APRA Music Awards of 2019
The APRA Music Awards of 2019 are the 37th annual awards given in the series of awards together known as APRA Awards, given in 2019. The awards are given in a series of categories in three divisions and in separate ceremonies throughout the year: the APRA Music Awards, Art Music Awards and Screen Music Awards. They are given by the Australasian Performing Right Association and the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society, known jointly as APRA AMCOS.
The Music Awards acknowledge outstanding achievements in contemporary songwriting, composing and publishing. The Music Awards ceremony was held on 30 April 2019 at the Melbourne Town Hall with Brian Nankervis as host; Sarah Aarons won four categories.
The Art Music Awards are provided in conjunction with the Australian Music Centre, and in 2019 the ceremony was held on 19 August at the Great Hall, University of Sydney. They were presented to "recognise achievement in the composition, performance, education and presentation of Australian art music. Art music covers activity across contemporary classical music, contemporary jazz and improvised music, experimental music and sound art."
The Screen Music Awards are run in conjunction with the Australian Guild of Screen Composers, to "acknowledge excellence and innovation in the field of screen composition." Winners were announced on 20 November at a ceremony hosted by children's entertainer, Justine Clarke, at the Forum Melbourne.
Presenters
The APRA Music Awards ceremony was hosted by Brian Nankervis. Guest presenters were Tina Arena, Briggs, Tania Doko, Tim Rogers, Dallas Frasca, Louis Schoorl, Megan Washington, François Tétaz, M-Phazes and G Flip.Performances
Performers on the night:- The Rubens and Sarah Aarons - "Never Ever"
- Dean Lewis - "Stay Awake"
- Middle Kids and JP Shilo - "With the One I Love"
- JP Shilo, Fanny Lumsden and Henry Wagons - "Slow Mover"
- Radical Son and Samuel Pankhurst - "Native Tongue".
- Electric Fields - "I Said Hi"
- Max Sharam - "Society"
APRA Music Awards
Blues & Roots Work of the Year
| Title and/or artist | Writer | Publisher | Result |
| "Chateau" – Angus & Julia Stone | Angus Stone, Julia Stone | Sony/ ATV Music Publishing | |
| "Mystik" – Tash Sultana | Tash Sultana | Kobalt Music Publishing Tash Sultana | |
| "Second Hand Car" – Kim Churchill | Kim Churchill / Nicholas Hodgson | Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Kobalt Music Publishing | |
| "Tell It Like It Is" – Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders | Jack Ladder | Sony/ATV Music Publishing | |
| "White Flag" – Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders | Jack Ladder | Sony/ATV Music Publishing |
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
| Writer | Publisher | Result |
| Danzal Baker Baker Boy | Kobalt Music Publishing Specific Music | |
| Dean Lewis | Kobalt Music Publishing Specific Music | |
| Georgia Flipo G Flip | Kobalt Music Publishing Future Classic | |
| Holly Rankin Jack River | Mushroom Music | |
| Tash Sultana | Kobalt Music Publishing Tash Sultana |
Country Work of the Year
| Title and/or artist | Writer | Publisher | Result |
| "Ain’t Seen It Yet" – The Wolfe Brothers | Brodie Rainbird, Nicholas Wolfe, Thomas Wolfe, Erik Anderson | Perfect Pitch Publishing / Peermusic | |
| "Day Drunk" – Morgan Evans | Morgan Evans, Chris DeStefano, Lindy Robbins | Warner/Chappell Music / Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Kobalt Music Publishing | |
| "I Do" – Morgan Evans | Morgan Evans, Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley | Warner/Chappell Music / Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Kobalt Music Publishing | |
| "In the Morning" – Tori Forsyth | Tori Forsyth | Universal Music Publishing Peppermintblue Publishing | |
| "The Campfire Song" – Kasey Chambers & the Fireside Disciples featuring Alan Pigram | Kasey Chambers, Bill Chambers, Alan Pigram | Mushroom Music / Kobalt Music Publishing Checked Label Services |
Dance Work of the Year
| Title and/or artist | Writer | Publisher | Result |
| "Flames" – David Guetta, Sia | Sia Furler, Christopher Braide, David Guetta, Giorgio Tuinfort, Marcus Van Wattum | Sony/ATV Music Publishing / BMG Rights Management / Origin Music Publishing / KobaltMusic Publishing | |
