Nominees & Hosts Announced For 2026 APRA Awards

Ninajirachi

The nominees and hosts have been announced ahead of this year’s APRA Music Awards, coinciding with APRA’s 100th anniversary.

The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, 29 April, at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion. Hosted by RocKwiz icon Julia Zemiro, the evening will also feature guest presenters Bernard Fanning, Jessica Mauboy, Mark Coles Smith and Stella Donnelly. Music Director François Tétaz will keep the show rolling throughout the night.

The 2026 Song of the Year top five features previous winners alongside first-time nominees. 2025 winners Amyl and the Sniffers have been nominated for Jerkin’. Multi-award winner Paul Kelly, alongside his nephew and first-time nominee, Dan Kelly, has received a nomination for Rita Wrote a Letter, and two-time winner Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker has received a nod for Loser.

The last two artists of the top five are Adam Hyde, who performs as Keli Holiday, nominated for Dancing2 alongside co-composers Alex Cameron and Konstantin Kersting, and Ninajirachi for iPod Touch alongside co-writer Darcy Baylis.

In 2026, there are 52 first-time nominees, seven of whom have been recognised for two awards and five who are recognised for the same song.

Said nominees include Alex Cameron (alongside Adam Hyde and Konstantin Kersting) for Dancing2—nominated in two categories—as well as Jessica Porfiri and Taka Perry for KATSEYE’s Touch, Ned Houston (alongside Guy Sebastian and Robby De Sa) for Maybe, and Sam Cromack for Ball Park Music’s Please Don’t Move to Melbourne.

Nominees for this year’s Emerging Songwriter of the Year category include hip-hop star BARKAA, genre-defying storyteller Emily Wurramara, and first-time nominees Grace Sinclair, Heide Peverelle and Jeanie Pilkington (Folk Bitch Trio), Nick Ward, and Nina Wilson (Ninajirachi).

Elsewhere, Australian acts are nominated in different genres. Artists nominated for APRA Awards this year include Spacey Jane (Most Performed Alternative Work), Tash Sultana (Most Performed Blues & Roots Work), Brad Cox (Most Performed Country Work), RÜFÜS DU SOL (Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work), Ocean Grove (Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work), ONEFOUR & Nemzzz (Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work), and more.

Check out the full list of nominees below.

The recipient of this year’s Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music will be announced on Tuesday, 14 April, with all other award winners to be revealed on the APRA Awards ceremony on Wednesday, 29 April.

2026 APRA Music Award Nominees

Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year

Title:                    Dancing2          
Artist:                  Keli Holiday 

Written by:        Adam Hyde / Alex Cameron* / Konstantin Kersting^
Published by:   BMG / Sony Music Publishing* / Payday Music Publishing^

Title:                    iPod Touch
Artist:                  Ninajirachi
Written by:        Nina Wilson* / Darcy Baylis
Published by: Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                    Jerkin’
Artist:                  Amyl and The Sniffers
Written by:        Declan Mehrtens / Amy Taylor / Bryce Wilson

Title:                    Loser   
Artist:                 Tame Impala
Written by:         Kevin Parker
Published by:   Sony Music Publishing

Title:                    Rita Wrote A Letter                    
Artist:                  Paul Kelly
Written by:         Paul Kelly / Dan Kelly
Published by:   Sony Music Publishing

Emerging Songwriter of the Year

Writer: BARKAA

Published by: Sony Music Publishing

Writer: Emily Wurramara
Publisher: Mushroom Music Publishing

Writer:                Heide Peverelle, Jeanie Pilkington & Grace Sinclair (Folk Bitch Trio)
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing

Writer:                Nick Ward
Published by: Sony Music Publishing 

Writer:                Nina Wilson (Ninajirachi)
Published by: Sony Music Publishing

Most Performed Australian Work  

Title: Maybe
Artist: Guy Sebastian
Written by: Guy Sebastian / Robby De Sa* / Ned Houston*
Published by: Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing* 

Title: Please Don’t Move to Melbourne                                  
Artist: Ball Park Music
Written by: Sam Cromack
Published by: Sony Music Publishing

Title: stay a little longer
Artist: ROSÉ
Written by: Sarah Aarons / Andrew Wells / Chae Park*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music*

Title: Tell Me
Artist: Sonny Fodera & Clementine Douglas
Written by: Stuart Crichton / Sonny Fodera* / Clementine Douglas^ / Ruth Cunningham^
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ / BMG* / Mushroom Music Publishing^

Title: Touch
Artist: KATSEYE
Written by: Taka Perry / Jessica Porfiri* / Caroline Ailin^ / Omer Fedi+ / Magnus Hoiberg~ / Blake Slatkin+
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ / Gaga Music* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Universal/MCA Music Publishing+ / Warner Chappell Music~

Most Performed Alternative Work

Title: All the Noise
Artist: Spacey Jane
Written by: Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu / Caleb Harper / Kieran Lama / Peppa Lane
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process

Title: car
Artist: Royel Otis
Written by: Otis Pavlovic / Royel Maddell / Omar Fedi* / Blake Slatkin*
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Ourness Songs / Universal/MCA Music Publishing* 

