The APRA Music Awards in Australia are annual awards to celebrate excellence in contemporary music, which honour the skills of member composers,

songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...

s, and

publisher Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

s who have achieved outstanding success in sales and

airplay Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day ( spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in ...

performance. Several award ceremonies are run in Australia by the

Australasian Performing Right Association APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwr ...

(APRA) and

Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwri ...

(AMCOS). In addition to the APRA Music Awards, APRA AMCOS, in association with the

Australian Music Centre The Australian Music Centre (AMC), formerly known briefly as Sounds Australian, is a national organisation promoting and supporting art music in Australia, founded in 1974. It co-hosts the Art Music Awards along with APRA AMCOS, and publishes ' ...

, presents awards for classical music,

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...

and

improvised music Musical improvisation (also known as musical extemporization) is the creative activity of immediate ("in the moment") musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous ...

experimental music Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...

and

sound art Sound art is an artistic activity in which sound is utilized as a primary medium or material. Like many genres of contemporary art, sound art may be interdisciplinary in nature, or be used in hybrid forms. According to Brandon LaBelle, sound a ...

, known as the Art Music Awards. It also runs, in association with the

Australian Guild of Screen Composers The Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC) is a not for profit organisation, which was established in 1981, "to represent the interests of Australian screen composers by developing and promoting employment opportunities, undertaking educationa ...

(AGSC), the Screen Music Awards, to acknowledge excellence in the field of screen composition.

APRA Music Awards (Australia)

The APRA Music Awards were established in 1982 to honour songwriters and music composers for their efforts. The award categories are:

Gold Awards

From 1982 to 1990, the best songs were given the Gold Award, which was also called the Special Award. In the mid-1980s Platinum Awards were given to significant works from previous years.

Song of the Year

Song of the Year is decided by the votes of APRA members. All eligible songs must be written by an APRA member and released in the preceding calendar year for consideration. The ''Song of the Year'' award is considered one of the most prestigious of the APRA Music Awards.

Songwriter of the Year

Songwriter of the Year is voted by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors rewarding the songwriter who has recorded the most impressive body of work in the previous year.

The Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music

The Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music' is decided by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors for a lifetime contribution. The Award is named after

Ted Albert Edward Frank Albert (1937 – 11 November 1990) was an Australian early pioneer independent record production and founder of Albert Productions (part of his great grandfather's company Albert Music). In recognition of his contribution to the m ...

whose company Albert Productions put out records by

The Easybeats The Easybeats were an Australian Rock music, rock band that formed in Sydney in late 1964. They enjoyed a level of success that in Australia rivalled The Beatles. They became the first Australian rock act to score an international hit, with th ...

, AC/DC and

John Paul Young John Inglis Young, OAM (born 21 June 1950), known professionally as John Paul Young, is a Scottish-born Australian pop singer who had his 1978 worldwide hit with " Love Is in the Air". His career was boosted by regular appearances as a performe ...

Breakthrough Songwriter Award

Breakthrough Songwriter Award is decided by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors for an emerging songwriter or groups of writers. The award category was first introduced by APRA in 2002.

Awards for Most Performed Works

There are a number of awards given for most performed work based on a statistical analysis of APRA's database. These awards include "Most Performed Australian Work of the Year", "Most Performed Australian Work Overseas", "Most Performed Foreign Work", "Most Performed Jazz Work", "Most Performed Country Work" and "Most Performed Dance Work".

Art Music Awards (with AMC)

In 2001, APRA joined forces with the

(AMC) to present awards for Australian classical music, known as Classical Music Awards. The AMC had been presenting annual awards for classical music since 1988, apart from a 1993–1995 hiatus due to funding cuts. The participation of APRA helped to secure the future of the awards, which are the only Australian awards for contemporary Australian classical music. This award has been won by well-known composers including Brenton Broadstock, Brett Dean,

Ross Edwards Ross Edwards (born 1 December 1942) is a former Australian cricketer. Edwards played in 20 Test matches for Australia, playing against England, West Indies and Pakistan. He also played in nine One Day Internationals including the 1975 Cricket ...

, Georges Lentz,

Liza Lim Liza Lim (born 30 August 1966) is an Australian composer. Lim writes concert music ( chamber and orchestral works) as well as music theatre and has collaborated with artists on a number of installation and video projects. Her work reflects her i ...

, Richard Mills, and

Peter Sculthorpe Peter Joshua Sculthorpe (29 April 1929 – 8 August 2014) was an Australian composer. Much of his music resulted from an interest in the music of countries neighboring Australia as well as from the impulse to bring together aspects of Aborigin ...

