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The hangovers have cleared. The cleanup, complete. And the 2025 ARIA Awards are in the books.
The Australian recorded music industry’s annual night is the curtain call on the year in music, a fancy party in Sydney as the baking hot summer makes its predictable entrance.
It’s a good — no, great — time of year. AC/DC is currently in the market, playing stadiums. Oasis and Metallica have been, and rocked. Lady Gaga and Ed Sheeran are coming. The festivals circuit will swing in the weeks ahead.
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The ARIAs, presented at the historic Hordern Pavilion, which last year celebrated its 100th anniversary, was a goal-scoring celebration for Amyl and The Sniffers. The punk rock outfit converted four of their six nominations, including the coveted album of the year, for Cartoon Darkness. This was the year Amy Taylor ruled at Glastonbury, and scored nominations at the Grammys and Brit Awards. In years to come, they’ll remember 2025 as the year their respective lives changed.
Ninajirachi entered the ARIAs race with a leading eight nominations, and she didn’t go home disappointed, by collecting three trophies, including the Michael Gudinski newcomer award.
Fellow production masterminds Kevin Parker and Dom Dolla collected two pointy awards each.
Not every artist got what they’d hoped, or deserved. And some got the surprise of a lifetime. Billboard remembers the surprises and the snubs from the 2025 ARIA Awards.
Surprise: BARKAA
If a hero had to be selected from the 2025 ARIA Awards, it was BARKAA. The Indigenous artist won for best hip hop/rap release with Big Tidda (Big Apples Music / Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia), beating out a stacked field that included Hilltop Hoods, Miss Kaninna, ONEFOUR and the Kid LAROI. The roar of approval from the audience was immense, and BARKAA’s acceptance speech was honest and real. “Still can’t believe I can now say I’m an ARIA award winning rapper, the first Aboriginal woman to ever win this award,” she writes on social media. “Hip-hop raised me and hip-hop saved me and this is BIGGER THAN ME! My purpose was to come out here and put on for BLACK WOMEN, to be that representation like my sisters who have paved the way before me, to be able to do what I’m doing.” She’s nominated in the First Nations category for the NSW Music Prize, to be unveiled next week.
Snub: Hilltop Hoods
The Hilltop Hoods aren’t just a hip-hop group. They’re Aussie rap royalty. Hailing from Adelaide, the Hoods are on a wild winning streak. Suffa, Pressure and DJ Debris debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart in August with Fall From The Light (Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia), their sixth consecutive leader, and seventh overall. With this feat, the Hoods established an ARIA record for chart leaders by an Australian group, ahead of AC/DC, Powderfinger, Cold Chisel, Silverchair, and the rest. They couldn’t however, extend on their tally of 10 career ARIA Awards on Wednesday night, despite reeling in five nominations.
Surprise: Amyl and The Sniffers
Amyl and The Sniffers cleaning up with four ARIA Award wins wasn’t a surprise, not to the industry. But it was to them. The much-loved punk rock outfit always keeps it real, Amy Taylor always speaks her mind, and with best group and best album honors, for Cartoon Darkness (Amyl and The Sniffers / Virgin Music Group), Amyl and The Sniffers were the dominant force at this year’s ceremony. Bass player Gus Romer was both a surprise and a snub; he failed to take the stage when his band won for album of the year. “Looks like we lost the bass player,” Taylor joked. “It happens a lot, he’s replaceable, don’t worry about it.” It’s official: Amyl and The Sniffers are national treasures.
Snub: Royel Otis
After dominating the 2024 ARIA Awards with four wins, Royel Otis might’ve expected the good times to roll on. The Sydney duo of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic collected four nominations this time, off the back of their sophomore album Hickey (Ourness / Capitol Records), which cracked the ARIA top 10, emulating the chart success of their debut, Pratts & Pain. Royel Otis had the top-ranked homegrown recording on triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown in January, with a cover of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor” coming in at No. 2, and Hickey single “Moody” topped Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay Chart in July of this year. On Wednesday night, those four ARIA Award nominations came to nought.
