Amyl and the Sniffers have once again claimed the top honour at the Australian Performing Rights Association (Apra) awards, winning song of the year for their track 'Jerkin'. This marks the Melbourne punk quartet's second consecutive victory in the peer-voted category, which is the only award determined by the votes of fellow songwriters rather than airplay or royalties.
The band took home three prizes on Wednesday night, also winning most performed rock work for 'Jerkin' and songwriter of the year. The song, a defiant and profane dismissal of their critics, is a single from their third album 'Cartoon Darkness'. That album earned them four Arias in November and reflects their meteoric rise, which has included Grammy and Brit nominations as well as performances at Glastonbury and Coachella.
Last year, they won song of the year for 'U Should Not Be Doing That', also from 'Cartoon Darkness'. Accepting the award a year later, lead singer Amy Taylor remarked, 'You're probably sick of hearing from us.'
Guy Sebastian also had a successful evening, winning most performed Australian work and most performed pop work for his track 'Maybe'. This marks his third and fourth Apra wins since his first nomination in 2005.
Sia became the most-awarded writer in Apra history, winning her 14th prize for most performed Australian work overseas for her 2016 single 'Unstoppable'. This is her second consecutive year winning the same award for the same song.
Songwriter Sarah Aarons won her sixth Apra with the international recognition award, selected by the Apra board. Aarons rose to fame in 2017 with her collaborations with Zedd on 'Stay' and 'The Middle', and has since written for BTS, Tame Impala, and Miley Cyrus. She expressed her joy at returning home, quipping, 'My favourite restaurant in LA is the Qantas lounge at LAX.'
The emerging songwriter of the year award, also board-appointed, went to Indigenous and Filipino folk singer Emily Wurramara, her first Apra win after being nominated last year.
Several artists won their first Apra awards. DJ Sonny Fodera won most performed dance/electronic work for 'Tell Me'; Ball Park Music won alternative for 'Please Don't Move to Melbourne'; Pania won R&B/soul for 'Pity Party'; Karen Lee Andrews won blues and roots for 'Survival'; Rachael Fahim won country for 'Who You Are'; Ocean Grove won hard rock/heavy metal for 'Raindrop'; and OneFour won hip-hop/rap for 'Spinnin', a single from their debut album released last year after years of police scrutiny.
Earlier this month, the Ted Albert lifetime achievement award was announced for INXS, who won six Apra awards between 1988 and 1992.