| "Go Bang" – Pnau | Nick Littlemore, Sam Littlemore, Peter Mayes, Luke Steele | Universal Music Publishing, 120 Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Sony/ATV Music Publishing | |
| "Let You Down" – Peking Duk featuring Icona Pop | Adam Hyde, Reuben Styles, Styalz, Samuel Manville, Robert Taylor | BMG Rights Management / Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Native Tongue Music Publishing / Warner/Chappell Music | |
| "Tell Me You Love Me" – Galantis & Throttle | Sarah Aarons, Christian Karlsson, Jimmy Koitzsch, Robert Bergin, Linus Eklöw, Edward Jenkins, Henrik Jonback | Sony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro / Native Tongue Music Publishing / Cobalt Music Publishing / Warner/Chappell Music | |
| "The Middle" – Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey | Sarah Aarons, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Marcus Lomax, Kyle Trewartha, Michael Trewartha, Anton Zaslavski | Sony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro / BMG Rights Management / Kobalt Music Publishing / Universal/MCA Music Publishing |
International Work of the Year
| Title and/or artist | Writer | Publisher | Result |
| "Havana" – Camila Cabello | Louis Bell, Camila Cabello, Frank Dukes, Kaan Gunesberk, Brittany Hazzard, Brian Lee, Ali Temposi, Yung Thug, Andrew Watt, Pharrell Williams | Sony/ATV Music Publishing/ Native Tongue Music Publishing / Warner/Chappell Music /Mushroom Music / Kobalt Music Publishing | |
| "Meant to Be" – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line | David Garcia, Tyler Hubbard, Joshua Miller, Bleta "Bebe" Rexha | Shout Music Publishing / Native Tongue Music Publishing / Warner/Chappell Music / BMG Rights Management | |
| "Perfect" – Ed Sheeran | Ed Sheeran | Sony/ATV Music Publishing | |
| "Rockstar" – Post Malone featuring 21 Savage | Shéyaa Abraham-Joseph, Olufunmibi Awoshiley, Louis Bell, Post Malone, Carl Rosen, Jo Virginie | BMG Rights Management / Sony/ATV Music Publishing /Universal/MCA Music Publishing / Mushroom Music | |
| "What About Us" – P!nk | Alecia Moore, John McDaid, Steve McCutcheon | Sony/ATV Music Publishing/ Kobalt Music Publishing/ Universal Music Publishing |
Licensee of the Year Award
Most Played Australian Work
Most Played Australian Work Overseas
| Title and/or artist | Writer | Publisher | Result |
| "Cheap Thills" by Sia | Sia Furler, Greg Kurstin | Sony/ATV Music Publishing |
Overseas Recognition Award
Pop Work of the Year
| Title and/or artist | Writer | Publisher | Result |
| "Be Alright" – Dean Lewis | Dean Lewis, Jon Hume | Kobalt Music Publishing Specific Music / Sony/ATV Music Publishing | |
| "Coming Home" – Sheppard | Jason Bovino, Amy Sheppard, George Sheppard, Matthew Radosevich, Christopher Wallace | Mushroom Music Empire of Song / Native Tongue Music Publishing | |
| "Healing Hands" – Conrad Sewell | Stuart Crichton, Conrad Sewell, Stephen Wrabel | Native Tongue Music Publishing / Universal Music Publishing | |
| "I Said Hi" – Amy Shark | Amy Billings | Mushroom Music UNIFIED Music Publishing | |
| "We're Going Home" - Vance Joy | James Keogh, Daniel Wilson | Mushroom Music UNIFIED Music Publishing / BMG Rights Management |
Rock Work of the Year
| Title and/or artist | Writer | Publisher | Result |
| "Confidence" – Ocean Alley | Nic Blom, Baden Donegal, Lach Galbraith, Mitch Galbraith, Angus Goodwin, Tom O'Brien | ||
| "Million Man" – The Rubens | Scott Baldwin, Elliott Margin, Sam Margin, Zaac Margin, William Zeglis | Mushroom Music Ivy League Music | |
| "Never Ever" – The Rubens featuring Sarah Aarons | Sarah Aarons, Elliott Margin, Sam Margin | MSony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro / Mushroom Music Ivy League Music | |
| "Slow Mover" – Angie McMahon | Angie McMahon | Kobalt Music Publishing | |
| "The Deepest Sighs, the Frankest Shadows" - Gang of Youths | David Le'aupepe | Universal Music Publishing |
Song of the Year
Songwriter of the Year
- Sarah Aarons
Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music
- Rob Potts
Outstanding International Achievement Award
Urban Work of the Year
| Title and/or artist | Writer | Publisher | Result |
| "Believe" – Bliss n Eso featuring Mario | Max MacKinnon, Jonathan Notley, PJ Harding, Cameron Ludik, Damian Smith | Mushroom Music / Universal Music Publishing | |
| "Clark Griswold" – Hilltop Hoods featuring Adrian Eagle | DJ Debris, MC Pressure, Suffa, John Bartlett, Paul Bartlett | Sony/ATV Music Publishing | |