. After another hiatus in 2010, the event returned as the Art Music Awards the following year, restructured and with two new categories. The awards now cover classical, jazz and improvised music, experimental music and sound art, recognising achievement in composition, performance, education and presentation. , the current award structure recognises eleven annual awards and Luminary Awards for sustained contribution (nationally and for each state and territory) in Australian art music. There is also a discretionary award, The Richard Gill Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music.

Richard Gill Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music

Originally named The Distinguished Services to Australian Music Award, from 2019 it was renamed in honour of Australian conductor and educator Richard Gill (19412018). It is determined by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors and the Australian Music Centre Board for a lifetime contribution to the art music community.

Screen Music Awards (with AGSC)

The annual Screen Music Awards were first presented in 2002 by APRA and AMCOS in conjunction with the

(AGSC). The ceremony, held in November, acknowledges excellence and innovation in the field of screen composition, and covers 13 categories. *;2002 Awards :International Achievement Award –

David Hirschfelder David Hirschfelder (born 18 November 1960, Ballarat, Victoria) is an Australian musician, film score composer and performer. As a musician he has been a member of Little River Band and John Farnham Band. He has composed film scores for many films ...

:Best Feature Film Score –

Alan John Alan John (born 7 May 1958 in Sydney) is an Australian composer. He studied music at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1980. His compositions include original music for various plays, films (such as '' Holding the Man'', ''Three Dollars'' a ...

for '' The Bank'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Paul Kelly, Mairead Hannan,

Kev Carmody Kevin Daniel Carmody (born 1946), better known by his stage name Kev Carmody, is an Aboriginal Australian singer-songwriter and musician, a Murri people, Murri man from northern Queensland. He is best known for the song "From Little Things Big T ...

, John Romeril, Deirdre Hannan and

Alice Garner Alice Miriam Olivia Garner is an Australian actor, author, musician, teacher and historian. She is the daughter of Australian novelist and screenwriter Helen Garner and playwright, historian and actor Bill Garner. Acting life and career Garn ...

for '' One Night the Moon'' *;2003 Awards :International Achievement Award – Bruce Smeaton :Best Feature Film Score – Nigel Westlake for ''

The Nugget ''The Nugget'' is a 2002 Australian comedy film about three friends who find the world's largest nugget of gold. Storyline The story concerns a group of three road workers who stumble upon the world's biggest nugget of gold, and become instant ...

'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Cezary Skubiszewski for ''

After the Deluge ''After the Deluge'' is a 2003 Australian television miniseries starring Ray Barrett, David Wenham, Hugo Weaving and Samuel Johnson. It was first broadcast by Channel Ten in two parts in June 2003. Cast * David Wenham – Alex Kirby * Hug ...

'' *;2004 Awards :International Achievement Award –

Lisa Gerrard Lisa Germaine Gerrard (; born 12 April 1961) is an Australian musician, singer and composer who rose to prominence as part of the music group Dead Can Dance with music partner Brendan Perry. She is known for her unique singing style technique ...

:Best Feature Film Score – Elizabeth Drake for ''

Japanese Story ''Japanese Story'' is a 2003 Australian romantic drama film directed by Sue Brooks. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. Plot Sandy Edwards (played by Toni Collette) is a director in a company th ...

'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Iva Davies, Christopher Gordon and Richard Tognetti for '' Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World'' *;2005 Awards :International Achievement Award –

Bruce Rowland Bruce Rowland (born 9 May 1942 in Melbourne) is an Australian composer. Biography Rowland composed the soundtrack for the 1982 movie ''The Man from Snowy River (1982 film), The Man from Snowy River'', as well as the soundtrack for its 1988 s ...

:Best Feature Film Score – Ben Ely, Matthew Fitzgerald, Tom Schutzinger and Peter Kelly ( Decoder Ring) for ''

Somersault A somersault (also ''flip'', ''heli'', and in gymnastics ''salto'') is an acrobatic exercise in which a person's body rotates 360° around a horizontal axis with the feet passing over the head. A somersault can be performed forwards, backwards ...

'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Roger Mason for '' The Extra'' *;2006 Awards :International Achievement Award – Peter Best :Best Feature Film Score – Francois Tetaz for ''

Wolf Creek Wolf Creek may refer to: Bodies of water Missouri * Wolf Creek (Beaver Creek tributary) * Wolf Creek (Cane Creek tributary) * Wolf Creek (Cave Creek tributary) * Wolf Creek (Elkhorn Creek tributary) * Wolf Creek (South Grand River tributary) * W ...

'' :Best Soundtrack Album –

David Bridie David Ross Hope Bridie is an Australian contemporary musician and songwriter. He was a founding mainstay member of World music band Not Drowning, Waving which released six studio albums to critical acclaim. He also formed a chamber pop group, ...

, Albert David and Kadu for '' RAN: Remote Area Nurse'' *;2007 Awards :International Achievement Award –

The Wiggles The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. The group are currently composed of Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Tsehay Hawkins, as well as supporting members Evie Ferris, John Pearce, ...

