The sold out 2017 ARIA Awards with Apple Music, held at The Star Event Centre, Sydney and broadcast nationally only on The Nine Network, capped off an extraordinary year for the Australian music industry and showcased the talent and diversity of this year’s nominated artists.

What a night for Sydney band Gang Of Youths, taking home the prestigious Apple Music Album Of The Year Award for their ARIA #1 album, “Go Farther In Lightness”, as well as ARIA Awards for Best Group, and Best Rock Album. This adds to their win earlier this year at the 2017 ARIA Awards Nominations Event when they picked up the Producer Of The Year Award alongside Adrian Breakspear, taking the band’s overall 2017 ARIA Awards tally to four.

Guests at The Star Event Centre, Sydney and the fans watching on The Nine Network were treated to an epic performance of their single ‘What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?’, cementing their status as one of Australia’s leading rock bands.

2017 ARIA Award winner Paul Kelly has taken home ARIA Awards for Best Male Artist and Best Adult Contemporary Album, adding to his win earlier this year at the 2017 ARIA Awards Nominations Event when he picked up the Engineer Of The Year Award alongside Steven Schram, and Best Cover Art for Peter Salmon-Lomas’ work for “Life Is Fine”, taking his overall 2017 ARIA Awards tally to four for his #1 ARIA album.

Kelly brought the house down with the memorable rendition of his 1989 legendary Australian classic hit single ‘Dumb Things’, joined on stage by ARIA nominee Dan Sultan and hip-hop pair, A.B. Original, who also picked up awards for Best Independent Release and Best Urban Release for their debut album “Reclaim Australia”, which has propelled Australian hip-hop to new heights.

Amy Shark charmed audiences with a performance of her gorgeous 2x platinum, chart-topping single ‘Adore’. After just twelve months since Shark burst onto the Australian music scene, she solidified her place at the top, taking home ARIA Awards for Best Pop Release and Breakthrough Artist for her EP “Night Thinker”.

It was Melbourne’s Illy that took the title for Best Australian Live Act, with the public voting him to win the award for his curious kind of magic, and the electric atmosphere he brings when performing on stage.

Bliss N Eso fans also delivered, voting the breathtaking video for platinum single ‘Moments (feat. Gavin James)’ to receive Best Video at this year’s awards.

The tone of the 31st celebrations was set when Pnau, ARIA Award winners for Best Dance Release, opened the show with a power-driven performance of their comeback, double platinum hit ‘Chameleon’, marking their triumphant return to the music scene.

Apple Music Song Of The Year was awarded to electronic outfit Peking Duk for their smash single ‘Stranger (feat. Elliphant)’. The duo were joined on stage by ARIA Award winner Jessica Mauboy to deliver a special mash-up performance of Peking Duk’s Apple Music Song Of The Year, and Mauboy’s platinum hit ‘Fallin’.

Fans were treated to stellar performances from international superstars Harry Styles and Lorde. In the middle of the Australian leg of his debut album tour, Styles was awarded the ARIA Award for Best International Artist and executed a stadium worthy rock performance of his latest single ‘Kiwi’. New Zealand pop poweress Lorde also blew the audience away with a euphoric performance of her critically acclaimed track ‘Green Light’, following two sold-out shows at Sydney’s Opera House Forecourt.

One of the defining moments of the night was Daryl Braithwaite’s induction into the ARIA Hall Of Fame by fellow ARIA Hall Of Fame inductee, and Aussie legend Jimmy Barnes. Braithwaite was joined on stage by 2017 ARIA Award nominee Vera Blue and ARIA Award winner Guy Sebastian to deliver a show-stopping performance of Braithwaite’s classic hit ‘The Horses’, with the audience singing along in celebration of this epic classic.

Jimmy Barnes lead a very special musical tribute to honour AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young, who passed away on 18 November at the age of 64, and older brother and AC/DC producer George Young, who passed away on 22 October at the age of 70. Barnes was joined onstage alongside fellow Australian musicians to perform a rendition of AC/DC classic ‘High Voltage’, celebrating the lives of George, the producer of the track, and Malcolm who was known for his powerhouse riffs and rhythm guitar.