| "I Miss You" – Thundamentals | Jeswon, Morgs, Tuka, Carl Dimataga | Sony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro | |
| "Marryuna" – Baker Boy featuring Yirrmal | Baker Boy, Dion Brownfield, Jerome Farah, Yirrmal Marika | Mushroom Music | |
| "Mr La Di Da Di" – Baker Boy | Baker Boy, Dion Brownfield, Jerome Farah, Dallas Woods | Mushroom Music |
Art Music Awards
Instrumental Work of the Year
| Title | Composer | Performer | Result |
| Ignis | Mary Finsterer | James Wannan, Christopher Pidcock | |
| Piano Sonata | Elizabeth Younan | Joyce Yang | |
| Stalin's Piano | Robert Davidson | Sonya Lifschitz | |
| String Quartet No. 6 | Andrew Ford | Flinders Quartet |
Jazz Work of the Year
| Title | Composer | Performer | Result |
| Gratitude and Grief | Katie Noonan, Zac Hurren, Stephen Magnusson, Michael Leunig | Elixir et al. | |
| Love, As We Know It | Brenton Foster, Christopher Poindexter | Brenton Foster, Gideon Brazil, Stephen Magnusson, Aaron McCollough, Jordan Tarento | |
| Nothing Remains Unchanged | Ross McHenry | Ross McHenry Quartet | |
| Trombone Song Cycle | Joshua Kyle, Andrew Murray | Joshua Kyle, James Greening, James Macauley, Jordan Murray and Adrian Sherriff, Andrew Murray |
Orchestral Work of the Year
| Title | Composer | Performer | Result |
| "Daccord: A Diary of Discourse" | Cathy Milliken | Jessica Aszodi, Vladimir Gorbach, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Northey | |
| Implacable Gifts | Carl Vine | Kathryn Stott, Piers Lane, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Rory Macdonald | |
| "Lebewohl " | Elena Kats-Chernin | Tamara-Anna Cislowska, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Alondra de la Parra | |
| Ruler of the Hive | Melody Eötvös | Pamela Rabe, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Marko Letonja |
Vocal / Choral Work of the Year
| Title | Composer / librettist | Performer | Result |
| In Due Season | Rachel Bruerville / Valerie Volk | Adelaide Chamber Singers | |
| The Audience Choir | Alice Chance | Ensemble Offspring with audience participation | |
| The Drowners | Andrew Ford / Tim Winton, George Barker, Georgiana Molloy, Bruce Dawe, Stevie Smith, William Shakespeare | Ruthless Jabiru, Morgan Pearse, Kelly Lovelady | |
| The Howling Girls | Damien Ricketson, Adena Jacobs | Sydney Chamber Opera: Jane Sheldon ; artists from The House That Dan Built |
Performance of the Year
| Title | Composer / librettist | Performer | Result |
| Lorelei | Julian Langdon / Casey Bennetto, Gillian Cosgriff; concept by Ali McGregor | Ali McGregor, Antoinette Halloran, Dimity Shepherd, Victorian Opera Chamber Orchestra, Phoebe Briggs, Sarah Giles | |
| Violin Sonata No. 1: Dark Matter | Matthew Hindson | Ray Chen, Julien Quentin | |
| Atlas of the Sky | Liza Lim / Bei Dao, Eliot Weinberger | Speak Percussion, Jessica Aszodi | |
| Breath of Thunder | Lachlan Skipworth | TaikOz, Riley Lee, Kaoru Watanabe, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Gerard Salonga |
Award for Excellence by an Individual
| Individual | Work | Result |
| Brian Ritchie | Sustained contribution to the Australian music sector as a performer, curator and mentor | |
| Cat Hope | Leadership in the composition, performance and education of new music in Australia | |
| Lyn Williams | Significant contribution to the creation and performance of choral music in Australia | |
| Michelle Leonard | 25 years championing Australian Art music |
Award for Excellence by an Organisation
| Organisation | Work | Result |
| Canberra International Music Festival | Sustained creative excellence, exceptional growth and cultivation of Australian music | |
| City Recital Hall | Extended Play Festival of New Music | |
| Plexus | Sustained and creative contribution to Australian music culture | |
| Zephyr Quartet | 2018 activities and 20 years of sustained contribution to the local, national and international arts scene |
Award for Excellence in Music Education
| Organisation / individual | Work | Result |
| Musica Viva Australia | Musica Viva in Schools long-term music residency program | |
| Speak Percussion | Sounds Unheard education program | |
| Topology | Top Up music education program | |
| West Australian Symphony Orchestra | Crescendo, El Sistema-inspired free music education program |
Award for Excellence in a Regional Area
| Organisation / individual | Work | Result |
