The 10th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as the ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAS) was held on 30 September 1996 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre. Presenters distributed 28 awards with the big winner for the year was You Am I with six awards.
In addition to previous categories, "Outstanding Achievement Award" was presented to Silverchair and "Special Achievement Award" was presented to Slim Dusty. The ARIA Hall of Fame inducted: Australian Crawl and Horrie Dargie.
Deni Hines won the award for "Breakthrough Artist – Single" for "It's Alright", her acceptance speech was:
I don't know, um, thanks and grouse!
Australian Crawl's founding guitarist Brad Robinson, was unable to attend the Hall of Fame induction in person, he was hospitalised with lymphoma (diagnosed three years earlier) and died two weeks after the awards ceremony.
Final nominees for awards are shown in plain, with winners in bold.
Album of the Year
You Am I – Hourly, Daily
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Murder Ballads
John Farnham – Romeo's Heart
Finn – Finn
Regurgitator – Tu-Plang
Single of the Year
Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue – "Where the Wild Roses Grow"
Ammonia – "Drugs"
Tina Arena – "Wasn't It Good"
Powderfinger – "Pick You Up"
You Am I – "Mr. Milk"
Highest Selling Album
Tina Arena – Don't Ask
John Williamson – True Blue
Martin/Molloy – The Brown Album
Merril Bainbridge – The Garden
Max Sharam – A Million Year Girl
Highest Selling Single
CDB – "Let's Groove"
Crowded House – "Everything Is Good for You"
Merril Bainbridge – "Under the Water"
Peter Andre – "Mysterious Girl"
Regurgitator – "New Detention"
Best Group
You Am I – Hourly, DailyThe Badloves – Holy Roadside
Crowded House – "Everything Is Good for You"
Regurgitator – Tu-Plang
Silverchair – "Blind"
Best Female Artist
Christine Anu – "Come On"
Tina Arena – "Wasn't It Good"
Kate Ceberano – "Change"
Deni Hines – Imagination
Max Sharam – "Is it OK" / "Huntinground"
Best Male Artist
Dave Graney – The Soft 'N Sexy Sound
Diesel – Short Cool Ones
John Farnham – Romeo's Heart
Paul Kelly – Deeper Water
Tex Perkins – Live at the Continental
Best New Talent
Monique Brumby – "Fool for You"
Human Nature – "Got It Goin' On"
Fiona Kernaghan – Cypress Grove
Rail – Bad Hair Life
Ute – Under the Eternal
Breakthrough Artist – Album
Regurgitator – Tu-Plang
Ammonia – Mint 400
Merril Bainbridge – The Garden
Deni Hines – Imagination
Pollyanna – Long Player
Breakthrough Artist – Single
Deni Hines – "It's Alright"
Monique Brumby – "Fool for You"
Nikka Costa – "Master Blaster"
Rail – "Immune Deficiency"
Savage Garden – "I Want You"
Best Dance Release
FSOM – Chapter One
DJ Darren (Darren Briais) & DJ Pee Wee – "I Feel It"
Infusion – Smoke Screen
Itch-E and Scratch-E – "Howling Dog"
Renegade Funktrain – Renegade Funktrain
Best Pop Release
Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue – "Where the Wild Roses Grow"
Christine Anu – "Come On"
Tina Arena – "Wasn't It Good"
Hoodoo Gurus – Blue Cave
Swoop – The Woxo Principle
Best Country Album
The Dead Ringer Band – Home Fires
Graeme Connors – The Here and Now
Lee Kernaghan – 1959
Tania Kernaghan – December Moon
The Wheel – The Wheel
Best Independent Release
You Am I – Hourly, Daily
Custard – Wisenheimer
Ed Kuepper – The Exotic Mail Order Moods of Ed Kuepper
TISM – "Greg! The Stop Sign!!"
