APRA Awards (Australia)

APRA Music Awards (Australia)

The APRA Music Awards were established in 1982 to honour songwriters and music composers for their efforts. The award categories are:

Gold Awards

From 1982 to 1990, the best songs were given the Gold Award, which was also called the Special Award. In the mid-1980s Platinum Awards were given to significant works from previous years.

Song of the Year

Song of the Year is decided by the votes of APRA members. All eligible songs must be written by an APRA member and released in the preceding calendar year for consideration. The Song of the Year award is considered one of the most prestigious of the APRA Music Awards.

Songwriter of the Year

Songwriter of the Year is voted by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors rewarding the songwriter who has recorded the most impressive body of work in the previous year.

The Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music

The Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music' is decided by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors for a lifetime contribution. The Award is named after Ted Albert whose company Albert Productions put out records by The Easybeats, AC/DC and John Paul Young.

Breakthrough Songwriter Award

Breakthrough Songwriter Award is decided by APRA's Board of Writer and Publisher Directors for an emerging songwriter or groups of writers. The award category was first introduced by APRA in 2002.

Awards for Most Performed Works

There are a number of awards given for most performed work based on a statistical analysis of APRA's database. These awards include "Most Performed Australian Work of the Year", Most Performed Australian Work Overseas", "Most Performed Foreign Work", "Most Performed Jazz Work", "Most Performed Country Work" and "Most Performed Dance Work".

APRA's Top 30 Australian Songs

As part of its 75th anniversary celebrations in 2001 APRA created a list of the top 30 Australian songs. A panel of 100 music personalities were asked to list the ten best Australian songs, the data was compiled and the Top Ten in numerical order, was announced at the 2001 APRA Music Awards ceremony. At the ceremony You Am I performed the #1 listed song "Friday on My Mind" with Ross Wilson performing the #2 listed song "Eagle Rock". The next 20 songs in the Top 30 had been announced four weeks earlier.

APRA - Art Music Awards presented in conjunction with the Australian Musical Centre

In 2001, APRA joined forces with the Australian Music Centre (AMC) to present awards for Australian classical music. The AMC had been presenting awards for classical music since 1988 although funding cuts meant that no awards were presented between 1993 and 1995. The participation of APRA helped to secure the future of the awards which are the only Australian awards for contemporary Australian classical music. This award has been won by well-known composers including Brenton Broadstock, Brett Dean, Ross Edwards, Georges Lentz, Liza Lim, Richard Mills, and Peter Sculthorpe. After a hiatus in 2010, in 2011 the event returned as the ART MUSIC AWARDS – restructured and reinvigorated and with two brand new categories to recognise and highlight the diversity and quality of artists working in these dynamic areas of the contemporary Australian music scene. The changes allowed the event to more accurately reflect the genres, artists and works that make up this rich musical landscape.

Screen Music Awards (Australia)

The annual Screen Music Awards were first presented in 2002 by APRA AMCOS in conjunction with the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC). The ceremony acknowledges excellence and innovation in the field of screen composition.

2002 Awards

International Achievement Award - David Hirschfelder Best Feature Film Score - Alan John for The Bank Best Soundtrack Album - Paul Kelly, Mairead Hannan, Kev Carmody, John Romeril, Deirdre Hannan and Alice Garner for One Night the Moon

2003 Awards

International Achievement Award - Bruce Smeaton Best Feature Film Score - Nigel Westlake for The Nugget Best Soundtrack Album -Cezary Skubiszewski for After the Deluge

2004 Awards

International Achievement Award - Lisa Gerrard Best Feature Film Score - Elizabeth Drake for Japanese Story Best Soundtrack Album - Iva Davies, Christopher Gordon and Richard Tognetti for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

2005 Awards

International Achievement Award - Bruce Rowland Best Feature Film Score - Ben Ely, Matthew Fitzgerald, Tom Schutzinger and Peter Kelly (Decoder Ring) for Somersault Best Soundtrack Album - Roger Mason for The Extra

2006 Awards

International Achievement Award - Peter Best Best Feature Film Score - Francois Tetaz for Wolf Creek Best Soundtrack Album - David Bridie, Albert David and Kadu for RAN: Remote Area Nurse

2007 Awards

International Achievement Award - The Wiggles Best Feature Film Score - Nigel Westlake for Miss Potter Best Soundtrack Album - Nigel Westlake for Miss Potter

2008 Awards

International Achievement Award - Garry McDonald and Laurie Stone Best Feature Film Score - David Hirschfelder for Children of the Silk Road Best Soundtrack Album - Michael Yezerski for The Black Balloon

2009 Awards

International Achievement Award - Guy Gross Best Feature Film Score - Lisa Gerrard for Balibo Best Soundtrack Album - Cezary Skubiszewski for Death Defying Acts

2010 Awards

Best Feature Film Score - Christopher Gordon for Mao's Last Dancer Best Soundtrack Album - Christopher Gordon for Mao's Last Dancer

2011 Awards

Best Feature Film Score - Jed Kurzel for Snowtown Best Soundtrack Album - Rafael May for Road Train

2012 Awards

Best Feature Film Score - Lisa Gerrard for Burning Man Best Soundtrack Album - Michael Lira / Jono Ma / Antony Partos / Irine Vela for The Slap

APRA New Zealand awards

APRA also hold a number of annual awards in New Zealand, including the Silver Scroll Award for songwriting.