The shortlist for the 2020 Australian Music Prize (AMP) have been announced, with nine finalists making the cut from an initial longlist of 88 albums.
There’s a diverse mix of stellar Australian records to be found among the nominees, from the expansive psych-pop of Tame Impala‘s The Slow Rush, to Ziggy Ramo‘s urgent, powerful debut album Black Thoughts, to Emma Donovan and the Putbacks‘ critically-acclaimed Crossover.
Elsewhere on the list is Alice Ivy‘s Don’t Sleep, Peep Tempel frontman Blake Scott‘s Niscitam, Miiesha‘s Nyaaringu, The Avalanches‘ We Will Always Love You, Fanny Lumsden‘s Fallow and Unity by Gordon Koang.
In a statement, Ziggy Ramo said he held onto Black Thoughts for five years because he was unsure whether it had a place in the Australian music industry.
“I was shocked when it was shortlisted, not because I didn’t think it was deserving, I just didn’t know if people were ready to hear it. I had zero expectations when I put Black Thoughts out and am truly humbled that people have resonated with it.”
The winner of this year’s AMP, set to be announced in March, will receive a $20,000 cash prize. Last year, Sampa the Great won the award for her 2019 debut album The Return. Other winners over the last 15 years have included The Drones, Augie March, Cloud Control, The Jezabels, Courtney Barnett and A.B. Original.
Australian Music Prize 2020 Shortlist
Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep
The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You
Blake Scott – Niscitam
Emma Donovan and The Putbacks – Crossover
Fanny Lumsden – Fallow
Gordon Koang – Unity
Miiesha – Nyaaringu
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Ziggy Ramo – Black Thoughts