Surprise: Ninajirachi
With eight nods, the night was all set up for Ninajirachi. As the house lights went up, the EDM artist (real name: Nina Wilson) had her hands full with three heavy ARIA trophies. That’s quite a haul, and it comes after she collected the Australian Music Prize and triple j’s J Award for I Love My Computer (NLV Records). Ninajirachi could see the irony in winning the Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist award; the Central Coast-raised creative released her first record eight years ago, as a teen. Good things do come to those who wait, and Ninajirachi can now claim to be an overnight success, a decade in the making. She’s nominated in two categories for the NSW Music Prize, to be announced next week.
Snub: RÜFÜS DU SOL
Electronic music was pumping at the ARIA Awards, as Ninajirachi and Dom Dolla scored five awards between them. RÜFÜS DU SOL bagged four nominations for 2024’s Inhale / Exhale (Rose Avenue Records / Warner Music Australasia), their fifth studio album. The collection opened its account at No. 3 on the ARIA Chart, continuing a podium finish for all their recordings: Atlas (2013), Bloom (2016) and Surrender (2021) went to No. 1 in 2013 and Solace peaked at No. 2 in 2018. RDS have won four career ARIA Awards, they have a Grammy Award in their safekeeping (and they can add another, for best dance/electronic album next February), and they’re currently touring the country. The 2025 ARIA Awards just wasn’t their night.
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You Am I emerged at the right time, with the right look, sound, songs and attitude. At the 2025 ARIA Awards on Wednesday night, Nov. 19, the ‘90s indie rock legends were elevated into the ARIA Hall of Fame, recognition of all those special traits, and their lasting impact on the country’s music scene and beyond.
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Formed in the late ’80s, and led by frontman Tim Rogers alongside bandmates Andy Kent, David Lane and Rusty Hopkinson, You Am I owned their lane.
You Am I were hard to beat in the ‘90s, a time when young Australian music fans were connected like never before. Newly-committed fans might discover You Am I on Triple J, which had rolled out as a national network, or on its sister music video channel Rage. Or watch them perform Saturday morning on the ABC’s Recovery, or catch them in the flesh on stage at the traveling Big Day Out.
Along the way, the group has released 11 studio albums, most recently 2021’s The Lives of Others, which went to No. 2 on the ARIA Chart. And they’ve collected 10 ARIA Awards, not including the Hall of Fame honor.
Australia’s alternative rock community loved, and still love, You Am I. The proof was there in the induction video, which included glowing tributes from Silverchair’s Daniel Johns, Powderfinger’s Bernard Fanning, and the country’s prime minister Anthony Albanese, who remarked that “along the way, you’ve added to who we are.”
Each bandmate took turns at the mic, though it was Rogers’ address that will spring to mind in years to come. The singer and guitarist held back tears as he spoke of his own health ordeals, and how making music with the band had given him life.
“F*** I love rock ‘n’ roll,” he remarked.
The rockers wrapped up the 39th ARIA Awards with a two-song performance of “Heavy Heart” and “Berlin Chair.” You Am I were in fine form, having reunited this year for a major national tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Hi Fi Way, which arrived fully formed on Feb. 20, 1995.
Next year, to mark the 40th anniversary of the ARIAs, the trade body will create a standalone ceremony with a class of five inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Watch You Am I’s ARIA Hall of Fame performance below.
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SYDNEY, Australia — The 2025 ARIA Awards are in the books, and, for hundreds of guests at Hordern Pavilion and the various afterparties across Sydney, hangovers and urgent sleep.
Many in the room said the show was one of the best in recent memory, led by honest speeches, strong performances and worthy winners.
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Australia’s recorded music industry has enjoyed some wins of late, none greater than the federal government’s decision to shut-down any talk of a text and data mining (TDM) exemption in the nation’s Copyright Act, a “significant” win that was achieved through a unified lobbying effort. Via Big Music, if you will.
There have been losses, too. Wednesday night’s 39th annual ARIA Awards in Sydney, however, was a celebration of the good times.
Amyl and The Sniffers led the way, with four spiky trophies. Ninajirachi (three), Dom Dolla (two) and Kevin Parker (two) also had nights to remember.
