Courtney Barnett has been named Songwriter of the Year at the 2016 APRA Music Awards. The singer/songwriter had a phenomenal 2015, with her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit released to rave reviews around the world. Barnett received a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist, and four ARIA Awards from eight nominations.
The prestigious Song of the Year award (voted by APRA AMCOS members), was bestowed on Let It Happen by Tame Impala and written by Kevin Parker. The band has also had an exceptional year, winning International Group at the 2016 BRIT Awards; five ARIA Awards for their third studio album, Currents; and receiving a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Alternative Album category.
Alex Hope was named the 2016 Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year. At just 22 years of age, Alex already has an impressive list of credits to her name and has written and produced ARIA #1 and platinum selling singles and albums. She has worked with artists, songwriters and producers including Troye Sivan, Broods, Jessie Ware, Tove Lo, Joel Little, Jack Antonoff, Astrid S, Ryn Weaver, Tina Arena, Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Taylor Henderson and Tuka.
The 2016 APRA Music Awards saw the introduction of the Overseas Recognition Award which was given to Phil Barton. During his career, Phil has had over 800 songs recorded on country, children’s and pop records around the world. He has written for country music superstars Lee Brice, Sara Evans, David Nail, Dustin Lynch, Cassadee Pope, Jana Kramer, Mickey Guyton, Kristian Bush and Tate Stevens as well as Jai Waetford, Busby Marou, Amber Lawrence, Baylou and The McClymonts.
Peking Duk (band members Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles with Styalz Fuego and Ben Woolner), received two APRA Music Awards for their radio smash and dancefloor gem Take Me Over (featuring Safia) which took out Dance Work of the Year and Most Played Australian Work.
Co-writers Thomas Busby, Lindsay Rimes and this year’s Overseas Recognition Award winner Phil Barton won the Blues & Roots Work of the Year category for Days of Gold by Busby Marou.
The Country Work of the Year award was taken out by Australian country music legends, Lee Kernaghan, Colin Buchanan and Garth Porter for Spirit of the ANZACs. This brings the trio’s total combined APRA Music Award tally to 12.
The Rock Work of the Year award was won by Perth’s Birds of Tokyo (writers Ian Berney, Ian Kenny, Glenn Sarangapany, Adam Spark and Adam Weston) for Anchor from their Gold-certified EP of the same name. This was Birds of Tokyo’s third career APRA Music Award win.
Taking out Pop Work of the Year were Jarryd James and Joel Little for Jarryd’s triple-platinum selling Do You Remember. This was Jarryd’s first APRA Music Award nomination and followed the song’s ARIA Award win for Best Pop Release in 2015.
Notching up their eighth nomination and third win, Hilltop Hoods, writers Barry Francis, Matthew Lambert and Daniel Smith, (co-written with Demitris Christopoulos and John Kelman) took home the Urban Work of the Year award for Cosby Sweater, from the band’s seventh studio album, Walking Under Stars.
The Most Played Australian Work Overseas was Sia’s Chandelier, which takes the international superstar’s APRA Music Award tally to seven. As previously announced, the International Work of the Year was the Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars global smash hit, Uptown Funk.
Archibald Prize-winning artist, Ben Quilty, presented the 2016 Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music to the legendary Cold Chisel (Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, Steve Prestwich, Phil Small and Don Walker). Brian Nankervis hosted the 2016 APRA Music Awards which also featured guest presenters Styalz Fuego, Fiona Bevan, Catherine Britt, Trey Campbell, Suze DeMarchi, Tim Rogers, Maegan Cottone, Adalita and Don Walker.
For more information and complete list of winners, visit: www.apraamcos.com.au for details.
Image: Courtney Barnett