ARIA Award winners Josh Pyke and Jessica Mauboy announced the winner of the first ever ARIA Music Teacher Of The Year Award, sponsored by Telstra and supported by The Song Room. Renee McCarthy from Woodcroft College, South Australia was the proud recipient. This category was introduced to recognise music teachers for their passion and hard work in educating Australian children to play and love music.

Denis Handlin AO, ARIA Chairman and Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Australia and New Zealand and President, Asia said: “The 2017 ARIA Awards with Apple Music were truly a great celebration of Australian music with brilliant performances and magic moments. This year’s ARIA Awards have been a great success, with our incredibly talented artists demonstrating the profound impact and diversity of Australian music. On behalf of the ARIA Board, I would like to congratulate all the winning artists and nominees at the 2017 ARIA Awards with Apple Music. It has also been our honour to welcome Daryl Braithwaite into the ARIA Hall Of Fame.

“We would like to thank all of the 2017 ARIA Awards partners – Apple Music, Destination NSW, The Nine Network, Swarovski, The Star, Pepsi Max, Telstra, Virgin and PPCA for their valued support in making the ARIA Award celebrations such a wonderful event.”

Dan Rosen, ARIA Chief Executive Officer said: “2017 has been an amazing year for Australian musicians, which was evidenced by the incredible talent that graced the ARIA stage tonight. The collection of tonight’s winners, nominees and performers highlight the world-class talent that we have here in Australia. ARIA congratulates all of tonight’s winners, in particular, A.B. Original, Amy Shark, Gang Of Youths and Paul Kelly who all won multiple ARIA Awards.”

Don Harwin, NSW Minister for the Arts said: “The ARIA Awards have once again celebrated Australian music and our home-grown talent in spectacular fashion. I congratulate all of the winners and am proud to see the nation’s pinnacle music industry celebration held in Sydney.”

The 2017 ARIA Awards kicked off in sensational style on the Red Carpet presented by Swarovski with hosts Ash London, Joel Creasey and Alli Simpson, with the red carpet live-streamed to a global audience on Twitter.  

Music fans around the world joined the conversation around the ARIA Awards using the hashtag #ARIAs.

ARIA wishes to thank its partners and sponsors without whom the ARIA Awards would not be possible: Apple Music, Destination NSW, The Nine Network, The Star, Swarovski, Pepsi Max, Telstra, PPCA, The Song Room and Virgin Australia.

ARIA extends its thanks and gratitude to red carpet hosts Ash London, Joel Creasey and Alli Simpson, as well as the wonderful presenters at the 2017 ARIA Awards with Apple Music: Anna Camp, Ben and Liam, Brittany Snow, Flume, INXS, Jane Gazzo, Jessica Mauboy, Jimmy Barnes, Josh Pyke, Julia Michaels, Kasey Chambers, Katie Noonan, Lorde, Mick Fleetwood, Rebel Wilson, Richard Wilkins, Ruby Rose, Seth Sentry, Smallzy, Sophie Monk, Vance Joy, Zan Rowe and Zane Lowe.

As we bid goodnight to this year’s celebration of the 2017 ARIA Awards, we are grateful for the opportunity for ARIA and the music industry to commemorate its incredible history, amazing artists and moments that have captured the nation’s imagination. We look forward to doing it all again in 2018!

2017 ARIA AWARDS WITH APPLE MUSIC RECIPIENTS

Apple Music Album Of The Year

WINNER: Gang Of Youths for “Go Farther In Lightness” (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music Australia) 
A.B. Original for “Reclaim Australia” (Golden Era Records/Universal Music Australia)
Amy Shark for “Night Thinker” (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Illy for “Two Degrees” (ONETWO/Warner Music Australia)
Paul Kelly for “Life Is Fine” (EMI)

.

Best Male Artist

WINNER: Paul Kelly for “Life Is Fine” (EMI) 
D.D Dumbo for “Utopia Defeated” (Liberation Music)
Dan Sultan for “Killer” (Liberation Music)
Illy for “Two Degrees” (ONETWO/Warner Music Australia)
Vance Joy for “Lay It On Me” (Liberation Music)

.