At the top of the show, before the free-to-air broadcast went out on Network 10, ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd and chair Natalie Waller reflected on the struggles, the journey, and the wins in 2025.
See the speech in full below and read more on the 2025 ARIA Awards here.
Annabelle Herd: Hello and welcome to the 2025 ARIA Awards at the iconic Hordern Pavilion on beautiful Gadigal country! We might not be the most exciting duo you’ll see tonight, but we are definitely the most consistent.
It’s a privilege to celebrate on this land. We pay our respects to First Nations people, elders, leaders, and especially the incredible First Nations nominees, artists, and colleagues here tonight. Always was, always will be.
Natalie Waller: A huge congratulations and welcome to all the nominated artists — we hope you have a wonderful night.
A very warm welcome to NSW Arts and Music Minister John Graham; Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke; Minister for Disability Jenny McAllister; Shadow Attorney-General and Arts Minister Julian Leeser; Senator Sarah Hanson-Young; and Dr Sophie Scamps. Thank you all for always standing with our industry.
Welcome also to Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones, and to two amazing women who, like us, spend every waking hour thinking about how to lift Aussie music: Sound NSW’s Emily Collins and Music Australia’s Millie Millgate.
So what has ARIA been up to since we were last on this stage? Quite a lot.
AH: This year we launched ARIA Innovator, kicked off ARIA Collab with two world-leading producers working with Australian talent, delivered another Great Southern Nights in NSW, and modernized the ARIA Charts by removing singles and albums over two years old, changes already delivering incredible results for new Aussie music.
AH: And then there was the big one.
When big tech tried to strip us of our copyright for AI training, after they’d already stolen all the music, we said: yeah, nah.
They didn’t expect the response they got. As an industry we hit back with a loud, unified, sophisticated, artist-led campaign delivered with heart and serious impact.
NW: The entire creative sector moved as one. And the result? Australia became the first country in the world where government ruled out a text-and-data-mining exception for AI training.
AH: A critical step, but only half the battle. We still need to ensure it is artists and rightsholders who decide whether their music can be used for AI and on what terms. This isn’t just about payment — it’s about agency. AI is exciting, but the benefits and opportunities must reach everyone in the chain, not just the tech bros.
When we were in Canberra after the announcement, a political heavy hitter started introducing us not as reps from the Australian music industry but as “Big Music.” And honestly? They’re right.
We should be known as Big Music — and this year we proved why. Canberra knows it, and so does the public who backed Australian music and culture. Let’s keep going.
NW: Thank you to every artist who spoke up including Briggs, Paul Dempsey, Kate Ceberano, Missy Higgins, Peter Garrett and of course Jack River/Holly Rankin. Nothing is more powerful, with the public or with Canberra, than artists speaking from the heart.
AH: And thank you to all our political supporters including the PM, Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland, and those here tonight — we know you’re standing with us on this critical issue.
NW: On this special night I also want to acknowledge someone whose contribution to this industry is immeasurable. This year Lynne Small is leaving ARIA and PPCA for a well deserved retirement. For nearly three decades, Lynne’s knowledge, sharp mind, heart and dedication shaped everything we did. Lynne, from all of us: thank you.
AH: And I want to acknowledge Van Picken, who recently stepped down as Chair and CEO of Sony Music Australia. As an ARIA Board member, Van contributed to evolving the ARIAs into what they are tonight, and we wish her all the best in her next chapter.
NW: Now, back to tonight: Fifty-five percent of this year’s nominees are women. The indie scene is thriving. Hip-hop and R&B artists are finally getting their due. A new generation is reshaping what Australian music sounds and looks like.
Australian artists are streaming globally at record levels, selling out tours overseas, and appearing on festival lineups next to the world’s biggest names. The rebuild is working — brick by brick.
AH: And the momentum is real. Audiences are engaging not just with the music but the stories behind it.
Venues are packed again. Artists who’ve spent years grinding are breaking through here and internationally at the same time.
None of this happened by accident, it happened because people in this room showed up for each other and refused to accept that Australian music should be anything less than world-class.
NW: It’s been a huge year, we’re exhausted but we’re energized, because everything we’ve been building is working. The industry is unified. The music is undeniable. The audience is there.
