award for Songwriter of the Year Award
Songwriter of the Year is assessed by an independent Advisory Group, as appointed by the APRA Board, rewarding the songwriter or group of songwriters who have achieved the most impressive body of work in the previous year as reflected by single and album releases, charts, co-writes, awards and tours/supports; and the Advisory Committee's assessment of the outstanding quality of that body of work. A recipient may receive this award in consecutive years if their achievements are deemed worthy by the Committee. All nominees/recipients must be a member of APRA. The final determination of this Award lies with the APRA Board of Directors.
6. Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music
Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music is decided by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors for an individual or group considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the Music industry over a number of years.
7. APRA Song of the Year
Nominations and winner for Song of the Year will be determined by APRA members. All members who are currently living in Australia or are Australian citizens living overseas are eligible to vote. Votes are received electronically and tallied by APRA.
a) An APRA writer member must have co-written a minimum share of 20% in the work.
b) The work must have been released in the relevant 12 month calendar period. For example, for Awards held in 2021, the eligible release date period will be 1st October 2019 to 30th September 2020.
8. Licensee of the Year Award
The Licensee of the Year Award as assessed by the APRA Board, is designed to reward licensee groups for good music citizenship. The recommended recipient has been selected against the criteria of consistent compliance and demonstrated support of music such as the presentation of local content or innovative use of music.
INFORMATION, ADVICE AND DISPUTES
For assistance with information, advice or the resolution of disputes, members in the first instance should direct queries to the Head of Member Services, who may respond directly or refer the matter to the APRA Board.