Form Guide: Who's Going To Clean-Up At The ARIAs?

This year's ARIA Awards may be one of the most contested ever because this year Gotye isn't going to take out everything. However, it's expected that Sydney's Flume will dominate because Flume is Flume and he's had one hell of a year. But so too have the other contenders; Tame Impala, The Drones, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and even Jessica Mauboy have all earned their places in the higher echelons of the Australian music landscape. Let's just hope Liddiard doesn't snub the whole song and dance again.

The Music editorial team took a look at the categories for the 27th annual ARIA awards; these are our picks.

Who Will Win? Tame Impala - Lonerism

Who Should Win? Tame Impala – Lonerism

Why? Tame Impala deserve this. Second record to dominate here and overseas - Flume's hot, but these guys are worthy.

Who Will Win? Flume

Who Should Win? Flume

Why? It's hard to argue with this one, even if label-mates RÜFÜS came from nowhere and Vance Joy is going to be the biggest thing of 2014. The Rubens peaked too early for the voting.

Flume

Who Will Win? Flume - Flume

Who Should Win? Paul Kelly – Spring And Fall

Why? Don't EVER ask why Paul Kelly should win an award. It's just not cool to question these things. Plus, Spring And Fall is great.

Who Will Win? Jessica Mauboy - To The End Of The Earth

Who Should Win? Emma Louise - Vs Head Vs Heart

Why? Mauboy has had a pretty massive year and she is deserving, no doubt. But Emma Louise is the underdog; she's only young but she's worked hard to put out a record with this kinda class.

Who Will Win?  Tame Impala - Lonerism

Who Should Win? Tame Impala - Lonerism

Why? Probably one of the closest categories - Tame Impala are loved both here and overseas, but Birds Of Tokyo and The Bad Seeds returned with strong efforts. Boy & Bear and Empire Of The Sun didn't have the impact as they did with their last albums.

Who Will Win? The Drones - I See Seaweed

Who Should Win? The Drones - I See Seaweed

Why? This one's a toughie. The younger voting members would vote for The Drones, while the older voting members would go the Cave. Is the older voting block outnumbered this year? Time for another changing of the guard.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Who Will Win? Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away

Who Should Win? Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away

Why? Just to see what Nick thinks about being pigeonholed as adult contemporary.

Who Will Win? The Cat Empire - Steal The Light

Who Should Win? Russell Morris - Sharkmouth

Why? The Cat Empire because most people will have heard it. Records from Archie Roach, Melbourne Ska Orchestra and Mama Kin are better, and Russell Morris' brilliant (and high-charting) Sharkmouth is the best of the lot.

Who Will Win? Tom & Alex - The Bits We're Least Ashamed Of

Who Should Win? Tom & Alex - The Bits We're Least Ashamed Of

Why? The triple j factor might just win it for the brekkie hosts.

Who Will Win? Troy Cassar-Daley & Adam Harvey - The Great Country Songbook

Who Should Win? Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Wreck and Ruin

Why? Arguably the tightest category this year, Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson's album was brilliant, but The Great Country Songbook might pip them. Jasmine Rae, Leigh Kernaghan and Sara Storer miss out due to the quality competition.

Who Will Win? Flume - Flume

Who Should Win? Flume - Flume

Why? He's a big contender overall but in the Dance category? No contest.

Who Will Win? Guy Sebastian - Armageddon

Who Should Win? The Preatures - Is This How You Feel?

Why? Is This How You Feel? is brilliant, but this is where the judges get to give TV talent show winners a token nod.

Tame Impala

Who Will Win? Tame Impala - Lonerism

Who Should Win? The Drones - I See Seaweed

Why? In the war between Gareth Liddiard and Kevin Parker, Parker will be the victor.

Who Will Win? Karnivool - Asymmetry

Who Should Win? Northlane - Singularity

Why? Either way, metal fans will be pissed because there are more genres of metal than there are species of bacterium and picking one subgenre involves not picking others, which is an implicit declaration of war.

Who Will Win? Bliss N Eso - Circus In The Sky

Who Should Win? Seth Sentry - This Was Tomorrow

Why? Very strong year for local urban releases and everyone is worthy of picking up the gong. That's not a cop out, it's the truth. Bliss N Eso released a cracker of an album though so might just get it, but jeez Horrorshow's varied effort was good too.