And tonight is about celebrating what we’ve achieved — and recognizing that we’re just getting started.
NW: So let’s make it a night to remember. Dance and cheer loudly, support each other and remind everyone watching why Australian music matters.
AH: Before we kick off, I want to shout out our new presenting partner Spotify. Mikaela and the local team have seriously put everything and more into the 2025 ARIAs and the nominated artists and the engagement has already been incredible with public voting records absolutely smashed.
Thank you to Destination NSW, Paramount+ and Ten, and all our sponsors.
Huge love to our Exec Producer Craig Campbell and the Roving team, event producer Brendan Maher and the Second Sunday crew, and the whole ARIAs team — this is not an easy event to pull together but they do it with style! To the ARIA Board, Chart and Marketing Committee, performers, presenters, and everyone who poured everything into making tonight happen, thank you.
Most importantly, thank you to everyone in this room: artists, managers, label teams — special shout-out to the reps with ever-creative ways of asking me whether their artists have won — plus publicists, radio programmers, venue operators and crew. You’re all the reason Australian music is Big Music now.
NW: So raise your glasses — and let’s do this. To AusMusic!
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Olivia Dean brought some international star power to the 2025 ARIA Awards on Wednesday night (Nov. 19), where she shone with a rendition of “Man I Need.”
Dressed in a gold sequined flapper dress, and supported by a four-piece band, Dean’s performance at the Hordern Pavilion had the VIP guests on their feet.
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To be fair, Dean doesn’t need anything right now. The English singer debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart in October with The Art Of Loving (via Capitol Records), her second album. The collection also summited on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.
This year alone, three of her songs have impacted the top 10 on Australia’s singles chart, including “Nice To Each Other,” “So Easy (To Fall In Love),” and “Man I Need,” which has a No. 2 peak, and was crowned in the United Kingdom.
During an earlier on-the-ground interview with the ARIAs’ co-host Concetta Caristo, Dean was asked about life in the fast lane. “A bit mental,” she quipped, “but enjoying myself.” To have The Art Of Loving go to the top here and in her homeland was a “very surreal” experience. “That album is such a piece of my heart and for it to be received so warmly is really crazy, so thank you everybody.”
It’s a similar story of success in the United States, where Dean slots into the top five of both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 this week (charts dated Nov. 22), and is poised to continue her ascent, following a well-received debut on Saturday Night Live.
The ARIAs was the first stop in a whistlestop tour that includes a special outdoor show Thursday evening (Nov. 20) at Fleet Steps, produced by Handsome Tours and Laneway Presents. The Mercury Prize-nominated singer will return to these parts in October 2026 for an arena tour of Australia and New Zealand, a trek that has added several new dates “due to overwhelming demand,” promoters say.
Watch her ARIAs performance below and read more on the ceremony here.
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Punk rock and EDM ruled at the 2025 ARIA Awards, presented Wednesday (Nov. 19) in Sydney, as Amyl and The Sniffers, Ninajirachi and Dom Dolla won big.
With four pointy trophies, Amyl and The Sniffers lauded over the 39th annual awards, including best group, best rock album, and the coveted album of the year, for Cartoon Darkness, their third studio LP.
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If Amy Taylor and Co. were the best-kept secret in pub rock for the past several years, the secret is out. The foursome has emerged as darlings of the international festival circuit, they’ve collected Grammy and Brit Award nominations this year, and they’re opening for AC/DC on the Rock Hall heavyweights’ ongoing stadium tour of Australia.
Taylor always leaves an impression. On winning the ARIA for best cover art, awarded prior to the telecast, the band’s force-of-nature singer Amy Taylor quipped, “I know you just like it because I was flashing my titties.”
On collecting album of the year late in proceedings, Taylor quipped, “as the new prime minister of Australia, I’d like to say: all immigrants welcome. I’d like to say: land back, the dole’s going up and every pub gets a million dollars.” The album, she added, had “changed all of our lives.”