Title:                    Dancing2          
Artist:                  Keli Holiday
Written by:        Adam Hyde / Alex Cameron* / Konstantin Kersting^
Published by:   BMG / Sony Music Publishing* / Payday Music Publishing^

Title: Hideaway         
Artist: Mallrat
Written by: Grace Shaw / Styalz Fuego* / Gab Strum^

Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process / Universal Music Publishing* / Concord Music Publishing ANZ^ 

Title: Please Don’t Move to Melbourne                                  
Artist: Ball Park Music
Written by: Sam Cromack
Published by: Sony Music Publishing 

Most Performed Blues & Roots Work 

Title: I’m Yours
Artist: Karen Lee Andrews
Written by: Karen Lee Andrews

Title: Let It Rain
Artist: Dallas Frasca
Written by: Dallas Frasca / Paul Wood

Title: Milk & Honey
Artist: Tash Sultana
Written by: Tash Sultana
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: Straight Into The Sun
Artist: The Cruel Sea
Written by: Tex Perkins* / Daniel Atkins* / Kristyna Higgins
Published by: Universal Music Publishing*

Title: Survival
Artist: Karen Lee Andrews
Written by: Daniel March / Adam Ventoura

Most Performed Country Work 

Title: BUY THAT GIRL A BEER
Artist: Casey Barnes
Written by: Casey Barnes* / Andy Skib^ / James Thow
Published by: Mushroom Music Publishing* / Warner Chappell Music^

Title: Dirty Money
Artist: Travis Collins
Written by: Travis Collins* / Jason Duke^ / Christopher Yurchuck
Published by: Universal Music Publishing* / Downtown Music^

Title: I’m A Boxer
Artist: Brad Cox
Written by: Brad Cox / Alexander Burnett*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing / Origin Music Publishing*

Title: TROUBLE
Artist: Tori Darke & Jay Santilli
Written by: Victoria Darke* / Jessica Santilli / Michael De Lorenzis^ / Michael Paynter^
Published by: Sentric Music Publishing obo Digital Music Publishing* / Mushroom Music Publishing^

Title: Who You Are
Artist: Rachael Fahim
Written by: Rachael Fahim / Shawn Mayer / Liam Quinn / Vlado Saric / Keenan Te*
Published by: Sentric Music Publishing obo Acts Music Publishing*

Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work

Title: Break My Love
Artist:                RÜFÜS DU SOL
Written by: Jonathon George / James Hunt / Tyrone Lindqvist
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: CAVE
Artist: Dom Dolla & Tove Lo
Written by: Dominic Matheson / Tove Lo*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music*

Title: Focus
Artist: John Summit feat. CLOVES
Written by: Kaity Dunstan / Abraham Dertner* / Frederik Geuze^ / Neil Ormandy / John Schuster+
Published by: Payday Music Publishing & Silo: Music / Kobalt Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Warner Chappell Music+

Title: Beautiful People
Artist: David Guetta & Sia
Written by: Sia Furler / David Guetta* / Mikkel Eriksen / Tor Hermansen / Timofey Reznikov*
Published by:     Sony Music Publishing / Peermusic* 

Title: Tell Me
Artist: Sonny Fodera & Clementine Douglas
Written by: Stuart Crichton / Sonny Fodera* / Clementine Douglas^ / Ruth Cunningham^
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ / BMG* / Mushroom Music Publishing^

Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work

Title: All That I Remember
Artist: The Amity Affliction
Written by: Joel Birch* / Daniel Brown* / Joseph Longobardi / Jonathan Reeves
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ*

Title: nerv
Artist: Thornhill
Written by: Jacob Charlton* / Benjamin Maida* / Ethan McCann* / Nicholas Sjogren* / Samuel Bassal
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ*

Title: RAINDROP
Artist: Ocean Grove
Written by: Samuel Bassal* / Brent Hunter* / Luke Holmes
Published by: BMG*

Title: Sacred
Artist: Parkway Drive
Written by: Benjamin Gordon / Luke Kilpatrick / Jeffrey Ling / Winston McCall / Zachary Cervini* / Jordan Fish*
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing / BMG*

Title: Tether
Artist: Make Them Suffer
Written by: Sean Harmanis / Jordan Mather / Nicholas McLernon
Published by: Sentric Music Publishing obo Cooking Vinyl Publishing

Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work 

Title: The Gift
Artist: Hilltop Hoods feat. Marlon
Written by: Matthew Lambert (Suffa)* / Daniel Smith (MC Pressure)* / Andrew Burford / Jim Ford^
Published by: Sony Music Publishing* / Warner Chappell Music^

Title: Party On The Moon
Artist: Bliss n Eso
Written by: Max Mackinnon / Jonathan Notley / Keith Elam* / Chris Martin^
Published by: Mushroom Music Publishing / Mushroom Music Publishing & Sony Music Publishing*/ Kobalt Music Publishing & Sony Music Publishing^

