Troye Sivan, Ainslie Wills, The Kid LAROI Nominated For 2024 APRA Music Awards

APRA AMCOS has unveiled the incredible group of nominees for the 2024 APRA Music Awards, with songwriters recognised across pop, rock, country, R&B, hip-hop, rap, soul, blues & roots, and dance. In addition to the already existing categories, APRA AMCOS has introduced a new category representing Aussie hard rock and heavy metal artists.

The 2024 APRA Music Awards will be presented by Tom Gleeson alongside guest presenters Jen Cloher and Bumpy at Sydney’s ICC Theatre on Wednesday, 1 May.

LA-based songwriter Sarah Aarons, one of the masterminds behind Budjerah’s hit single Therapy (co-written with Ajay Bhattacharyya), leads the charge with three nominations at this year's awards. The song is up for three awards: Most Performed Australian Work, Most Performed Pop Work, and Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year.

Also in the APRA Song of the Year category are Paul Kelly and David McComb (with If Not Now), Angie McMahon (Letting Go), Troye Sivan and co-writer Styalz Fuego for Rush, and G Flip and co-writer Aidan Hogg with The Worst Person Alive.

Some of Australia's brightest up-and-comers are represented in the Emerging Songwriter of the Year category, including Royel Otis, Beckah Amani, Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers, grantperez and MAY-A. The latter artist is a dual-nominated songwriter at this year’s APRA Music Awards, with the singer nominated for Most Performed Alternative Work with Sweat You Out My System (co-written with two-time nominee Robby De Sa).

Other dual nominees include Amy Shark, Troye Sivan, Dean Lewis, The Kid LAROI, Budjerah, Ainslie Wills, Sam Littlemore, and country star James Johnston (with fellow dual nominees Michael Delorenzis and Michael Paynter).

First-time nominees include Tex Perkins, The Buoys, Frank Sultana, Ian Moss, and more.

APRA AMCOS is honouring Australian hard rock and heavy metal this year with the Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work category. The inaugural category boasts impressive nominees, including Alpha Wolf, The Amity Affliction, Polaris, Parkway Drive, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, David Guetta, and Sam Smith dominate the Most Performed International Work category.

The Song of the Year nominees have shared statements about their nominations.

Troye Sivan said, “I’m so honoured with this, especially the fact that it comes from songwriting peers, and I am proud to be part of the Australian songwriting and the Australian music community. Growing up here, I think about important Australian songs over the years that have somewhat shaped me into the person that I am today, so the idea that maybe Rush is going to be that for someone down the line, that makes me very, very proud.”

G Flip added, “Thank you so much, APRA, for nominating The Worst Person Alive for Song of the Year! I’m so grateful to APRA for supporting me and other Australian musicians for so long. This nomination means a lot to me; thank you so much.”

Paul Kelly said, “The expression ‘If not now, then when’ has a long provenance. It is first attributed to the Jewish religious leader Hillel the Elder around 2,000 years ago. He said, ‘If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?’ More recently, our prime minister Anthony Albanese said a number of times during last year’s referendum, ‘If not now, then when? If not us, then who.’

“I come from folk music. I just pick things up and pass them on.”

Angie McMahon commented, “I have been so blown away by people connecting to this song. When we play it live, the catharsis is huge and joyful. Together, we’re yelling that it’s okay to make mistakes, and it feels like we’re all accepting each other and witnessing our growth. That’s what I want to see more of in the world. This song is better because of the people who are yelling it along with us. Thank you so much.”

The Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work also had something to say about the new category.

The Amity Affliction’s Ahren Stringer said, “We are always really happy to be nominated for awards that are decided by stats or fan votes rather than industry votes. Especially being the first year with this new category for heavy music at the APRA’s. It’s always great to see our genre being highlighted more at these events as it’s such a huge part of the Australian music landscape.”

Parkway Drive’s Winston McCall and Luke Kilpatrick added, “We are honoured and humbled to be nominated for the first time in such a strong category with such amazing peers. It’s great to see recognition for how powerful and valuable this style of music is to the Australian music community and industry. We’re stoked to represent.”

Alpha Wolf stated, “We're stoked to be nominated for the first hard rock / heavy metal category. As a whole, the heavy community has never been stronger around the world and in Australia specifically, there are so many great bands around our country working their asses off to get worldwide recognition, and I think it often gets underlooked and underappreciated as a genre.

“I hope all the bands nominated proves that wrong, and people keep supporting and championing the under dogs from home.”

Check out the complete list of nominees below.