Ninajirachi, the rising “girl EDM” star, entered the ARIAs with a leading eight nominations, and is coming off a gold rush, snagging the Australian Music Prize and triple j’s J Award for her debut full-length album, I Love My Computer. The Hordern Pavilion proved to be another happy hunting ground for Ninajirachi (real name: Nina Wilson), as the electronic music artist, singer, songwriter and producer collected her first ARIAs, for best solo artist, the Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist and best independent release.
Dom Dolla was a winner before the ARIAs got underway. The high-flying Australian electronic music producer and DJ was announced Monday (Nov. 17) as the inaugural global impact recipient, which he collected during the early phases of the ARIAs. Dom, who entered these ARIAs with seven nominations, doubled up with the award for best dance/electronic release, marking his third consecutive win in that category.
Kevin Parker added a brace of ARIAs, nabbing engineer – best engineered release, and producer – best produced release, for his work on the latest Tame Impala collection, Deadbeat. In a taped acceptance speech, Parker revealed that the engineering stage was “probably the thing I spend the longest on when making music.” On scoring the producer trophy, he remarked, “there’s some amazing minds” in the music community. “It’s getting harder and harder to keep up with what’s going on in Australia.”
Other winners included Troye Sivan (best Australian live act), Taylor Swift (most popular international artist), BOY SODA (best soul/R&B), BARKAA (best hip-hop/rap release), Thornhill (best hard rock/heavy metal album), and the Teskey Brothers, who collected a fourth best blues & roots album trophy, a record for that category.
Thelma Plum performed “Nobody’s Baby” from her second album I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back and made a second trip to the stage to collect best pop release, presented by Tyra Banks, the American supermodel and television personality who now calls Sydney home. “I can’t believe Tyra Banks just gave me an ARIA,” Plum remarked. “This feels like a fever dream.”
After shifting roughly 200,000 tickets on its latest national jaunt, the beloved Laneway Festival was confirmed as Australia’s favorite fest by scooping the inaugural best music festival award, introduced this year to recognize and celebrate the critical role Australian music festivals play in the music ecosystem.
Performers at the ARIAs, the Australian recorded music industry’s flagship event, included Olivia Dean, Keli Holiday, Thelma Plum, Missy Higgins, and alternative rock heroes You Am I, who were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and had the final word on the night with a two-song performance of “Heavy Heart” and “Berlin Chair.” The nation’s prime minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the band in a video package, pointing out that, “along the way, you’ve added to who we are.”
Sponsored by Spotify, the ARIA Awards streamed live across Paramount+, followed by a special presentation on the free-to-air network 10 with performances and moments available on the trade body’s social channels.
2025 ARIA Awards nominations and winners:
Album of the YearAmyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness [Amyl and The Sniffers / Virgin Music Group] (WINNER)Missy Higgins – The Second Act [Eleven Music / EMI Music Australia]Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer [NLV Records]RÜFÜS DU SOL – Inhale / Exhale [Rose Avenue Records / Warner Music Australasia]Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back [Warner Music Australasia]
Best Solo ArtistBARKAA – Big Tidda [Big Apples Music / Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]Dom Dolla – DREAMIN’ [Good Fortune Records]Kylie Minogue – Tension II [Mushroom Music]Mallrat – Light Hit My Face Like A Straight Right [Dew Process / Universal Music Australia]Missy Higgins – The Second Act [Eleven Music / EMI Music Australia]Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer [NLV Records] (WINNER)Paul Kelly – Fever Longing Still [EMI Music Australia]The Kid LAROI – How Does It Feel? [Columbia Records / Sony Music]Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back [Warner Music Australasia]Young Franco – it’s Franky baby! [Neon Records]