| Moorambilla Voices | 2018 activities and ongoing commitment to cultural competency and the creation of art music for youth from remote and rural NSW | |
| Queensland Symphony Orchestra | Gladstone Enrichment through Music program | |
| Steel City Strings | 2018 activities and commitment to new Australian music | |
| Warren H Williams, Michael Sollis, Barkly Arts | One Sky Many Stories, inspiring audiences as they explore their relationship to the night sky, Indigenous culture and the world around us |
Award for Excellence in Experimental Music
| Organisation / individual | Work | Result |
| Bendigo International Festival of Exploratory Music | Ongoing contribution | |
| Leah Barclay | Listening Underwater, a large-scale experimental music and acoustic ecology project | |
| Speak Percussion | Polar Force, an investigation of wind, water and ice through sound | |
| Thembi Soddell | Held Down, Expanding, an exploration of states of trauma and mental distress, and how these may be imagined sonically |
Award for Excellence in Jazz
| Organisation / individual | Work | Result |
| Andrea Keller | New works, projects, recordings and educational output | |
| Jeremy Rose | High artistic excellence, and contribution to the creation, presentation and promotion of Australian jazz | |
| Niko Schäuble | Recording activities at Pughouse Studios | |
| Ross McHenry | Recording, international touring, residencies and commissions |
Distinguished Services to Australian Music
| Organisation / individual | Result |
| The Necks |
Screen Music Awards
Nominees and winnersFeature Film Score of the Year
| Title | Composer | Result |
| Caitlin Yeo | ||
| I Am Mother | Dan Luscombe, Antony Partos | |
| Jirga | AJ True | |
| Judy and Punch | François Tétaz |
Best Music for an Advertisement
| Title | Composer | Result |
| Dan Murphy's | Adrian Sergovich | |
| HP Indigo | Dmitri Golovko | |
| Jewel Changi Airport | Gerard Fitzgerald | |
| Where Inspiration Lives: Sydney Opera House | Caitlin Yeo |
Best Music for Children's Television
| Title | Composer | Result |
| Bill & Tony: "Planet of the Socks" | Michael Lira | |
| Bluey: "Teasing" | Joff Bush | |
| The Bureau of Magical Things: "End of the Road" | Brett Aplin | |
| The Pilgrim's Progress | Michael Dooley |
Best Music for a Documentary
| Title | Composer | Result |
| 2040 | Bryony Marks | |
| Australia's Lost Impressionist | David Bridie | |
| The Cult of the Family | Amanda Brown | |
| The Leunig Fragments | Luke Altmann |
Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie
| Title | Composer | Result |
| Dead Lucky | Michael Yezerski | |
| Fighting Season | Daniel Denholm | |
| Lambs of God | Bryony Marks | |
| Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries | Burkhard Dallwitz, Brett Aplin, Dmitri Golovko |
Best Music for a Short Film
| Title | Composer | Result |
| Cernunnos | Rory Chenoweth | |
| For the Girl in the Coffee Shop | Angela Little | |
| Shiloh | Freya Berkhout | |
| Sohrab & Rustum | Burkhard Dallwitz |
Best Music for a Television Series or Serial
| Series or Serial | Composer | Result |
| Bloom: "The Memory Box" | Jackson Milas, Antony Partos | |
| Secret City: Under the Eagle: "Run Little Rabbit" | David Bridie | |
| Tidelands: "Not One of You" | Matteo Zingales | |
| You Can’t Ask That: "Alcoholics" | Andrew Sampford |
Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
| Song title | Work | Composer | Result |
| "Be My Girl" | The Craft | Justin Shave | |
| "Day by Day" | Fourteen | Brontë Horder | |
| "Every Day My Mother's Voice" | The Final Quarter | Paul Kelly | |
| "Firesong" | Judy and Punch | Sophia Brous, François Tétaz, Mirrah Foulkes |
Best Soundtrack Album
| Title | Composer | Result |
| 2040 | Bryony Marks | |
| Little Monsters | Piers Burbrook de Vere | |
| Me and My Left Brain | Cezary Skubiszewski | |
| The Merger | David Bridie |
Best Television Theme
| Title | Composer | Result |
| Bloom | Antony Partos | |
| Dead Lucky | Michael Yezerski | |
| The Bureau of Magical Things | Brett Aplin | |
| The Pacific: In the Wake of Captain Cook with Sam Neill | Caitlin Yeo |
Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia
| Composer | Result |
| Adam Gock, Dinesh Wicks | |
| Jay Stewart | |
| Mitch Stewart | |
| Neil Sutherland |
Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas
| Composer | Result |
| Alastair Ford | |
| Jed Kurzel | |
| Neil Sutherland | |
| Nerida Tyson-Chew |