2024 APRA MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES

Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year

Title:                     If Not Now

Artist:                  Paul Kelly

Writers:               Paul Kelly / David McComb*

Publishers:        Sony Music Publishing / Mushroom Music*

Title:                     Letting Go

Artist:                  Angie McMahon

Writer:                 Angie McMahon

Publisher:          Kobalt Music Publishing

Title:                     Rush

Artist:                  Troye Sivan

Writers:               Troye Sivan / Styalz Fuego* / Alex Chapman^ / Kevin Hickey^ / Brett McLaughlin~ / Adam Novodor~

Publishers:        Universal/MCA Music Publishing / Universal Music Publishing* / Kobalt Music Publishing^ / Sony Music Publishing~    

Title:                     Therapy

Artist:                  Budjerah

Writers:               Sarah Aarons / Ajay Bhattacharyya

Publisher:          Sony Music Publishing

Title:               The Worst Person Alive

Artist:              G Flip

Writers:           G Flip / Aidan Hogg / Charles Brand* / Michelle Buzz^

Publishers:      Kobalt Music Publishing / Downtown Music* / Warner Chappell Music^

Emerging Songwriter of the Year

Writer:  Beckah Amani

Writer:  grentperez

Publisher:           Mushroom Music

Writer:  MAY-A

Publisher:           Sony Music Publishing

Writers:               Otis Pavlovic & Royel Maddell (Royel Otis)

Publishers:        Kobalt Music Publishing obo Ourness Songs

Writers:               Scarlett McKahey, Anna Ryan, Jaida Stephenson & Neve van Boxsel (Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers)

Publisher:           Warner Chappell Music

Most Performed Australian Work

Title:                     How Do I Say Goodbye

Artist:                  Dean Lewis

Writers:               Dean Lewis / Jon Hume*

Publishers:        Kobalt Music Publishing / Concord ANZ*

Title:                     Only Wanna Be With You

Artist:                  Amy Shark

Writers:               Amy Shark / Grant Averill / Joseph Spargur

Publisher:           Mushroom Music

Title:                     LOVE AGAIN

Artist:                  The Kid LAROI

Writers:               The Kid LAROI / Omer Fedi* / Billy Walsh* / Henry Walter*

Publishers:        Sony Music Publishing / Universal/MCA Music Publishing*

Title:                     Ready For the Sky

Artist:                  Budjerah

Writers:               Budjerah / Ainslie Wills*

Publishers:        Mushroom Music / Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                     Therapy

Artist:                  Budjerah

Writers:               Sarah Aarons / Ajay Bhattacharyya

Publisher:          Sony Music Publishing

Most Performed Alternative Work

Title:                     Colin

Artist:                  Lime Cordiale

Writers:               Louis Leimbach / Oli Leimbach

Publishers:        Universal Music Publishing obo Chugg Music

Title:                     Daylight

Artist:                  Birds Of Tokyo 

Writers:               Ian Berney / Ian Kenny / Glenn Sarangapany / Adam Spark / Adam Weston

Publisher:           Mushroom Music

Title:                     Everybody’s Saying Thursday’s The Weekend

Artist:                  DMA’S

Writers:               Matthew Mason / Thomas O’Dell / John Took / Liam Hoskins* 

Publishers:        Universal Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music*

Title:                     Miami Baby

Artist:                  Dope Lemon

Writers:               Angus Stone / Elliott Hammond*

Publishers:        Sony Music Publishing / BMG*

Title:                     Sweat You Out My System

Artist:                  MAY-A

Writers:               Maya Cumming / Robby De Sa

Publisher:           Sony Music Publishing

Most Performed Blues & Roots Work

Title:                     Been So Good, Been So Far

Artist:                  Tim Rogers & The Twin Set

Writer:                 Tim Rogers

Publisher:           Universal Music Publishing

Title:                     Brand New Man

Artist:                  Tex Perkins And The Fat Rubber Band

Writers:               Tex Perkins / Matthew Walker*

Publishers:        Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                     Dancing In The Dark

Artist:                  Ziggy Alberts

Writer:                 Ziggy Alberts

Publisher:           Kobalt Music Publishing

Title:                     Dollar Bill

Artist:                  Blues Arcadia

Writers:               Alan Boyle / Christian Harvey

Title:                     The Howling Dogs

Artist:                  Frank Sultana

Writer:                 Frank Sultana

Most Performed Country Work

Title:                     Got It Good

Artist:                  James Johnston

Writers:               Melanie Dyer / James Johnston / Michael Delorenzis* / Michael Paynter*

Publisher:           Mushroom Music*        

Title:                     Last Time Last

Artist:                  Brad Cox

Writers:               Brad Cox / Phil Barton* / John Pierce^

Publishers:        Sony Music Publishing / Mushroom Music* / Universal/MCA Music Publishing^