Best GroupAmyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness [Amyl and The Sniffers / Virgin Music Group] (WINNER)Folk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be A Good Time [Jagjaguwar]Hilltop Hoods – Fall From The Light [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]Royel Otis – hickey [Ourness / Capitol Records]RÜFÜS DU SOL – Inhale / Exhale [Rose Avenue Records / Warner Music Australasia]
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist presented by SpotifyFolk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be A Good Time [Jagjaguwar]Gut Health – Stiletto [AWAL Recordings]Mia Wray – hi, it’s nice to meet me [Mushroom Music]Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer [NLV Records] (WINNER)Young Franco – it’s Franky baby! [Neon Records]
Best Pop ReleaseG Flip – Disco Cowgirl [AWAL Recordings]Kita Alexander – Press Pause [Warner Music Australasia]Kylie Minogue – Tension II [Mushroom Music]Mallrat – Light Hit My Face Like A Straight Right [Dew Process / Universal Music Australia]Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back [Warner Music Australasia] (WINNER)
Best Dance / Electronic ReleaseConfidence Man – 3AM (LA LA LA) [I OH YOU / Mushroom Music]Dom Dolla – DREAMIN’ [Good Fortune Records] (WINNER)FISHER – Stay [etcetc Music Pty Ltd]Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer [NLV Records]Sonny Fodera, D.O.D & Jazzy – Somedays [Solotoka / ADA]
Best Hip Hop / Rap ReleaseBARKAA – Big Tidda [Big Apples Music / Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia] (WINNER)Hilltop Hoods – Fall From The Light [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]Miss Kaninna – Kaninna EP [Soul Has No Tempo]ONEFOUR – Look At Me Now [ONEFOUR Records / The Orchard]The Kid LAROI – Baby I’m Back [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Best Soul / R&B ReleaseBOY SODA – Lil Obsession [Warner Music Australasia] (WINNER)JACOTÉNE – Why’d You Do That? [Epic Records / Sony Music]Jerome Farah – CHLORINE [Sony Music]Larissa Lambert – Cardio [New Levels / Virgin Music Group]PANIA – Pity Party [Warner Music Australasia / Say Less]Best Independent Release presented by PPCABall Park Music – Like Love [Prawn Records / Inertia Music]Confidence Man – 3AM (LA LA LA) [I OH YOU / Mushroom Music]Folk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be A Good Time [Jagjaguwar]Miss Kaninna – Kaninna EP [Soul Has No Tempo]Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer [NLV Records]
Best Rock Album presented by TooheysAmyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness [Amyl and The Sniffers / Virgin Music Group] (WINNER)Ball Park Music – Like Love [Prawn Records / Inertia Music]King Stingray – For The Dreams [Civilians / The Orchard]Royel Otis – hickey [Ourness / Capitol Records]Spacey Jane – If That Makes Sense [AWAL Recordings]
Best Adult Contemporary AlbumFolk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be A Good Time [Jagjaguwar]Gordi – Like Plasticine [Mushroom Music]Meg Washington – GEM [OriGiN Distribution / ADA]Missy Higgins – The Second Act [Eleven Music / EMI Music Australia] (WINNER)Paul Kelly – Fever Longing Still [EMI Music Australia]
Best Country AlbumDylan Wright – Half a World Away [Sony Music]Imogen Clark – Choking on Fuel [Potts Entertainment / MGM]Kasey Chambers – Backbone [Essence Music Group / MGM] (WINNER)Keith Urban – High [CAPITOL – NASHVILLE / EMI Music Australia]Taylor Moss – Firecracker [Taylor Moss / Ditto Music]
Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal AlbumCivic – Chrome Dipped [ATO Records / Inertia Music]Press Club – To All The Ones I Love [Inertia Music]RedHook – Mutation [RedHook Records]The Amity Affliction – Let The Ocean Take Me Down (Redux) [GYROstream]Thornhill – Bodies [UNFD / Community Music] (WINNER)
Best Blues & Roots AlbumDope Lemon – Golden Wolf [BMG]Mama Kin Spender – Promises [Mama Kin Spender / MGM]Sons Of The East – SONS [Sons Of The East Music / MGM]Tash Sultana – Return to the Roots [Lonely Lands Records via Sony Music]The Teskey Brothers – Live At The Hammersmith Apollo [Mushroom Music] (WINNER)
