The Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) is celebrating 100 years of songs by Australian and Aotearoa/New Zealand songwriters, composers and music publishers.
With celebrations taking place year-round, festivities will include a brand-new Hall of Fame-style event, a major anthology, expanded APRA Awards, and the launch of a digital history timeline.
APRA was born out of the simple, fundamental principle that songwriters and composers deserve to be paid when their work is performed. From this month in 1926 to now, APRA AMCOS has blossomed to become Australia and New Zealand’s largest music rights management organisation. Today, the group represents over 128,000 music creators.
Highlights of the 100th anniversary celebrations include the biggest-ever APRA Music Awards in Sydney this April, as well as the Silver Scroll Awards/Kaitito Kaiaka in New Zealand in October. This year will also see the launch of the elevated SongHubs songwriting program, the publication of a major anthology tracing 100 years of Australian songwriters, and a fresh Hall of Fame event in November.
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The celebrations begin today. A digital history timeline titled APRA: A Century of Song is now available to view, showcasing 100 years of music and cultural moments on the APRA AMCOS website.
“From the licensing of dance and radio broadcasts in the 1920s to protecting creators’ rights in the AI era, APRA has evolved alongside the music it serves,” APRA AMCOS CEO, Dean Ormston, commented in a statement. “This centenary isn’t just about looking back – it’s about celebrating the enduring value of songwriting to our culture, identity and our two nations.”
Spotlighting the Century of Song digital timeline, Jenny Morris MNZM OAM, Chair of APRA, added, “From the famous Aeroplane Jelly jingle in 1930 to Lorde breaking through to worldwide superstardom in the 2020s, APRA: A Century of Song is a nostalgic and educational walk down memory lane of our songwriting history that’s an absolute must-read for any musicophile!”
The timeline is packed with musical highlights created in Australia and New Zealand, from AC/DC, Cold Chisel, INXS, and Midnight Oil’s domination in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the launch of Kylie Minogue’s musical career, Countdown’s premiere in 1974, Christine Anu’s take on the Warumpi Band’s My Island Home at the Sydney 200 Olympic Games, and more.
Ormston added that APRA consistently stands up for creators’ rights to this day, and that, with the emergence of AI and its impact on copyright, the organisation remains as essential as ever.
“Whether it was establishing what it means to communicate music ‘to the public’ in the High Court of Australia or advocating for live music tax offsets and local content, APRA has consistently stood up for creators’ rights to fair payment, providing world-class service to our increasingly global membership,” Ormston said. “As we confront new challenges around AI and copyright, that founding principle remains as vital as ever.
“It’s a true honour to reflect on the past 100 years and look forward to the next 100 to ensure we remain as relevant for our members today as we always have been. The timeline is just the beginning of our celebrations of Australian and New Zealand songwriting history for 2026, so stay tuned for more announcements!”
