ARIA Awards 2012: Live Coverage

Despite the annual debate about international artists being rolled out as guests at the ARIA Awards, tonight's event begins with a giant roar from the crowd as US R&B singer Nicki Minaj is announced. There's an even bigger roar of approval for US country pop star Taylor Swift.

View red carpet arrivals here.

ARIA's opening number however is performed by Australian hip hop act Hilltop Hoods. Local industry icon Molly Meldrum is first host of the night. He jokes about the accident that sent him to hospital: "Just trying to fix the Christmas lights on the ladder."

It started raining fire on stage during @hilltophoods! Not even fucken kidding. #ARIAs #fire

— theMusic.com.au (@TheMusicComAu) November 29, 2012

The Best Indepent Release goes to The Jezabels for Prisoner. They were nominated in this category for the first time last year but were beaten out by Art Vs Science. This year they beat out Dappled Cities, Katie Noonan, San Cisco and The Bamboos.

Best Rock Album goes to The Temper Trap for their self-titled album, beating out Cold Chisel who have NEVER won in this category.

Best Childrens Album goes to... The Wiggles. Their 17th win in this category. They knock out Hi-5, their closest competition who have had five wins here in the past.

Best Comedy Album goes to Buddy Goode for Unappropriate. Goode was first nominated last year but lost out to Hamish & Andy who weren't up for the award this year. However, it was American comedian Arj Barker's second nomination this year - and second loss.

Award for Breakthrough Artist - Release goes to 360 for Falling And Flying. The hip hopper beating Alpine, Lanie Lane, Matt Corby and San Cisco in this category.

Tonight's "first person to say 'cunt' on stage" award goes to @3ree6ixty. Congrats bro. #ARIAs

— theMusic.com.au (@TheMusicComAu) November 29, 2012

The Best Dance Release prize goes to Ivan Gough and Feenixpawl, featuring Georgi Kay, for the former ARIA Club Chart number one In My Mind. Gough has previously won in this category as a part of TV Rock in 2006 with Flaunt It.

DZ Deathrays take out the Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album award with their album Bloodstreams. It's only the third year for this category so all nominees were first-timers: Buried In Verona, Frenzal Rhomb, House Vs Hurricane and Sleepmakeswaves. Previous winners: Front End Loader (2011) and Parkway Drive (2010).

HOLY SHIT, WE JUST WON AN ARIA. Wow. Thank you guys!

— DZ DEATHRAYS (@DZDEATHRAYS) November 29, 2012

The public voted award for the newly introduced Best Live Act goes to Gotye. He beats 360, Cold Chisel, Dirty Three, Hilltop Hoods, Hoodoo Gurus, Kate Miller-Heidke, The Bamboos, The Jezabels and The Living End. Bound to be a controversial win...

Best Country Album is won by The McClymonts for Two Worlds Collide. This is the band's second win (last time was 2010) out of three nominations.

Best Blues & Roots Album award is won by Jeff Lang for his Carried In Mind set. This was Lang's eighth nomination in the category, he previously won in 2002 for a collab with Bob Brozman. This is his first solo win.

ARIA Hall Of Fame inductees Yothu Yindi (including Gurrumul) take to the stage to perform Treaty. Joined by Peter Garrett, Paul Kelly, Jessica Mauboy and Dan Sultan. The entire crowd is now up out of their seats.

Gotye on red carpet. Pic by Cole Bennetts

After a ridiculously long break, the awards start rolling again. Best Pop Release goes to Gotye for Making Mirrors, of course. Gotye took this category out for the first time last year with his first nomination in the category. Last year he won with Kimbra, this year he beats her. Gotye ties with Missy Higgins and Savage Garden for second most wins in this category, Kylie Minogue leads in Pop with four previous wins.

Hilltop Hoods arrive at 2012 ARIAS. Pic by Cole Bennetts

Best Urban Album award goes to Hilltop Hoods for Drinking From The Sun. Accepting their award, they quip: "Thanks to Keith, who this award is named after." (Think about it...). Makes it four wins out of four times nominated in this category (previously winning in 2009, 2007 and 2006).

The public voted Best International Artist prize is handed over to One Direction. Really?!? Screaming ensues. They have beaten out competition from Adele, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, David Guetta, Ed Sheeran, Florence + The Machine, LMFAO, Michael Buble and The Black Keys. Oh yeah, 1D > Black Keys.

Best Group is won by The Temper Trap. The Melbourne band first won Best Group at the 2010 ARIA Awards - this year they beat out last year's winners Boy & Bear. They also beat Cold Chisel - another category that the iconic band have never won.

So far, Gotye and Temper Trap tied for two awards each tonight.

The Song Of The Year award goes to Matt Corby's Brother. ARIA scrapped their long-standing Single Of The Year trophy and re-introduced this category which was cut in 1998 - but is now voted by the public. Yothu Yindi's Treaty won it back in 1992.

Missy Higgins on ARIA 2012 red carpet. Pic by Cole Bennetts

Best Adult Contemporary Album goes to The Ol' Razzle Dazzle by Missy Higgins. Previous two-time winner Josh Pyke misses out this year.

Best Female Artist is announced as Kimbra. Two years in a row for the New Zealander. This award has also been won twice by fellow nominee Missy Higgins. Others to win here twice: Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano and Natalie Imbruglia. And if our calculations are right (and if ARIA record-keeping is right) Wendy Matthews and Kasey Chambers have won the most gongs in this category, at three each.

Gotye is crowned Best Male Artist. This is Gotye's third win from three times nominated in this category. Of course, he won last year but also in 2007 when his win caused a round of "Gotye who?" questions across Australia. According to our calculations this ties Gotye with John Farnham, Diesel and Alex Lloyd for most wins in this category. This also puts him ahead of Temper Trap for most awards of tonight so far.

And, the big one, Album Of The Year goes to Gotye for Making Mirrors. This is his first win in the category and the second time he has been nominated. He also walks away with the most awards for night - four all up.

That's it, follow us on Twitter for after party reports.