The Fifth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as the ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAS) was held on 25 March 1991 at the Darling Harbour Convention Centre in Sydney. International host Bob Geldof was assisted by presenters to distribute 24 awards. There were live performances but the awards were not televised and the ceremony was noted for its three-hours plus length with Gary Morris, manager of Midnight Oil providing a 20-minute acceptance speech.
In addition to previous categories, "Lifetime Achievement Award" was created and first awarded posthumously to record producer and Albert Productions label owner, Ted Albert (who died in November 1990); an "Outstanding Achievement Award" was presented to Midnight Oil. The ARIA Hall of Fame inducted four artists: Don Burrows, Peter Dawson, Glenn Shorrock and Billy Thorpe.
Host Bob Geldof found the three-hour plus ceremony to be interminable and threatened to walk out. Midnight Oil's manager, Gary Morris, provided the longest acceptance speech of the night at 20 minutes. Morris later stated that because the ceremony was not televised he decided to speak his mind. Music commentator, Ian "Molly" Meldrum, disapproved of Morris' speech length—they had already had a fracas at the ARIAs in 1988—Meldrum provided an even longer acceptance speech in 1993.
The winners are listed in bold.
Album of the Year
Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mining
The Black Sorrows – Harley and Rose
John Farnham – Chain Reaction
INXS – X
Margaret Urlich – Safety in Numbers
Single of the Year
Absent Friends – "I Don't Want to Be With Nobody But You"
Divinyls – "I Touch Myself"
John Farnham – "That's Freedom"
Hunters and Collectors – "Throw Your Arms Around Me"
Midnight Oil – "Blue Sky Mine"
Highest Selling Album
John Farnham – Chain Reaction
Highest Selling Single
Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – "Mona"
Best Group
Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mining
Boom Crash Opera – Look! Listen!!
The Black Sorrows – Harley and Rose
Hunters and Collectors – "Throw Your Arms Around Me"
INXS – X
Best Female Artist
Wendy Matthews – Émigré
Kate Ceberano – Like Now
Grace Knight – Come In Spinner
Jenny Morris – "Piece of My Heart"
Margaret Urlich – Safety in Numbers
Best Male Artist
John Farnham – Chain Reaction
Peter Blakeley – Harry's Cafe de Wheels
Jimmy Barnes – Two Fires
Daryl Braithwaite – Rise
Stephen Cummings – "Hell (You Put Me Through)"
Best New Talent
Archie Roach – Charcoal Lane
Doug Anthony Allstars – Icon
Sea Stories – Miller's Pond
Mary-Jo Starr – Too Many Movies
The Screaming Jets – "C'mon"
Breakthrough Artist - Album
Margaret Urlich – Safety in Numbers
Absent Friends – Here's Looking Up Your Address
Wendy Matthews – Émigré
Archie Roach – Charcoal Lane
Southern Sons – Southern Sons
Breakthrough Artist - Single
Wendy Matthews – "Token Angels"
Absent Friends – "I Don't Want to Be With Nobody But You"
Archie Roach – "Took the Children Away"
Seven Stories – "Sleeping Through Another War"
Southern Sons – "Heart in Danger"
Best Country Album
James Blundell – Hand it Down
Lurhs & Crawford – Midnight In Paradise
Norma Murphy – Closer Now
Slim Dusty – Coming Home
Various Artists – Breaking Ground - New Directions in Country Music
Best Independent Release
The Killjoys – Ruby
Blue Ruin – I'm Gonna Smile
Girl Monstar – "Joe Cool"
Roaring Jack – Through the Smoke of Innocence
Various Artists – Rockin Bethlehem: The Second Coming
Best Indigenous Release
Archie Roach – Charcoal Lane
Coloured Stone – Crazy Mind
Various Artists – Australia All Over Macca's No. 4
Various Artists – From The Bush
Wild Pumpkins At Midnight – Little Victories
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Various Artists – "Come in Spinner"
Andrew Pendlebury – Zing... Went To The Strings
Marc Hunter – Night & Day
Original Cast Recording – Paris
Tommy Emmanuel – Dare to Be Different
Best Comedy Release
John Clarke & Bryan Dawe – Great Interviews of the 20th Century
The 12th Man – The 12th Man Again
The D-Generation – The Breakfast Tapes
Doug Anthony All Stars – Icon
HG Nelson & Roy Slaven – Wicket to Wicket
Best Jazz AlbumClarion Fracture Zone – Blue Shift
The Last Straw – The Last Straw
Dale Barlow – Horn
Paul Grabowsky – The Moon and You
James Morrison – Snappy Doo
Best Classical Album
Stuart Challender, Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Sculthorpe: Orchestral Works
David Helfgott – David Helfgott
Geoffrey Simon, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Percy Grainger: Orchestral Works
Hartley Newnham & Nicholas Routley – Hermit of Green Light
The Choir of Christ Church St Laurence – Victoria: Missa Surge Propera
Best Children's Album
Robyn Archer – Mrs Bottle's BurpAgro – The Agro Album
Don Spencer – Let's Have Fun
Glynn Nicholas & The Funky Fossils – The Dinosaur Album
John Williamson – JW's Family Album
Best Original Soundtrack / Cast / Show Recording
Jon English and David Mackay – Paris
Brian May – Bloodmoon
Bruce Smeaton – Wendy Cracked a Walnut
Michael Askill & Nigel Westlake – Road to Xanadu - The Genius That Was China
Vince Jones & Grace Knight – Come in Spinner
Song of the Year
Phil Buckle, John Farnham, Ross Fraser – "Burn for You" (John Farnham)
Joe Camilleri and Nick Smith – "Harley + Rose" (The Black Sorrows)
Roger Mason – "Token Angels" (Wendy Matthews)
Midnight Oil – "Blue Sky Mine" (Midnight Oil)
Mark Seymour – "Turn a Blind Eye" (Hunters and Collectors)
Producer of the YearRoss Fraser – for work with John Farnham, Southern Sons, Girl Overboard, Skyhooks
Engineer of the Year
Doug Brady – for work with Tina Arena, Skyhooks, John Farnham, Southern Sons
David Nicholas – for work with Midnight Oil, Jenny Morris
Best Video
Claudia Castle – Midnight Oil – "Blue Sky Mine"
Best Cover Art
Livingstone Clarke, Midnight Oil – Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mining
Collected Works – Hunters & Collectors
Code Blue – Icehouse
Chain Reaction – John Farnham
Harry's Cafe De Wheels – Peter Blakeley
Ted Albert
Outstanding Achievement Award
Midnight Oil
The Hall Of Fame inductees were:
Don Burrows
Peter Dawson
Billy Thorpe
Glenn Shorrock
Ratcat
Mick Fleetwood
Archie Roach & Paul Kelly
