ABC News (Australia)·Australia·Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 12:28 AM

Meet this year's ARIA Award nominees

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Al Newstead

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the ARIA Music Awards, and the nominees vying for the iconic pointy trophy this November have just been announced.

A host of Australian musicians, artisans and performers are lined up across 29 categories, following the induction of six legendary acts being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame earlier this year: Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, The Living End and Vika & Linda.

Who's got the most ARIA nominations?

Leading the pack, landing eight nominations each, are Genesis Owusu and Tame Impala.

Owusu's third genre-bending album, Red Star Wu & The Worldwide Scourge, has placed the Ghanaian-Australian rule-breaker in contention for Album of the Year, Best Solo Act and the public-voted Best Australian Live Act.

The 28-year-old's first two records each won Album of the Year, along with five additional ARIAs already in the trophy cabinet.

Tame Impala, aka West Australian polymath and 15-time ARIA winner Kevin Parker, extends a huge year behind fifth album Deadbeat, featuring the global hit Dracula.

On the eve of a national arena tour, Parker is up for Album of the Year, Best Solo Artist, and nominations in the Best Pop, Dance/Electronic and Alternative categories.

Netting several impressive nods is first-time solo nominee Ecca Vandal. South African-born with Sri Lankan (Tamil) heritage and Melbourne-raised, her loud, empowering music mixes punk, neo-soul, metal, hip hop, and more.

Her second album, Looking For People To Unfollow, puts her in the mix for Album of the Year, Best Solo Artist and Breakthrough Artist.

Ecca Vandal, Genesis Owusu and Tame Impala all square off for an award returning for the first time since 2016: Best Alternative Release.

The category also includes Gang of Youths' comeback single Things Take Time and Meg Mac's fourth album It's My Party.

Who else is hoping for ARIAs glory?

Last year's breakout winner, electronic producer Ninajirachi, has scored five nominations.

So too has Yolŋu sensation Baker Boy, singing-drumming star G Flip, tough-talking independent indigenous woman Miss Kaninna, and soulful Australian-Samoan visionary Boy Soda.

Clocking in with four ARIA chances each are pop auteur Troye Sivan, rock trio DMA's and Dom Dolla, the world-renowned DJ playing to 50,000-plus people at Marvel Stadium this month.

There is a host of iconic Australian musicians in the mix, too, including Paul Kelly, Vika & Linda, Keith Urban, Hilltop Hoods and impending Grand Final entertainer Kylie Minogue.

Elsewhere, The Wiggles face off against former member Emma Memma and a Bluey record for Best Children's Album.

The best music festival award is back for a second year, featuring CMC Rocks, Laneway, Spilt Milk, Victoria's Beyond the Valley and the Lismore leg of Groovin The Moo.

When are the ARIA Awards?

The winners will be revealed on Wednesday 18 November at a glitzy ceremony, hosted at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Gadigal Land and broadcast on Paramount+ and 10.

2026 ARIA Awards nominees

Album of the Year

BOY SODA — Soulstar [Warner Music Australia]
DMA'S — DMA'S [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Ecca Vandal — Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Genesis Owusu — Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge [Ourness / Believe]
Tame Impala — Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]

Best Solo Artist

Baker Boy — Djandjay [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island Records Australia]
BOY SODA — Soulstar [Warner Music Australia]
Ecca Vandal — Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
G Flip — Dream Ride [AWAL Recordings]
Genesis Owusu — Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge [Ourness / Believe]
Matt Corby — Tragic Magic [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Miss Kaninna — BLACKPRINT [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Ninajirachi — WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Tame Impala — Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Troye Sivan — She's The Best [EMI Music Australia]

Best Group

5 Seconds of Summer — Everyone's A Star! [Republic Records]
DMA'S — DMA'S [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Gang Of Youths — Things Take Time [Mosy Music / Sony Music]
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers — Glory [Community Music]
Vika & Linda — Where Do You Come From? [Mushroom Music]

Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist

aleksiah — Good On Paper [Chugg Music & Stellar Trigger / MGM]
Ecca Vandal — Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Rachael Fahim — Who You Are [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Way Dynamic — Massive Shoe [Spoilsport Records] WILSN — Bloom [Mushroom Music]
WILSN — Bloom [Mushroom Music]

Best Pop Release

Blusher — Rager [Warner Music Australia]
G Flip — Dream Ride [AWAL Recordings]
Kylie Minogue — Tension Tour//Live 2025 [Mushroom Music]
Tame Impala — Dracula [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Troye Sivan — She's The Best [EMI Music Australia]

Best Dance / Electronic Release

Dean Turnley — Actin' Tough [CHAOS in collaboration with HOME//GRXWN]
Dom Dolla — Addicted to Bass [TMRW Music]
Ninajirachi, Porter Robinson — WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Tame Impala — Afterthought [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Yes Boone — All I Really Want [TMRW Music]