Underground Lovers – Rushall Station
Best Alternative Release
Regurgitator – Tu-Plang
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Murder Ballads
Pollyanna – Long Player
Spiderbait – The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
You Am I – Hourly, Daily
Best Indigenous Release
Christine Anu – "Come On"
Kev Carmody – Images and Illusions
Blekbala Mujik – Blekbala Mujik
Various – Our Home Our Land
Warumpi Band – Too Much Humbug
Best Adult Contemporary Album
John Farnham – Romeo's Heart
Kate Ceberano – "Change"
Stephen Cummings – Escapist
Tommy Emmanuel – Classical Gas
Mick Harvey – Intoxicated Man
Best Comedy Release
Martin/Molloy – The Brown Album
Austen Tayshus – I'm Jacques Chirac
Bucko & Champs – Aussie Christmas
Silverpram – Frogstamp
The Vaughans – Who Farted?
Best Jazz Album
Paul Grabowsky Trio – When Words Fail
Bob Barnard – Live at the Sydney Opera House
Bob Bertles Quintet – Rhythm of the Heart
The Engine Room – Full Steam Ahead
Barney McGall – Exit
Best Classical Album
Australian Chamber Orchestra – Peter Sculthorpe: Music for Strings
Australian Chamber Orchestra – Spirit
Australia Ensemble – Shostakovich
Macquarie Trio – Beethoven Piano Trios
Marshall McGuire – Awakening
Best Children's Album
The Wiggles – Wake Up Jeff!
Bananas in Pyjamas – It's Singing Time
Peter Combe – Little Groover
Gillian Eastoe – Extra Awesome Intergalactical Expedition
Christine Hutchinson – Grand Fairies Ball
Best Original Soundtrack / Cast / Show Recording
Australian Cast Recording – Beauty & the Beast
Australian Cast Recording – The Secret Garden
Iva Davies – The Berlin Tapes
Cezary Skubiszewski – Lilian's Story
Nigel Westlake – Babe
Best World Music Album
Mara! – Rulno Vlno
Cafe of the Gate of Salvation – A Window in Heaven
Dead Can Dance – Spiritchaser
Sirocco – Stars and Fires
Various – Womadelaide 1995
Song of the Year
Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue – "Where the Wild Roses Grow"
Tina Arena – "Wasn't It Good"
Tim Finn & Neil Finn – "Suffer Never"
Powderfinger – "Pick You Up"
Swoop – "Apple Eyes"
Producer of the Year
You Am I – You Am I – Hourly, Daily
David Bridie – Monique Brumby – Fool for You
The Badloves, Doug Roberts – The Badloves – Holy Roadside
Magoo, Regurgitator – Regurgitator – Tu-Plang
Victor Vaughan – Dave Graney & the Coral Snakes – The Soft 'N Sexy Sound
Engineer of the Year
Paul McKercher, Wayne Conolly – You Am I – Hourly, Daily
Doug Brady – John Farnham – Romeo's Heart
Chris Dickie – Six Mile High – Header
Magoo – Regurgitator – Tu-Plang
Tom Whitten – Powderfinger – Automatic
Best Video
Andrew Lancaster – You Am I – "Soldiers"
Robbie Douglas-Turner – The Cruel Sea – "Too Fast for Me"
John Fransic – Swoop – "Apple Eyes"
John Hillcoat, Polly Borland – Frente! – "Sit on My Hands"
John Witteron – Hoodoo Gurus – "Waking up Tired"
Best Cover Art
Reg Mombassa – Mental As Anything – Liar Liar Pants on Fire
Simon Anderson – You Am I – Hourly, Daily
Rockin' Doodles, Quan Yeomans, Ben Ely – Regurgitator – Tu-Plang
Janet English, George Stajsic – Spiderbait – The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake
Tony Mahoney – Dave Graney – The Soft 'N Sexy Sound
Outstanding Achievement Award
Silverchair
Slim Dusty
The Hall Of Fame inductees were:
Australian Crawl
Horrie Dargie
INXS