Best Female Artist

WINNER: Sia ‘The Greatest feat. Kendrick Lamar’ (Inertia Music) ​
Amy Shark for “Night Thinker” (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Jessica Mauboy “The Secret Daughter (Songs from the Original TV Series” (Sony Music Australia)
Julia Jacklin “Don’t Let The Kids Win” (Liberation Music)
Meg Mac “Low Blows” (littleBIGMAN Records/EMI)

.

Best Dance Release

WINNER: Pnau for ‘Chameleon’ (etcetc Music)
Dom Dolla & Torren Foot for ‘Be Randy’ (Club Sweat/Xelon)
Jagwar Ma for “Every Now & Then” (Future Classic)
Peking Duk for ‘Stranger (feat. Elliphant)’ (Sony Music)
The Kite String Tangle for “The Kite String Tangle” (Warner Music Australia/ Exist Recordings)

Best Group

WINNER: Gang Of Youths for “Go Farther In Lightness” (Mosy Records/Sony Music Australia)
A.B Original for “Reclaim Australia” (Golden Era Records/Universal Music Australia)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard for “Flying Microtonal Banana” (Flightless Records/Remote Control Records)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds for “Skeleton Tree” (Bad Seed Ltd/Kobalt Music Australia)
Peking Duk for “Stranger (feat. Elliphant)” (Sony Music Australia)

Breakthrough Artist

WINNER: Amy Shark for “Night Thinker” (Wonderlick Recording Company) 
A.B Original for “Reclaim Australia” (Golden Era Records/Universal Music Australia)
Dean Lewis for “Waves” (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Tash Sultana for “Notion” (Lonely Lands Records/Sony Music Australia)
Tkay Maidza for “TKAY” (Dew Process)

.

Best Pop Release

WINNER: Amy Shark for “Night Thinker” (Wonderlick Recording Company) 
Dean Lewis for “Waves” (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Jessica Mauboy for “Fallin’’ (Sony Music Australia)
Sia for “The Greatest (feat. Kendrick Lamar)” (Sony Music Australia)
Vera Blue for “Perennial” (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Best Urban Album

WINNER: A.B. Original for “Reclaim Australia” (Golden Era Records/Universal Music Australia)
Illy for “Two Degrees” (ONETWO/Warner Music Australia)
REMI for “Divas & Demons” (House of Beige/UNFD)
Thundamentals for “Everyone We Know” (High Depth/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Tkay Maidza for “TKAY” (Dew Process)

Best Independent Release

WINNER: A.B. Original for “Reclaim Australia” (Golden Era Records/Universal Music Australia) 
Dan Sultan for “Killer” (Liberation Music)
Sia for “The Greatest (feat. Kendrick Lamar)” (Inertia Music)
Tash Sultana for “Notion” (Lonely Lands Records/Sony Music Australia)
Vance Joy for “Lay It On Me” (Liberation Music)

Best Rock Album

WINNER: Gang Of Youths for “Go Farther In Lightness” (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music Australia) 
Dan Sultan for “Killer” (Liberation Music)
Dune Rats for “The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit (Ratbag Records)
Polish Club for “Alright Already” (Double Double/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
The Preatures for “Girlhood” (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

.

Best Adult Contemporary Album

WINNER: Paul Kelly for “Life Is Fine” (EMI) ​
Bernard Fanning for “Brutal Dawn” (Dew Process)
D.D Dumbo for “Utopia Defeated” (Liberation Music)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds for “Skeleton Tree” (Bad Seed Ltd/Kobalt Music Recordings)
Pete Murray for “Camacho” (Sony Music Australia)

Best Country Album

WINNER: Kasey Chambers for “Dragonfly” (Essence Music/Warner Music Australia) 
Lee Kernaghan for “The 25th Anniversary Album” (ABC Music/Universal)
O’Shea for “61-615” (Sony Music Australia)
Shane Nicholson for “Love And Blood” (Lost Highway Australia/Universal Music Australia) The McClymonts for “Endless” (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album

WINNER: Northlane for “Mesmer” (UNFD/Warner Music Australia) 
Airbourne for “Breaking Outta Hell” (Spinefarm Records/Caroline Australia)
Frenzal Rhomb for “Hi-Vis High Tea” (Caroline Australia)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard for “Murder Of The Universe” (FLIGHTLESS/Inertia)
Sleepmakeswaves for “Made of Breath Only” (Bird’s Robe Records/MGM)

.