Best Hip Hop / Rap Release

Baker Boy — Djandjay [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island Records Australia]
DEVAURA — Vol. 2 If You Don't Laugh, You'll Cry [Offbeat Collective / Xelon Digital]
Hilltop Hoods — Never Coming Home [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Miss Kaninna — BLACKPRINT [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Nerve — Growing Pains [Nerve MP3's / Xelon Digital]

Best Soul / R&B Release

Becca Hatch — Garden (Bang Goes the Drum) [G.Y.R.O.]
BOY SODA — Soulstar [Warner Music Australia]
Larissa Lambert — I Love You Out Loud [New Levels / Virgin Music Group]
Miss Kaninna — Backstreets [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Tkay Maidza — Romanticize [Dew Process / Universal Music Australia]

Best Independent Release

2charm — boyfriend [STAR SCUM RECORDS]
Ecca Vandal — Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Genesis Owusu — REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness / Believe]
Miss Kaninna — BLACKPRINT [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Ninajirachi, Porter Robinson — WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]

Best Rock Album

Courtney Barnett — Creature Of Habit [Fiction / Virgin Music Australia]
DMA'S — DMA'S [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers — Glory [Community Music]
The Belair Lip Bombs — Again [Third Man Records / Rocket]
The Temper Trap — Sungazer [Mushroom Music]

Best Alternative Release

Ecca Vandal — Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Gang Of Youths — Things Take Time [Mosy Music / Sony Music]
Genesis Owusu — REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness/Believe]
Meg Mac — It's My Party [EMI Music Australia]
Tame Impala — Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]

Best Adult Contemporary Album

Matt Corby — Tragic Magic [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Paul Kelly — Seventy [EMI Music Australia]
The Paper Kites — If You Go There, I Hope You Find It [Wonderlick Recording Company]
Vika & Linda — Where Do You Come From? [Mushroom Music]
Way Dynamic — Massive Shoe [Spoilsport Records]

Best Country Album

Keith Urban — Flow State [MCA — NASHVILLE / EMI Music Australia]
Max Jackson — Dangerous in Denim [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Morgan Evans — Steel Town [Solrise Records / Virgin Music Group]
Rachael Fahim — Who You Are [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Wade Forster — Gooseneck Party [Community Music]

Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Album

Cosmic Psychos — I Really Like Beer [G.Y.R.O.]
DZ Deathrays — Easing Out Of Control [DZ Worldwide / The Orchard]
Karnivool — In Verses [Cymatic Records / Sony Music]
These New South Whales — Godspeed [These New South Whales / ADA]
WAAX — Angel's Mess [AWAL/DRUNK ON POWER RECORDS]

Best Blues & Roots Album

Any Young Mechanic — The Modern Shoe Is Ruining The Foot [Warner Records]
Emma Donovan — Take Me To The River [Civilians / The Orchard]
John Butler — Prism [Jarrah Records/Metropolitan Groove Merchants]
William Crighton — Colonial Drift [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Xavier Rudd — Freedom Sessions/Where To Now [Salt.X Records / Virgin Music Group]

Best Children's Album

Bluey — Up Here (The Orchestral Album) [Demon Music Group / Rocket / Orchard]
Don Spencer — Feathers, Fur or Fins 40th Anniversary (Don Spencer & Friends) [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Emma Memma — Jungle Picnic [G.Y.R.O.]
Play School — Dance It Out [ABC Music / The Orchard]
The Wiggles — Sparkle!: A Circus Of Lights [Universal Music Australia]

Best Music Festival

Beyond The Valley 2025 — Untitled Group
CMC Rocks — CMC Rocks Pty Ltd
Groovin The Moo Lismore — Fuzzy Operations Pty Ltd
Laneway Festival — ST JEROME'S LANEWAY PTY LTD
Spilt Milk — Kicks Entertainment

Public Voted Awards

Best Video

Never The Same — BOY SODA, Adam Saunders [Warner Music Australia]
Running Low ft. Pardyalone — Baker Boy, Aurie Indianna & Jordan Ruyi Blanch [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island Records Australia]
Backstreets — Miss Kaninna, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
My Baby's Place — DMA'S, Cole Surrey [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Cruising To Self Soothe — Ecca Vandal, Richie Buxton [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Stampede — Genesis Owusu, Isaac Brown [Ourness / Believe]
One More — James Johnston, Jared Hinz [Warner Music Australia]
Every Single Weekend — The Avalanches, Jonathan Zawada [Modular / EMI Music Australia]
Addicted to Bass — Dom Dolla, Kyle Caulfield & Charles Buxton-Leslie [TMRW Music]
Bed On Fire — G Flip, Tas Wilson [AWAL Recordings]

