Barnett crossed live from London to accept the female artist, breakthrough artist and independent release trophies. She also had an Artisan win for best cover art for her internationally acclaimed debut album Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit.
At one point, while Rove MacManus was presenting her with the award for the best female artist, he said, “I’m holding your award, but what would you like to say?” She quipped, “Don’t drop it!”
She thanked her supporters, her cat Bubbles and her girlfriend. “The world needs art and music so thank you for supporting and being a part of it”
Tina Arena was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame by Kylie Minogue. After her standing ovation performance of her Chains with The Veronicas and Jessica Mauboy, Minogue exclaimed “What a woman, what a voice,” admitting she had goose bumps during the set. During her induction, Minogue recalled being inspired by Arena when the latter was a pre-teen cast member of TV’s variety show Young Talent Time. “You’ve shown the world how it’s done for the last four decades. You are the consummate professional.”
Arena’s remarkable acceptance speech covered commercial radio’s support for local talent (“don’t meet your Australian quotas because you have to, exceed them because you want to”) and the industry’s ageism, emphasising, “Ladies over 40 are still in the game. We will decide when it is time for us to stop.”
Onstage collaborations included Hermitude with Mataya and Young Tapz, Flight Facilities & Owl Eyes, and Peking Duk & SAFIA.
Ed Sheeran, who performed Photograph received an ARIA Diamond award for half a million Australian sales of the X album.
Full list of winners:
Song Of The Year
Conrad Sewell – Start Again
Breakthrough Artist
Courtney Barnett
Hall Of Fame
Tina Arena
Best Male Artist
Vance Joy
Best Female Artist
Courtney Barnett
Best Group
Tame Impala
Best Urban Album
Seth Sentry – Strange New Past
Best Rock Album
Tame Impala – Currents
Best Pop Release
Jarryd James – Do You Remember
Best Country Album
Shane Nicholson – Hell Breaks Loose
Best Independent Release
Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
Best Dance Release
RUFUS – You Were Right
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
Northlane – Node
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Oh Mercy – When We Talk About Love
Best Blues And Roots Album
C.W. Stoneking – Gon’ Boogaloo
Best Live Australian Act
5 Seconds Of Summer – Rock Out With Your Socks Out tour
Best Children’s Album
Sam Moran – Play Along With Sam: Boo!
Best Comedy Release
Matt Okine – Live At The Enmore
Best Video
The Veronicas/Matt Sharp and Daniel James – You Ruin Me
Best International Artist
One Direction
Outstanding Achievement Award
Lee Kernaghan – Spirit Of The ANZACS
Diamond Award (for sales in excess of half a million)
Ed Sheeran for x
Outstanding Digital Service
Spotify
Outstanding National Retailer
JB Hi-Fi
Outstanding Independent Retailer
Red Eye Records
