The 2021 APRA Awards Nominations List

The 2021 APRA Music Awards nominees have been announced with Song of the Year in 2021 spread around Missy Higgins, Tame Impala, Midnight Oil, Amy Shark and Guy Sebastian.

Midnight Oil are vying for Song of the Year with ‘Gadigal Land’, co-written by drummer Rob Hirst. “You never know what’s going to happen to a song,” Rob says. “You have the best intentions and you try your best. That song had been around for so long, it was a real jigsaw puzzle or putting all the parts together and of course Joel and Uncle Bunna’s parts were the final parts of this long journey for this song. And Dan Sultan does this scream in the middle of it, which felt like 223 years of dispossession and injustice all in that one scream.

Tame Impala are in with ‘Lost In Yesterday’, written by Kevin Parker. Kevin says, “This song is about regret and just the way that regret can consume you. I guess the challenge with writing a song like that it has a tendency to be kind of depressing. So I wanted to make sure it wasn’t depressing it was still kind of optimistic in a way and more dreamy. No matter what happens in life, I feel like we’re hardwired to things that we did when we revisit them in our minds. And I guess that’s why these lyrics exists”.

Tim Minchin wrote Missy Higgins’ ‘Carry You’. I can’t so anything in four words. Carry You is about the bittersweet burden of loss. For me it’s very much about the fact that when you have lost someone, they’re not gone from your experience of the world. And that sometimes that’s great, and sometimes it feels heavy and you wish they weren’t so present and it wasn’t so burdensome.

‘Standing With You’ is the Guy Sebastian track. “I wrote this with Jamie Hartman and Greg Holden who are just amazing writers. It’s a pretty simple thing, there’s obviously a lot of attention to mental health in this song. It’s a very important message, especially from the onset of the pandemic. People are already alone, they’re already isolated and suffering and the pandemic made it so much worse. To be honest I think this song is more about not having the answers and just being there for somebody”.

The Amy Shark song is ‘Everybody Rise’. “I wrote a really rough blueprint of the song and Joel just gave it new life. He literally just turned around and within a minute turned the guitar chords into pizzicato strings”.

2021 APRA MUSIC AWARDS NOMINATIONS

Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year

Title: Carry You
Artist: Missy Higgins
Writer: Tim Minchin
Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: Everybody Rise
Artist: Amy Shark
Writers: Amy Shark / Joel Little*
Publishers: Mushroom Music / Sony Music Publishing*

Title: Gadigal Land
Artist: Midnight Oil ft Dan Sultan, Joel Davison, Kaleena Briggs & Bunna Lawrie
Writers: Joel Davison / Rob Hirst* / Bunna Lawrie^
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing* / Universal Music Publishing^

Title: Lost In Yesterday
Artist: Tame Impala
Writer: Kevin Parker
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing

Title: Standing With You
Artist: Guy Sebastian
Writers: Guy Sebastian / Jamie Hartman* / Greg Holden^
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing / Mushroom Music* / Warner Chappell Music^

Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year*

Writer: Charlton Howard pka The Kid LAROI
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing

Writer: Grace Shaw pka Mallrat
Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process

Writer: Miiesha Young pka Miiesha
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing

Writers: Louis and Oli Leimbach (Lime Cordiale)
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing obo Chugg Music

Writer: Thelma Plum
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing

Most Performed Australian Work

Title: Break My Heart
Artist: Dua Lipa
Writers: Andrew Farriss^ / Michael Hutchence*^ / Dua Lipa^ / Jordan Johnson+ / Stefan Johnson> / Ali Tamposi# / Andrew Watt>
Publishers: Warner Chappell Music* / Universal Music Publishing^ / BMG Rights Management+ / Mushroom Music# / Kobalt Music Publishing>

Title: Live in Life
Artist: The Rubens
Writers: Scott Baldwin / Elliott Margin / Sam Margin / Zaac Margin / William Zeglis
Publishers: Mushroom Music obo Ivy League Music

Title: Never Seen The Rain
Artist: Tones And I
Writer: Toni Watson
Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: Rushing Back
Artist: Flume feat. Vera Blue
Writers: Harley Streten / Celia Pavey* / Eric Dubowsky^ / Sophie Cates+
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Future Classic / Universal Music Publishing* / Kobalt Music Publishing^ / Sony Music Publishing+