Best Children’s AlbumEmma Memma – Dance Island Party [GYROstream] (WINNER)Justine Clarke – Mimi’s symphony [ABC Music / The Orchard]Teeny Tiny Stevies – Brain Fart [Love Your Records / Xelon]The Vegetable Plot – Season Three [ABC Music / The Orchard]The Wiggles – Wiggle Up, Giddy Up! [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Best Music Festival presented by TixelAbility Fest – Dylan Alcott Foundation + Untitled GroupBeyond The Valley – Untitled Group / Beyond The Valley Music FestivalBluesfest Byron Bay – Bluesfest Byron BayLaneway Festival – St Jerome’s Laneway / Laneway Festival (WINNER)Yours and Owls Festival – Yours and Owls
PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS
Best VideoBreak My Love – RÜFÜS DU SOL, Alexander George (Katzki) [Rose Avenue Records / Warner Music Australasia]Craters – Missy Higgins, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore [Eleven Music / EMI Music Australia]Lordy Lordy – Emily Wurramara, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore [ABC Music / The Orchard]All the Noise – Spacey Jane, Dan Lesser [AWAL Recordings]car – Royel Otis, Jamieson Kerr [Ourness / Capitol Records]Big Dreams – Amyl and The Sniffers, John Stewart [Amyl and The Sniffers / Virgin Music Group]DREAMIN’ – Dom Dolla, Kyle Caulfield & Shevin Dissanayake [Good Fortune Records]Don’t Happy, Be Worry – Hilltop Hoods, Roman Anastasios and Jordan Ruyi Blanch [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]Dancing2 – Keli Holiday, Ryan Sauer [Keli Holiday / GYROstream] (WINNER)WASSA – Vv Pete, UTILITY, Formation Boyz, UTILITY [Trackwork]
Best Australian Live Act presented by Destination NSWAmyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness World TourBall Park Music – Like Love TourBARKAA – BIG TIDDA TOUR [Jackson Street & Bad Apples Music]Confidence Man – 3AM (LA LA LA) Tour [I OH YOU]Dom Dolla – Dom Dolla Australia 2024 [Untitled Group]Hilltop Hoods – Hilltop Hoods 2025Kylie Minogue – Tension Tour 2025Miss Kaninna – Dawg In Me Tour [Astral People]SPEED – SPEED AUSTRALIA TOUR ‘25Troye Sivan – Something To Give Each Other Tour [Live Nation] (WINNER)
Song of the YearCyril, Maryjo – Still Into You [Warner Music Australasia / Spinnin Records]Dean Lewis – With You [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]Dom Dolla Feat. Daya – Dreamin [Good Fortune Records]FISHER – Stay [etcetc Music Pty Ltd]Gotye, FISHER, Chris Lake Feat. Kimbra, Sante Sansone – Somebody [Eleven: A Music Company / EMIMusic Australia]OneFour, Nemzzz – Spinnin [ONEFOUR RECORDS / THE ORCHARD]Royel Otis – Linger (SiriusXM Session) [Ourness]Sonny Fodera, D.O.D & Jazzy – Somedays [Solotoko / ADA]The Kid LAROI – Girls [Columbia Records / Sony Music] (WINNER)Tobiahs – Angel of Mine [Mushroom Music]
Most Popular International ArtistAlex Warren – [Atlantic Records / Warner Music Australasia]Calvin Harris – [Columbia Records / Sony Music]Gracie Abrams – [Interscope / Universal Music Australia]Kendrick Lamar – [Interscope / Universal Music Australia]Noah Kahan – [Republic Records / Universal Music Australia]Post Malone – [Republic Records / Universal Music Australia]Sabrina Carpenter – [Island Records USA / Universal Music Australia]Tate McRae – [RCA Records / Universal Music Australia]Taylor Swift – [Republic Records / Universal Music Australia] (WINNER)Tyler, The Creator – [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
ARTISAN AWARDS
Best Cover ArtGiulia McGauran for The Cat Empire – Bird in Paradise [BMG]John Stewart for Amyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness [Amyl and The Sniffers / Virgin MusicGroup] (WINNER)Kira Puru, Em Jensen for Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back [Waner Music Australasia]Nina Wilson, John You, Aria Zarzycki for Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer [NLV Records]Sarah McCloskey for Hilltop Hoods – Fall From The Light [Island Records Australia / Universal MusicAustralia]
Engineer – Best Engineered ReleaseAlice Ivy for Alice Ivy – Do What Makes You Happy [Kewpie Mayo Records / Independent]Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla – DREAMIN’ [Good Fortune Records]Eric J Dubowsky for Emma Louise & Flume – DUMB [Three Six Zero Recordings / ADA]Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – End of Summer [Columbia Records / Sony Music] (WINNER)Thomas Purcell p/k/a Wave Racer for Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer [NLV Records]