Title: Spinnin’
Artist: ONEFOUR & Nemzzz
Written by: Jerone Misa* / Salec Su’a* / Hoi Tang / Nemiah Simms* / Robin Turrini
Published by: Sony Music Publishing* 

Title: The Trap
Artist: Rops1
Written by: Tristan Dunphy* / Elijah Wilson
Published by: Mushroom Music Publishing*

Title: Who’s Back
Artist: Skux
Written by: Aayan Ahmed / Logan Cudarans

Most Performed Pop Work

Title: I Can Die Now
Artist: Ruel
Written by: Ruel Van Dijk / Julian Bunetta* / Joshua Coleman^/ Edward Drewett+ / Jacob Hindlin^ / Steven Schick*
Published by: Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing* / Kobalt Music Publishing^ / Warner Chappell Music+

Title: Maybe
Artist: Guy Sebastian
Written by: Guy Sebastian / Robby De Sa* / Ned Houston*
Published by: Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing^

Title: Press Pause
Artist: Kita Alexander
Written by: Nikkita Wright / Annie Schindel / Kyle Shearer*
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing / Concord Music Publishing ANZ*

Title: stay a little longer
Artist: ROSÉ
Written by: Sarah Aarons / Andrew Wells / Chae Park*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music*

Title: Touch
Artist: KATSEYE
Written by: Taka Perry / Jessica Porfiri* / Caroline Ailin^ / Omer Fedi+ / Magnus Hoiberg~ / Blake Slatkin+
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ / Gaga Music* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Universal/MCA Music Publishing+ / Warner Chappell Music~

Most Performed R&B / Soul Work

Title: Cardio
Artist: Larissa Lambert
Written by: Larissa Lambert / Khaled Rohaim* / John Jackson^ / Cynthia Loving+ / Avital Margulies / Andre Robertson / Justin Smith+ / Chelsea Unger#
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Mushroom Music Publishing+ / Kobalt Music Publishing#

Title: Julia
Artist: Don West
Written by: Don West* / Nathan Hawes^ / William Endicott / Zac Olsen / Jacob Parks
Published by: Kobalt Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^

Title: Lil’ Obsession
Artist: BOY SODA
Written by: Brae Luafalealo* / Nikodimos Nick Millman Paleologoudias / Finbar Stuart
Published by: Sony Music Publishing*

Title: Pity Party
Artist: PANIA
Written by: Pania Hika / Jake Amy / Chelsea Warner / Sam Verghese

Title: Vetted
Artist: Lithe
Written by: Josiah Ramel* / Omid Khasrawy
Published by: Concord Music Publishing ANZ obo Boss Level* 

Most Performed Rock Work     

Title: Defiant
Artist: Jimmy Barnes
Written by: Jimmy Barnes* / Michael Paynter^ / Ben Rodgers
Published by: Sony Music Publishing* / Mushroom Music Publishing^

Title: Everyone Will See It
Artist: Old Mervs
Written by: Henry Carrington-Jones / Chris Collins* / David House
Published by: Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                    Jerkin’
Artist:                  Amyl and The Sniffers
Written by:        Declan Mehrtens / Amy Taylor / Bryce Wilson

Title: Southerly
Artist: King Stingray
Written by: Theo Dimathaya Burarrwanga / Cameron Yimila Burarrwanga / Roy Kellaway* / Campbell Messer / Lewis Stiles / Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing* 

Title: Tangerine
Artist: Ocean Alley
Written by: Nic Blom / Baden Donegal / Lach Galbraith / Mitch Galbraith / Angus Goodwin / Tom O'Brien
Published by: Warner Chappell Music 

Most Performed International Work

Title: APT.
Artist: Bruno Mars and ROSÉ
Written by: Bruno Mars / Amy Allen / Christopher Brown / Roget Chahayed* / Michael Chapman^ / Nicholas Chinn^ / Omer Fedi+ / Philip Lawrence / Chae Park / Theron Thomas~ / Henry Walter+
Published by: Warner Chappell Music / Kobalt Music Publishing* / Universal Music Publishing/MGB^ / Universal/MCA Music Publishing+ / Sony Music Publishing~ 

Title: DENIAL IS A RIVER
Artist: Doechii
Written by: Doechii* / James Anderson^ / Dante Franklin+ / Spencer Golanka / Serban Sirbu~ / Joseph Thompson#
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Kobalt Music Publishing+ / Payday Music Publishing~ / Jungle Habitat Music#

Title: Squabble Up
Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Written by: Kendrick Lamar / Ruchaun Akers Jr / Jack Antonoff / Matthew Bernard* / Tony Butler* / Mark Spears*
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                    That’s So True

Artist: Gracie Abrams
Written by: Gracie Abrams / Audrey Hobert
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing

Title: Timeless
Artist: The Weeknd & Playboi Carti
Written by: Abel Tesfaye* / Jordan Carter^ / Raul Cubina+ / Mike Dean^ / Evan Hood^ / Jarrod Morgan^ / Chisolm Petty+ / Tariq Sharrieff+ / Mark Williams~ / Pharrell Williams^
Published by: Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Kobalt Music Publishing+ / Warner Chappell Music~