Best Blues & Roots Album

WINNER: All Our Exes Live In Texas for “When We Fall” (ABC Music/Universal Music) ​
Archie Roach for “Let Love Rule” (Liberation Music)
Busby Marou for “Postcards From The Shell House” (Warner Music Australia)
Paul Kelly & Charlie Owen for “Death’s Dateless Night” (Gawdaggie/Universal Music Australia)
Tash Sultana for “Notion” (Lonely Lands Records/Sony Music)

.

Best Children’s Album

WINNER: Jimmy Barnes for “Och Aye the G’Nu!” (ABC Music/Universal)
Lah-Lah for “Having Fun!” (Sony Music)
Peter Combe for “Live It Up” (Peter Combe Music/Planet)
The Idea of North, Lior & Elena Kats-Chernin for “A Piece of Quiet [The Hush Collection, Vol 16]” (ABC Music/Universal)
The Wiggles for “The Wiggles Duets” (ABC Music/Universal)

Best Video

WINNER: Bliss N Eso for ‘Moments (feat. Gavin James)’ (Illusive)
Jessica Mauboy for ‘Fallin’’ (Sony Music Australia)
Amy Shark for ‘Drive You Mad’ (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Client Liaison for ‘A Foreign Affair’ (Dot Dash Recordings/Remote Control Records)
Client Liaison for ‘Off White Limousine’ (Dot Dash Recordings/Remote Control Records)
Dean Lewis for ‘Waves’ (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Gang Of Youths for ‘The Deepest Signs, the Frankest Shadows’ (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
Illy for ‘You Say When (feat. Marko Penn’) (ONETWO/Warner Music Australia)
Kirin J Callinan for ‘S.A.D’ (EMI)
Sia for ‘The Greatest (feat. Kendrick Lamar)’ (Inertia Music)

Best Australian Live Act

WINNER: Illy (ONETWO/Warner Music Australia)
Gang Of Youths (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
Client Liaison (Dot Dash Recordings/Remote Control Records)
Flume (Future Classic)
Jessica Mauboy (Sony Music)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (FLIGHTLESS/Inertia)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (Bad Seed Ltd / Kobalt Music Recordings)
Peking Duk (Sony Music)
Tash Sultana (Lonely Lands Records/Sony Music)
Violent Soho (I OH YOU)

.

Apple Music Song Of The Year

WINNER: Peking Duk for ‘Stranger (feat. Elliphant)’ (Sony Music Australia) ​
Amy Shark for ‘Adore’ (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Bliss N Eso for ‘Moments (feat. Gavin James)’ (Illusive)
Dean Lewis for ‘Waves’ (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Guy Sebastian for ‘Set In Stone’ (Sony Music Australia)
Illy for ‘Catch 22 (feat. Anne-Marie)’ (ONETWO/Warner Music Australia)
Jessica Mauboy for ‘Fallin’ (Sony Music Australia)
Pnau for ‘Chameleon’ (etc etc Music)
Sia for ‘The Greatest (feat. Kendrick Lamar)’ (Inertia Music)
Starley for ‘Call On Me (Ryan Riback Remix)’ (Tinted Records/Universal)

.

Best International Artist

WINNER: Harry Styles for self titled album “Harry Styles” (Columbia/Sony Music Australia)
Adele for “25” (XL Recordings/Inertia)
Bruno Mars for “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records/Warner Music)
Ed Sheeran for “÷” and “Loose Change” (Warner Music)
Kendrick Lamar for “DAMN” and “Untitled Unmastered” (Interscope/Universal Music Australia)
Lorde for “Melodrama” (Universal Music International/Universal)
Metallica for “Hardwired…To Self-Destruct” (Virgin/EMI)
Shawn Mendes for “Illuminate” (Island Records/Universal Music Australia)
The Rolling Stones for “Blue & Lonesome” (Polydor Records/Universal Music Australia)
The Weeknd for “Starboy” (Universal Music International/Universal)