Title:                     Over For You

Artist:                  Morgan Evans

Writers:               Morgan Evans / Madison Love* / Timothy Sommers / Geoffrey Warburton^

Publishers:        Warner Chappell Music / Kobalt Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^

Title:                     Same Songs

Artist:                  James Johnston & Kaylee Bell

Writers:               Kaylee Bell / James Johnston / Gavin Carfoot / Jared Porter / Nolan Wynne

Title:                     Summer Nights

Artist:                  Casey Barnes

Writers:               Casey Barnes / Michael Delorenzis / Michael Paynter

Publisher:           Mushroom Music

Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work

Title:                     Burn Dem Bridges

Artist:                  Skin On Skin

Writers:               Emmanuel John / Mozis Aduu* / Jordan Bedeau / Micah Bedeau / Konnan Maier-Kouame

Publisher:           Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                     Miracle Maker

Artist:                  Dom Dolla ft. Clementine Douglas

Writers:               Dominic Matheson / Kashif Adham* / Clementine Douglas^ / Caitlin Stubbs~

Publishers:        Sony Music Publishing / CAS Music* / Mushroom Music^ / Sentric Music Publishing~

Title:                     Never Let You Go

Artist:                  Jason Derulo & Shouse

Writers:               Sean Congues / Jack Madin* / Edward Service* / Jason Desrouleaux^

Publishers:        Sentric Music Publishing / ONELOVE Publishing* / Universal Music Publishing^

Title:                     Spend It

Artist:                  Peking Duk ft. Circa Waves

Writers:               Jackson Brazier* / Adam Hyde^ / Samuel Littlemore~ / Reuben Styles-Richards^ / Gustav Gaellhagen / Johan Gustafsson~ / Kieran Shudall+

Publishers:        Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process* / BMG^ / Universal Music Publishing~ / Sentric Music Publishing+  

Title:                     You Know What I Need

Artist:                  PNAU & Troye Sivan

Writers:               Nick Littlemore / Samuel Littlemore / Peter Mayes / Troye Sivan* / Styalz Fuego / Reuben Butler^ / Kevin Garrett* / Brett McLaughlin~

Publishers:        Universal Music Publishing / Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Sentric Music Publishing^ / Sony Music Publishing~

Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work

Title:                     60cm Of Steel

Artist:                  Alpha Wolf & Holding Absence

Writers:               John Arnold / Mitchell Fogarty / Lochlan Keogh / Sabian Lynch / Scott Simpson

Publisher:           Cooking Vinyl Publishing

Title:                     Darker Still

Artist:                  Parkway Drive

Writers:               Benjamin Gordon* / Luke Kilpatrick* / Jeffrey Ling* / Winston McCall* / George Hadjichristou

Publisher:           Kobalt Music Publishing*

Title:                     Dragon

Artist:                  King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Writers:               Michael Cavanagh / Nicholas Craig / Ambrose Kenny-Smith / Stu Mackenzie / Joey Walker

Publisher:           Kobalt Music Publishing

Title:                     Inhumane

Artist:                  Polaris

Writers:               Daniel Furnari* / Jamie Hails* / Rick Schneider* / Ryan Siew* / Jacob Steinhauser* / Shawn Mayer

Publisher:          Kobalt Music Publishing*          

Title:                     It’s Hell Down Here

Artist:                  The Amity Affliction

Writers:               Joel Birch / Daniel Brown / Ahren Stringer / Joseph Longobardi*

Publishers:        Concord ANZ / Kobalt Music Publishing*

Most Performed Hip-Hop / Rap Work

Title:                     And We

Artist:                  Hooligan Hefs

Writers:               Cooper Bedford / Simeona Malagamaalii* / Nepomsein Irakunda / Liridona Rusiti

Publisher:           Mushroom Music*

Title:                     Bona

Artist:                  Sampa the Great

Writers:               Sampa Tembo* / Magnus Mando / Samuel Masta / Sam Nyambe

Publisher:           Kobalt Music Publishing*

Title:                     COMMA’S

Artist:                  ONEFOUR ft. CG

Writers:               Spencer Magalogo* / Jerome Misa* /    Salec Su’a* / Bailey Pickles / Chandler Hammond / Hugo Hui / Caleb Tiedemann

Publisher:           Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                     Laced Up

Artist:                  Hilltop Hoods

Writers:               Barry Francis (DJ Debris)* / Matthew Lambert (Suffa)* / Daniel Smith (MC Pressure)* / Andrew Burford / Marlon Gerbes^ / Chris Mac^ / Matiu Walters^

