2026 APRA Music Awards winners and highlights
Consensus Summary
The 2026 APRA Music Awards, held April 29 at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, celebrated Australian music with Amyl and the Sniffers taking three top prizes—Song of the Year, Most Performed Rock Work, and Songwriter of the Year—for their track *Jerkin*, marking their second consecutive Song of the Year win. Sia became APRA’s most-awarded songwriter with 14 wins, including her third straight Most Performed Australian Work Overseas for *Unstoppable*. Guy Sebastian won two awards for *Maybe*, while Sarah Aarons earned her sixth APRA for international recognition. INXS received the Ted Albert Lifetime Achievement Award, and the ceremony honored the late Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst. Both sources agree on the major winners but differ slightly on historical context, with the Guardian providing deeper background on past wins and the ABC focusing on the event’s 100th-anniversary celebration.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Amyl and the Sniffers won Song of the Year, Most Performed Rock Work, and Songwriter of the Year for 'Jerkin' at the 2026 APRA Awards
- Amyl and the Sniffers won Song of the Year for the second year in a row (2025 and 2026)
- 'Jerkin' is from Amyl and the Sniffers' third album, *Cartoon Darkness*
- Sia won her 14th APRA award, becoming the most-awarded songwriter in APRA history, for *Unstoppable* (Most Performed Australian Work Overseas)
- Guy Sebastian won Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Pop Work for *Maybe*
- Sarah Aarons won her sixth APRA award (International Recognition Award)
- INXS received the Ted Albert Lifetime Achievement Award
- The awards ceremony was held on April 29, 2026, at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion
- Emily Wurramara won Emerging Songwriter of the Year
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The ceremony included performances by Paul Kelly, Christine Anu, Ngulmiya, and Rob Ruha.
- The Presets performed a version of Midnight Oil’s *Power and the Passion* with Peter Garrett.
- Tributes were paid to the late Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst, who died in January 2026 at age 70.
- APRA celebrated its 100th anniversary (founded in 1926).
- Amyl and the Sniffers won four ARIA Awards in November 2025 for *Cartoon Darkness*.
- Amyl and the Sniffers have received Grammy and Brit nominations and performed at Glastonbury and Coachella.
- Sia won her 14th APRA for *Unstoppable* for the second consecutive year (2025 and 2026).
- Sarah Aarons joked about her favorite LA restaurant being the Qantas lounge at LAX.
- First-time winners included Sonny Fodera (Most Performed Dance/Electronic), Ball Park Music (Alternative), Pania (R&B/Soul), Karen Lee Andrews (Blues and Roots), Rachael Fahim (Country), and Ocean Grove (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal).
- OneFour won in Hip-Hop/Rap for *Spinnin*, their debut album released after years of police scrutiny in NSW.
- INXS won six consecutive APRA awards between 1988 and 1992.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states Amyl and the Sniffers won Song of the Year for *U Should Not Be Doing That* in 2025, but the ABC does not mention this specific 2025 win.
Source Articles
Amyl and the Sniffers win Apra award for song of the year for second year in a row
Melbourne punk quartet wins for Jerkin’, while Guy Sebastian wins most performed Australian work and most performed pop work Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Amyl and the Sniffers have won the top prize at the Australian Performing Rights Association (Apra) awards for the second year running , taking home song of the year for their track Jerkin’. Song of the year – the only peer-voted category at the Apras, where most awards are determined by airplay and royalties – was just one of Am
APRA Music Awards winners for 2026 announced
Punk rockers Amyl and The Sniffers have bagged three top gongs at the Australian music industry's APRA awards.