Australian songwriting's night of nights just got a stacked guest list and a triple-digit birthday candle.
The 2026 APRA Music Awards Song of the Year shortlist features three previous winners. Amyl and the Sniffers — who won the category in 2025 for U Should Not Be Doing That — return with Jerkin’, which is also nominated for Most Performed Rock Work. Paul Kelly and nephew Dan Kelly are recognised for Rita Wrote A Letter, a long-anticipated companion piece to How to Make Gravy. Two-time winner Kevin Parker rounds out the returning champions with Tame Impala’s Loser. Joining them are Adam Hyde (performing as Keli Holiday) alongside co-writers Alex Cameron and Konstantin Kersting for Dancing2, and Nina Wilson (Ninajirachi) with Darcy Baylis for iPod Touch.
2026 APRA Music Awards
- 29 April
- Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
- Host: Julia Zemiro
- Guest presenters: Bernard Fanning, Jessica Mauboy, Mark Coles Smith, Stella Donnelly
- Music director: François Tétaz
- For tickets and more information, head to apraamcos.com.au
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Emerging Songwriter of the Year
The Emerging Songwriter of the Year nominees are hip hop artist BARKAA, acclaimed storyteller Emily Wurramara, Folk Bitch Trio (Heide Peverelle, Jeanie Pilkington and Grace Sinclair), bedroom pop artist Nick Ward and Ninajirachi. Wilson’s dual nomination places her in both the emerging category and the Song of the Year race, one of 52 first-time nominees across the 2026 awards.
Returning heavyweights and first-time nominees
Of those 52 newcomers, seven are up for two awards, with five earning dual nods for the same song. Jessica Porfiri and Taka Perry are recognised for KATSEYE’s Touch in both Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Pop Work. Ned Houston, alongside Guy Sebastian and Robby De Sa, picks up the same pair of categories for Maybe. Sam Cromack earns nominations for Ball Park Music’s Please Don’t Move to Melbourne in Most Performed Alternative Work and Most Performed Australian Work.
Among the returning names, Hilltop Hoods feature Marlon on The Gift in Most Performed Hip Hop/Rap Work. Jimmy Barnes is nominated for Defiant in Most Performed Rock Work, King Stingray for Southerly in the same category, and Sia alongside David Guetta for Beautiful People in Most Performed Electronic/Dance Work.
A centenary ceremony
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As part of APRA’s 100-year celebrations, this year’s ceremony is billed as the biggest yet. RocKwiz legend Julia Zemiro takes hosting duties, joined by guest presenters Bernard Fanning, Jessica Mauboy, Mark Coles Smith and Stella Donnelly. The Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music will be announced on 14 April, with all remaining winners — including Songwriter of the Year, International Recognition Award, OneMusic Licensee of the Year and Most Performed Australian Work Overseas — revealed at the ceremony.
The APRA Music Awards celebrate excellence in contemporary music, honouring songwriters and publishers for artistic achievement and commercial success. APRA AMCOS represents more than 128,000 members who are songwriters, composers and music publishers across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
A playlist featuring all 2026 nominees is available now on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube Music.
For more information, head here.