Music Teacher of the Year

WINNER: Renee McCarthy (Woodcroft College, Morphett Vale SA 5162)
Julie Layt (Crescent Lagoon State School, Rockhampton QLD 4700)
Stephen Mcewan (Bellarine Secondary College, Drysdale VIC 3200)
Alex Manton  (Asquith Girls High School, Asquith NSW 2077)

2017 ARTISAN AWARDS

Producer Of The Year

WINNER: Gang Of Youths and Adrian Breakspear for Gang Of Youths “Go Farther In Lightness”(Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
Daniel Rankine for A.B. Original “Reclaim Australia” (Golden Era Records/UMA)
Tom Iansek for Big Scary “Animal” (Pieater/Inertia)
Oliver Hugh Perry & Fabian Prynn for D.D Dumbo  “Utopia Defeated” (Liberation Music)
Steven Schram and Paul Kelly for Paul Kelly  “Life Is Fine” (EMI)

Engineer Of The Year

WINNER: Steven Schram for Paul Kelly ”Life Is Fine” (EMI)
Oliver Hugh Perry & Fabian Prynn for D.D Dumbo “Utopia Defeated” (Liberation Music)
John Castle for Dean Lewis “Lose My Mind” (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Adrian Breakspear for Gang Of Youths “Go Farther In Lightness” (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
Bob Scott for Kate Miller-Heidke & Sydney Symphony Orchestra “Live at the Sydney Opera House” (ABC Music/Universal Music)

Best Cover Art

WINNER: Peter Salmon-Lomas for Paul Kelly “Life Is Fine” (EMI)
Lee McConnell for Dune Rats “The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit”(Ratbag Records)
Nathan Cahyadi for Gang Of Youths ”Go Farther In Lightness” (Mosy Recordings/Sony Music)
Nick McKinlay for Julia Jacklin “Don’t Let The Kids Win” (Liberation Music)
Mitchell Storck for Midnight Oil “The Overflow Tank”(Sony Music)

2017 ARIA FINE ARTS AWARDS

Best Classical Album

WINNER: Slava Grigoryan “Bach: Cello Suites Volume I” (ABC Classics/Universal Music)
Grigoryan Brothers “Songs Without Words” (ABC Classics/Universal)
Jayson Gillham, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra & Benjamin Northey  “Medtner: Piano Concerto No. 1 | Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2” (ABC Classics/Universal Music)
Kate Miller-Heidke & Sydney Symphony Orchestra “Live at the Sydney Opera House” (ABC Music/Universal Music)
Tamara-Anna Cislowska “Elena Kats-Chernin: Unsent Love Letters – Meditations on Erik Satie” (ABC Classics/Universal Music)

Best Jazz Album

WINNER: James Morrison, BBC Concert Orchestra, Keith Lockhart, Harry Morrison & William Morrison“The Great American Songbook” (ABC Jazz/Universal Music)
Australian Art Orchestra “Water Pushes Sand” Jazzhead (Head Records)
James Morrison & James Morrison Academy Jazz Orchestra “James Morrison With His Academy Jazz Orchestra”  (ABC Jazz/Universal Music)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard ”Sketches Of Brunswick East” (FLIGHTLESS/Inertia)
The Vampires “The Vampires meet Lionel Loueke” (Earshift / Planet)

Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album

WINNER: Nigel Westlake & Sydney Symphony Orchestra, with Joseph Tawadros, Slava Grigoryan & Lior “Ali’s Wedding” (ABC Classics/Universal Music)
Australian Cast Recording feat. David Campbell “Dream Lover”  (Sony Music)
Cezary Skubiszewski “Red Dog: True Blue OST” (Decca Records/Universal Music Australia)
Jessica Mauboy “The Secret Daughter (Songs from the Original TV Series)” (Sony Music)
Richard Tognetti & Australian Chamber Orchestra “Mountain” (ABC Classics/Universal Music)

Best World Music Album

WINNER: Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp “Songs of the Latin Skies” (KIN Music/Universal Music)
Joseph Tawadros “Live at Abbey Road” (Independent/Planet)
Melbourne Ska Orchestra “Saturn Return”(ABC Music / Universal)
Slava Grigoryan & Australian String Quartet “Migration” (ABC Classics/Universal Music)
Xylouris White “Black Peak” (Caroline Australia)

Best Comedy Release

FOLLOW ARIAs