Publishers:        Sony Music Publishing* / Kobalt Music Publishing^     

Title:                     Ring-a-Ling

Artist:                  Tkay Maidza

Writers:               Tkay Maidza* / Pa Salieu Gaye / Cassio Lopes^~ / Kendrick Nicholls^ / Sherwyn Nicholls^ / Michael Oatman

Publishers:        Kobalt Music Publishing*~ / Mushroom Music^

Most Performed Pop Work

Title:                     How Do I Say Goodbye

Artist:                  Dean Lewis

Writers:               Dean Lewis / Jon Hume*

Publishers:        Kobalt Music Publishing / Concord ANZ*

Title:                     Only Wanna Be With You

Artist:                  Amy Shark

Writers:               Amy Shark / Grant Averill / Joseph Spargur

Publisher:           Mushroom Music

Title:                     LOVE AGAIN

Artist:                  The Kid LAROI

Writers:               The Kid LAROI / Omer Fedi* / Billy Walsh* / Henry Walter*

Publishers:        Sony Music Publishing / Universal/MCA Music Publishing*

Title:                     Ready For The Sky

Artist:                  Budjerah

Writers:               Budjerah / Ainslie Wills*

Publishers:        Mushroom Music / Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                     Therapy

Artist:                  Budjerah

Writers:               Sarah Aarons / Ajay Bhattacharyya

Publisher:          Sony Music Publishing

Most Performed R&B / Soul Work

Title:                     Change Has To Come

Artist:                  Mo’Ju

Writers:               Mojo Ruiz de Luzuriaga* / Lewis Coleman^ / Henry Jenkins

Publishers:        Universal Music Publishing* / Mushroom Music obo Ivy League Music^

Title:                     Cinderella

Artist:                  JKING

Writer:                 Jordan Samatua             

Title:                     Falling

Artist:                  Dean Brady

Writers:               Dean Brady* / Jacob Farah* / Jerome Farah* / Kara-Lee James / Timothy Omaji / Rahel Phillips

Publisher:           Mushroom Music*

Title:                     Goodbye

Artist:                  Forest Claudette

Writers:               Kobe Hamilton-Reeves / Alexander Laska*

Publisher:           Concord ANZ*

Title:                     Oceans Of Emotions

Artist:                  The Teskey Brothers

Writers:               Josh Teskey / Sam Teskey

Publishers:        Mushroom Music obo Ivy League Music

Most Performed Rock Work    

Title:                     Good Time

Artist:                  Polish Club

Writers:               David Novak / John-Henry Pajak / Robby De Sa

Publisher:           Sony Music Publishing

Title:                     I Want You

Artist:                  The Buoys

Writers:               Zoe Catterall / Courtney Cunningham / Hilary Geddes / Tessa Wilkin

Title:                     Lookin’ Out

Artist:                  King Stingray

Writers:               Theo Dimathaya Burarrwanga / Yimila Gurruwiwi / Roy Kellaway* / Campbell Messer / Lewis Stiles / Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu*

Publisher:          Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                     Nullarbor Plain

Artist:                  Ian Moss

Writers:               Ian Moss / Troy Cassar-Daley

Publisher:           Mushroom Music

Title:                     Sorry Instead

Artist:                  Spacey Jane

Writers:               Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu / Caleb Harper / Kieran Lama / Peppa Lane

Publisher:           Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process

Most Performed International Work

Title:                     Anti-Hero

Artist:                  Taylor Swift

Writers:               Taylor Swift / Jack Antonoff*

Publishers:        Universal/MCA Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing*

Title:                     Celestial

Artist:                  Ed Sheeran

Writers:               Ed Sheeran / Johnny McDaid / Steve Mac*

Publishers:        Sony Music Publishing / Universal Music Publishing*

Title:                     Flowers

Artist:                  Miley Cyrus

Writers:               Miley Cyrus / Gregory Hein* / Michael Pollack^

Publishers:        Sony Music Publishing / Concord ANZ* / Warner Chappell Music^

Title:                     I’m Good (Blue)

Artist:                  David Guetta & Bebe Rexha

Writers:               David Guetta* / Bebe Rexha^ / Massimo Gabutti / Maurizio Lobina / Philip Plested~ / Camille Purcelle~ / Gianfranco Randone

Publishers:        Origin Music Publishing & Peermusic* / BMG^ / Sony Music Publishing~

Title:                     Unholy

Artist:                  Sam Smith ft. Kim Petras

Writers:               Sam Smith / Kim Petras* / Omer Fedi^ / James Napier^ / Ilya Salmanzadeh / Blake Slatkin^ / Henry Walter^

Publishers:        Warner Chappell Music / Kobalt Music Publishing* / Universal/MCA Music Publishing^