The 2023 APRA Music Awards nominations have been revealed. Leading the nominations are King Stingray, whose song ‘Lupa’ is nominated in the peer-voted APRA Song of the Year category. Members Roy Kellaway & Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu are also nominated in the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year category.
Other nominees in the Song of the Year category include the late Archie Roach for ‘One Song’, Daniel Johns for ‘I Feel Electric’, Julia Jacklin for ‘Lydia Wears a Cross’ and Flume for his Hottest 100-winning ‘Say Nothing’. Other Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year nominees, meanwhile, include Vincent Goodyer (aka 18YOMAN), Spacey Jane, Budjerah and Sampa the Great.
Archie Roach – ‘One Song’
In the Most Performed Australian Work category are Vance Joy‘s ‘Clarity’, Ruel‘s ‘Growing Up Is ___’, Dean Lewis‘ ‘Hurtless’, RÜFÜS DU SOL‘s ‘On My Knees’ and The Kid LAROI‘s Justin Bieber collaboration ‘STAY’.
LAROI was a big winner at last year’s APRA Music Awards. He was crowned Songwriter of the Year, while ‘Stay’ was voted Song of the Year. The Gamilaraay rapper is up for multiple awards this year as well: in addition to the Most Performed Australian Work nom, ‘Stay’ is also up for Most Performed Pop Work, while ‘Not Sober’ is up for Most Performed Hip Hop/Rap Work.
Elsewhere, among the genre-specific Most Performed categories, are the likes of Gang of Youths, Sycco, Vika & Linda, Morgan Evans, Peking Duk, Hilltop Hoods, Baker Boy, Miiesha, Becca Hatch, Cosmo’s Midnight, Midnight Oil, The Chats and many others.
See the full nominations list below – and see all the credited writers for each nominated track here. The 2023 APRA Music Awards will take place on Thursday, 27th April at ICC Sydney (Gadigal land) and will be hosted by comedian Celia Pacquola and musicians Fred Leone and Henry Wagons.
2023 APRA Music Awards Nominations
Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year
- Daniel Johns – ‘I Feel Electric’
- King Stingray – ‘Lupa’
- Julia Jacklin – ‘Lydia Wears a Cross’
- Archie Roach – ‘One Song’
- Flume – ‘Say Nothing’ (feat. MAY-A)
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
- Vincent Goodyer (18YOMAN)
- Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu, Caleb Harper, Kieran Lama & Peppa Lane (Spacey Jane)
- Budjerah
- Roy Kellaway and Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu (King Stingray)
- Sampa the Great
Most Performed Australian Work
- Vance Joy – ‘Clarity’
- Ruel – ‘Growing Up Is ___’
- Dean Lewis – ‘Hurtless’
- RÜFÜS DU SOL – ‘On My Knees’
- The Kid LAORI and Justin Bieber – ‘STAY’
Most Performed Alternative Work
- Lime Cordiale and Idris Elba – ‘Apple Crumble’
- Dean Lewis – ‘Hurtless’
- Gang of Youths – ‘The Man Himself’
- Sycco – ‘Superstar’
- Ocean Alley – ‘Touch Back Down’
- The Rubens – ‘Waste a Day’
Most Performed Blues & Roots Work
- Ziggy Alberts – ‘I Believe’
- Ash Grunwald –’I Want You to Know’
- The Black Sorrows – ‘Livin’ Like Kings’
- Vika & Linda –’My Heart Is In the Wrong Place’
- Xavier Rudd – ‘We Deserve to Dream’
Most Performed Country Work
- Taylor Moss – ‘Get It Girl’
- Casey Barnes – ‘God Took His Time on You’
- Seaforth – ‘Good Beer’
- Morgan Evans – ‘Love Is Real’
- James Johnston – ‘Raised Like That’
Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work
- Flight Facilities – ‘Heavy’ (feat. Your Smith)
- Peking Duk – ‘Honest’ (feat. Slayyyter)
- RÜFÜS DU SOL – ‘On My Knees’
- Rumor – ‘Running Away’
- Flume – ‘Say Nothing’ (feat. MAY-A)
Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work
- Brothers and Joel Fletcher – ‘LET’S TROT!’
- The Kid Laroi – ‘Not Sober’ (feat. Polo G and Stunna Gambino)
- Hilltop Hoods – ‘Show Business’ (feat. Eamon)
- Say True God? – ‘Wicked’
- Baker Boy – ‘Wish You Well’ (feat. Bernard Fanning)
Most Performed Pop Work
- Vance Joy – ‘Clarity’
- 5 Seconds of Summer – ‘Complete mess’
- Jessica Mauboy – ‘Glow’
- Ruel – ‘Growing Up Is ___’
- The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber – ‘STAY’
Most Performed R&B / Soul Work
- Cosmo’s Midnight – ‘Bang My Line’ (feat. Tkay Maidza)
- Becca Hatch – ‘Safety’
- Jordan Rakei – ‘Send My Love’
- Miiesha – ‘Still Dream’
- KYE – ‘Tuesday’ (feat. Jerome Farah)
Most Performed Rock Work
- Jimmy Barnes – ‘Around in Circles’
- Spacey Jane – ‘Lunchtime’
- King Stingray – ‘Milkumana’
- Midnight Oil – ‘Rising Seas’
- The Chats – ‘Struck by Lightning’
Most Performed International Work
- GAYLE – ‘abcdefu’
- Harry Styles – ‘As It Was’
- Adele – ‘Easy on Me’
- Ed Sheeran – ‘Shivers’
- Lil Nas X – ‘That’s What I Want’
Further Reading
The Kid LAROI, Genesis Owusu, Tones And I Among 2022 APRA Award Winners
King Stingray Announce ‘That’s Where I Want to Be’ Australian Tour
Spacey Jane: “It Sometimes Isn’t What You Do Say, It’s What You Don’t As Well”