Title: Used to Love
Artist: Martin Garrix & Dean Lewis
Writers: Dean Lewis* / Martijn Garritsen^ / Kristoffer Fogelmark* / Albin Nedler*
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing* / Universal Music Publishing^

Most Performed Alternative Work

Title: Live in Life
Artist: The Rubens
Writers: Scott Baldwin / Elliott Margin / Sam Margin / Zaac Margin / William Zeglis
Publishers: Mushroom Music obo Ivy League Music

Title: Lost in Yesterday
Artist: Tame Impala
Writer: Kevin Parker
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing

Title: Robbery
Artist: Lime Cordiale
Writers: Louis Leimbach / Oli Leimbach / Shane Abrahams* / Daniel Choder^ / Jonathan Pakfar*
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing obo Chugg Music / Downtown Music* /
Kobalt Music Publishing^

Title: Silver
Artist: DMA’s
Writers: Matt Mason* / Tommy O’Dell* / Johnny Took* / Thomas Crandles^ / Joel Flyger / Liam Hoskins*
Publishers: Mushroom Music* / Sony Music Publishing^

Title: Two of Us
Artist: Birds of Tokyo
Writers: Ian Berney / Ian Kenny / Glenn Sarangapany / Adam Spark / Adam Weston
Publisher: Mushroom Music

Most Performed Blues & Roots Work

Title: Ain’t My Problem
Artist: Ash Grunwald ft. The Teskey Brothers
Writer: Ash Grunwald
Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Give Me Honey
Artist: Dope Lemon
Writer: Angus Stone
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing

Title: Over Drinking Over You
Artist: Busby Marou
Writers: Thomas Busby* / Jeremy Marou* / Ivy Adara+ / Jon Hume^ / Lindsey Jackson^
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing*/ Kobalt Music Publishing+ / Native Tongue Music Publishing^

Title: Pretty Lady
Artist: Tash Sultana
Writers: Tash Sultana / Matt Corby* / Dann Hume*
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Tash Sultana / Sony Music Publishing*

Title: Together
Artist: Ziggy Alberts
Writer: Ziggy Alberts
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Alberts & Co Music

Most Performed Country Work

Title: A Little More
Artist: Casey Barnes
Writers: Casey Barnes / Michael Delorenzis / Michael Paynter
Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Diamonds
Artist: Morgan Evans
Writers: Morgan Evans / Evan Bogart* / Chris de Stefano^
Publishers: Warner Chappell Music / Kobalt Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^

Title: Give Me Tonight
Artist: Brad Cox
Writers: Brad Cox* / Joseph Mungovan
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing*

Title: I Got This
Artist: The McClymonts
Writers: Brooke McClymont / Mollie McClymont / Samantha McClymont / Andy Mak*
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing / Native Tongue Music Publishing*

Title: Memphis T-Shirt
Artist: Melanie Dyer
Writers: Melanie Dyer / Emma-Lee* / Karen Kosowski*
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing*

Most Performed Dance Work

Title: All of Us
Artist: PNAU ft. Ollie Gabriel
Writers: Nick Littlemore* / Sam Littlemore / Peter Mayes* / Oli Gabriel
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing*

Title: Head & Heart
Artist: Joel Corry & MNEK
Writers: Jonathan Courtidis / Neav Applebaum / Joel Corry* / Daniel Dare / Robert Harvey^ / MNEK+ / Kasif Siddiqui / Lewis Thompson#
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing / Universal Music Publishing* / Mushroom Music^ / Warner Chappell Music+ / Kobalt Music Publishing#

Title: San Frandisco
Artist: Dom Dolla
Writer: Dominic Matheson
Publishers: Sweat It Out Publishing administered by Kobalt Music Publishing

Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work

Title: Boss
Artist: Day1
Writers: Bailey Rawiri / Tuhi Montell

Title: German
Artist: No Money Enterprise
Writer: Junior Leaupepe

Title: I’m Good?
Artist: Hilltop Hoods
Writers: Barry Francis (DJ Debris)* / Matthew Lambert (Suffa)* / Daniel Smith (Pressure)* / Paul Bartlett / John Bartlett
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing*

Title: In The Beginning
Artist: ONEFOUR
Writers: Spencer Magalogo / Jerome Misa / Pio Misa / Salec Su’a
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing

Title: Misunderstood
Artist: Youngn Lipz
Writer: Filipo Faaoloii

Most Performed R&B / Soul Work

Title: 2560
Artist: Becca Hatch
Writers: Becca Hatch / Maribelle Anes^ / Jamie Muscat / Willie Tafa / Solo Tohi*
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing* / Universal Music Publishing^

Title: Nobodylikeyou
Artist: Winston Surfshirt
Writers: Jack Hambling / Lachlan McAllister / Brett Ramson
Publisher: BMG Rights Management

Title: Rain
Artist: The Teskey Brothers
Writers: Josh Teskey / Sam Teskey / Liam Gough / Brendan Love
Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Say To Me
Artist: Milan Ring
Writers: Milan Ring / Blessed Joe-Andah*
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing / BMG Rights Management*

Title: Twisting Words
Artist: Miiesha
Writers: Miiesha Young* / Stephen Collins / Mohamed Komba^
Publishers: Sony Music Publishing* / Mushroom Music^

Most Performed Pop Work

Title: Everybody Rise
Artist: Amy Shark
Writers: Amy Shark / Joel Little*
Publishers: Mushroom Music / Sony Music Publishing*

Title: Let Me Drink
Artist: Guy Sebastian
Writers: Guy Sebastian / M-Phazes / Olubowale Akintimehin*
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music*

Title: Never Seen The Rain
Artist: Tones And I
Writer: Toni Watson
Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: Selfish
Artist: Jessica Mauboy
Writers: Jessica Mauboy / Antonio Egizii* / Isabella Kearney-Nurse* / David Musumeci*
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing*

Most Performed Rock Work

Title: Chase The Feeling
Artist: Wolfmother ft Chris Cester
Writers: Andrew Stockdale / Chris Cester / Jason Hill*
Publishers: BMG Rights Management / Universal/MCA Music Publishing*

Title: Getting The Band Back Together
Artist: Cold Chisel
Writer: Don Walker
Publisher: Sony Music Publishing

Title: Good For You
Artist: Spacey Jane
Writers: Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu / Caleb Harper / Kieran Lama / Peppa Lane
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Dew Process

Title: I Missed Out
Artist: Hockey Dad
Writers: Will Fleming / Zach Stephenson
Publisher: BMG Rights Management

Title: Soak Me In Bleach
Artist: The Amity Affliction
Writers: Joel Birch* / Ahren Stringer* / Daniel Brown^ / Joseph Longobardi
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing* / Native Tongue Music Publishing^

Most Performed International Work

Title: Adore You
Artist: Harry Styles
Writers: Harry Styles / Amy Allen* / Thomas Hull / Tyler Johnson^
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing / Kobalt Music Publishing* / Native Tongue Music Publishing^

Title: Before You Go
Artist: Lewis Capaldi
Writers: Lewis Capaldi / Thomas Barnes / Peter Kelleher / Benjamin Kohn / Philip Plested*
Publishers: BMG Rights Management / Sony Music Publishing*

Title: Blinding Lights
Artist: The Weeknd
Writers: Abel Tesfaye / Ahmad Balshe* / Oscar Holter* / Max Martin / Jason Quenneville^
Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music* / Universal/MCA Music Publishing^

Title: Don’t Start Now
Artist: Dua Lipa
Writers: Dua Lipa / Caroline Ailin* / Ian Kirkpatrick^ / Emily Schwartz+
Publishers: Universal Music Publishing / BMG Rights Management* / Warner Chappell Music^ / Kobalt Music Publishing+

Title: Memories
Artist: Maroon 5
Writers: Adam Levine* / Jonathan Bellion*^ / Vincent Ford* / Jacob Hindlin+ / Jordan Johnson^ / Stefan Johnson+ / Michael Pollack#
Publishers: Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / BMG Right Management^ / Kobalt Music Publishing+ / Warner Chappell Music#
*Determined by the APRA Board of Writer and Publisher Directors

2021 APRA MUSIC AWARDS
Wednesday 28 April
International Convention Centre Grand Ballroom
Darling Harbour, Sydney
Hosted by Julia Zemiro, Ziggy Ramo and Georgia Mooney
With Musical Director PJ Harding

Noise11.com