Best Australian Live Act

Baker Boy — Djandjay Tour [Handsome Tours]
BOY SODA — Lil Obsession Tour [Select Music]
Dom Dolla — Dom Dolla Australian Tour 2025 [Untitled & TEG Live Presents]
G Flip — Dream Ride Tour — Australia 2026
Gang Of Youths — Various
Genesis Owusu — Red Star Wu's Pirate Radio Tour [Frontier Touring]
Hilltop Hoods — Never Coming Home Tour [TEG Live & Blue Max Music]
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard — Phantom Island Australian Tour
Ninajirachi — DARK CRYSTAL V [Laneway Presents & TEG Live]
Paul Kelly — Australian Tour 2025 [Frontier Touring]

Song of the Year

FISHER — Blackberries [etcetc Music Pty Ltd]
G Flip — Bed on Fire [AWAL Recordings]
Keli Holiday — Dancing2 [GROUP SPEED]
Lithe — Cannonball [10K / ADA]
Ocean Alley — Love Balloon [Independent / Community Music]
Royel Otis — car [Ourness / Capitol Records]
Sonny Fodera — Think About Us [Solotoko / ADA]
Tame Impala — Dracula [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
The Kid LAROI — A COLD PLAY [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Vance Joy — Divine Feelings [Mushroom Music]

Artisan Awards

Best Cover Art

Aurie Indianna & Sulaiman Enayatzada for Baker Boy — Djandjay [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island Records Australia]
Connor Dewhurst for Amy Shark — soft pop [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Ecca Vandal, Kathryn Vinella, Sean McDonald for Ecca Vandal — Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Kofi Owusu-Ansah, Isaac Brown, Gina Wagstaffe for Genesis Owusu — Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge [Ourness / Believe]
Miriam David and Pat Fox for Matt Corby — Tragic Magic [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]

Engineer — Best Engineered Release

Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla — Don't Worry Baby [Good Fortune Records]
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala — Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Wave Racer for 2charm — Star Scum City [STAR SCUM RECORDS]
Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan — She's The Best [EMI Music Australia]
Tony Buchen for DOBBY — Marshmallow [ABC Music / The Orchard]

Producer — Best Produced Release

Dann Hume / Andrew Klippel for Genesis Owusu — Redstar Wu & The Worldwide Scourge [Ourness / Believe]
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala — Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Ninajirachi for 2charm — Star Scum City [STAR SCUM RECORDS]
Ninajirachi / Porter Robinson for Ninajirachi — WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan — She's The Best [EMI Music Australia]

Fine Arts Awards

Best Classical Album

Jayson Gillham — Chopin Etudes [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
Richard Tognetti — Australian Chamber Orchestra — Beethoven & Brahms Concertos for Violin and Orchestra [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
Simone Young & Sydney Symphony Orchestra — Mahler: Symphony No. 3 [Deautsche Grammophon Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Tamara-Anna Cislowska — Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra — Johannes Fritzsch — Elena Kats-Chernin: Ancient Letters [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
William Barton — Omega Ensemble — Gift — Our Breath of Life [ABC Classic / The Orchard]

Best Jazz Album

Donny Benét — Il Basso [Donnyland Records / The Orchard]
Hilary Geddes — Redleaf [Earshift Music]
Lauren Tsamouras & Tom Avegenicos — For Judy [ABC Jazz / The Orchard]
Ten Part Invention — Time Is moved [ABC Jazz / The Orchard]
The Vampires — Skydancer [Earshift / The Planet Company]

Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album

Ack Kinmonth — The Pout Pout Fish (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Ack Music]
Amanda Brown — Deadloch Season 1 [Amazon Content Services under exclusive licence to Strange Loops Recordings]
Brian Cachia — Beast (Original Motion Picture Score) [BCMuse Studios / CDBaby]
Caitlin Yeo — Every Little Thing (Official Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Strange Loops]
Francois Tetaz — My Brilliant Career [Netflix]

Best World Music Album

Melbourne Ska Orchestra — Monte Loco Rides Again [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Mo'Ju, Nicholas Buc and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra — Double J Live at the Wireless — Hamer Hall, Melbourne 2023 [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Not Drowning, Waving — Malira [ORiGiN Recordings / ADA]
Tenzin Choegyal & Philip Glass — Be The Sky [Orange Mountain Music]
The Cat Empire — Live At Sydney Opera House [BMG]

Our Soundtrack Our Ads

Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement

Fox Sports Australia Finals Footy — Fox Sports Australia, 3%, Fred Leone, Scribe
Paramount+: All Fired Up — AFC Women's Asian Cup — Hello, G Flip
Tourism WA: Walking On A Dream — Tourism WA, Empire of the Sun, West Australian Symphony Orchestra & Billy-Jo Shoveller
Toyota: Nice to Know it could. — THE HERO CORPORATION, Amyl and The Sniffers
Uber Eats: The Man LAROI — Special, The Kid LAROI

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