:Best Feature Film Score – Nigel Westlake for ''

Miss Potter ''Miss Potter'' is a 2006 biographical drama film directed by Chris Noonan. It is based on the life of children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, and combines stories from her own life with animated sequences featuring characters from her ...

'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Nigel Westlake for ''Miss Potter'' *;2008 Awards :International Achievement Award –

Garry McDonald Garry George McDonald AO (born 30 October 1948) is an Australian actor, satirist and comedian. In a career spanning five decades he has had many theatre, television and film roles, and has been listed as a National Living Treasure. He is bes ...

and Laurie Stone :Best Feature Film Score –

for '' Children of the Silk Road'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Michael Yezerski for '' The Black Balloon'' :Best Music for a Short Film - Geoffrey Russell for ''Noir Drive'' *;2009 Awards :International Achievement Award – Guy Gross :Best Feature Film Score –

for '' Balibo'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Cezary Skubiszewski for ''

Death Defying Acts ''Death Defying Acts'' is a 2007 supernatural romance film, directed by Gillian Armstrong, and starring Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones. It concerns an episode in the life of Hungarian-American escapologist Harry Houdini at the height of hi ...

'' *;2010 Awards :Best Feature Film Score – Christopher Gordon for '' Mao's Last Dancer'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Christopher Gordon for '' Mao's Last Dancer'' *;2011 Awards :Best Feature Film Score – Jed Kurzel for ''

Snowtown Snowtown is a town located in the Mid North of South Australia 145 km (90 miles) north of Adelaide and lies on the main road and rail routes between Adelaide and Perth – the Augusta Highway and Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line. The ...

'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Rafael May for ''

Road Train A road train, land train or long combination vehicle (LCV) is a trucking vehicle used to move road freight more efficiently than semi-trailer trucks. It consists of two or more trailers or semi-trailers hauled by a prime mover. History Ear ...

'' *;2012 Awards :Best Feature Film Score –

for '' Burning Man'' :Best Soundtrack Album – Michael Lira / Jono Ma / Antony Partos / Irine Vela for '' The Slap''

Other awards

Emily Burrows Award

The Emily Burrows Award was instituted in 2001 in memory of Emily Burrows, a former APRA AMCOS membership representative and compliance officer. It is awarded to a

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

n artist or band annually with a $5,000 prize, to further their development and career. Electric Fields won it in 2016, with previous winners including

Hilltop Hoods Hilltop Hoods is an Australian hip hop group that formed in 1996 in Blackwood, Adelaide, South Australia. They are regarded as pioneers of the " larrikin-like" style of Australian hip hop. The group was founded by Suffa (Matthew David Lambert) ...

and The Beards, Dead Roo, and Ollie English In 2019 the prize was awarded at the

South Australian Music Awards The South Australian Music Awards, also known as SA Music Awards, commonly SAM Awards, formerly Fowler's Live Music Awards (FLMA), are annual awards that exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary mu ...

(SAM Awards) for the first time, with Dead Roo winning the Award.

Seabass Sea bass is a common name for a variety of different species of marine fish. Many fish species of various families have been called sea bass. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, the fish sold and consumed as sea bass is exclusively the European b ...

were presented with the award at the SAM Awards in 2020, and

Tilly Tjala Thomas Tilly may refer to: Places France * Tilly, Eure, in the Eure ''département'' * Tilly, Indre, in the Indre ''département'' * Tilly, Yvelines, in the Yvelines ''département'' Elsewhere * Tilly, Belgium, a village in the municipality of Vill ...

won it in 2021. Thomas sings in both

Nukunu language Nukunu (or Nugunu or many other names: see below) is a moribund Australian Aboriginal language spoken by Nukunu people on Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. As of 2017, there is a revival and maintenance programme under way for the language. ...

and English, with her single "Ngana Nyunyi" sung in both. She won the triple j unearthed's NIMAs competition, giving her the opportunity to play at the National Indigenous Music Awards in 2021.

Top 30 Australian Songs (2001 only)

As part of its 75th anniversary celebrations in 2001, APRA created a list of the top 30 Australian songs. A panel of 100 music personalities were asked to list the ten best Australian songs, the data was compiled and the Top Ten in numerical order, was announced at the 2001 APRA Music Awards ceremony. At the ceremony

You Am I You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by its lead singer-songwriter and guitarist, Tim Rogers. They formed in December 1989 and are the first Australian band to have released three successive albums that have each debuted ...

performed the #1 listed song " Friday on My Mind" with Ross Wilson performing the #2 listed song " Eagle Rock". The next 20 songs in the Top 30 had been announced four weeks earlier.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:APRA Music Awards Australian music awards