Producer – Best Produced ReleaseAlex Burnett for Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back [Warner Music Australasia]Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla – DREAMIN’ [Good Fortune Records]Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – End of Summer [Columbia Records / Sony Music] (WINNER)Nina Wilson p/k/a Ninajirachi for Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer [NLV Records]RÜFÜS DU SOL for RÜFÜS DU SOL – Inhale / Exhale [Rose Avenue Records / Warner Music Australasia]
FINE ARTS AWARDS
Best Classical AlbumAndrea Lam – Piano Diary [ABC Classic / The Orchard] (WINNER)Australian Chamber Orchestra / Richard Tognetti – Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings and AndanteCantabile / Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony in C minor [ABC Classic / The Orchard]Nat Bartsch – Forever Changed [Amica Records]Simone Young & Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Mahler: Symphony No.2; Barton: Of The Earth [Deutsche Grammophon Australia / Universal Music]Sophie Hutchings – Become The Sky [Universal Music Australia / Mercury KX]
Best Jazz AlbumEvans Robson Quartet – Zenith [Lamplight Records]Lachlan McKenzie – Departures [ABC Jazz / The Orchard]Lucy Clifford – Between Spaces of Knowing [ABC Jazz / The Orchard] (WINNER)TL; DR & Peter Knight – Too Long; Didn’t Read [Earshift Music / The Planet Company-MGM]Touch Sensitive – In Paradise [Future Classic]
Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast AlbumAustralian Chamber Orchestra – Memoir of a Snail (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [ABC Classic /The Orchard]François Tétaz – The Surfer [Impressed Recordings / Rubber Music Pty Ltd]Michael Cassel Group – Michael Cassel Group Presents A (Very) Musical Christmas [The Orchard]Various Artists – How To Make Gravy [Origin Recordings] (WINNER)Vidya Makan – The Lucky Country (Original Cast Album) [ORiGiN Distribution / ADA]
Best World Music AlbumElectric Fields, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Live In Concert [ABC Music / The Orchard]Gurrumul – Banbirrngu – The Orchestral Sessions [Decca Australia & Skinnyfish / UMA] (WINNER)Joseph Tawadros – The Forgotten Path To Humanity [Independent / The Planet Company]Tenzin Choegyal – Snow Flower [Warner Music Australasia / Rainbow Valley Records]The Cat Empire – Bird in Paradise [BMG]
OUR SOUNDTRACK OUR ADSBest Use of an Australian Recording in an AdvertisementFox League 2025: Our Greats – Fox Sports Australia, 3% (WINNER)Menulog: What’s Good in Your Hood – Thinkerbell, Bliss n EsoParamount+ Australia: Ballad of the GOATS – Paramount+ Australia, BriggsTooheys: I Feel Like a Tooheys – Thinkerbell, Dune RatsTourism & Events Queensland: That Holiday Feeling – Publicis Worldwide, Kita Alexander
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The Kid LAROI has seen the world, and, at times, owned it with a string of chart hits, awards and records smashed. On Monday night, Nov. 17, the inner-Sydney raised, Los Angles-based singer returned home in triumphant fashion for a secret gig, a launch pad for ARIAs Week.
Performing with a four-piece backing band, and wearing an all-black ensemble, including a black tie and leather jacket, LAROI is grateful and in a soulful mood, laughing at times as he slides through a mid-tempo collection of songs.
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Gone are the hoodies, baggies and the floppy blonde locks. This 22-year-old is all grown up.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 17: The Kid LAROI performs onstage the Spotify Artist Party at Cell Block Theatre on November 17, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Hanna Lassen/Getty Images for Spotify)
Getty Images for Spotify
“It’s been a crazy last year. I don’t know how to process it still,” he tells the gathering at Cell Block Theatre in Darlinghurst, where the likes of Ninajirachi, Baker Boy and members of the Wiggles watch on.
When he last time performed on home soil, exactly a year ago, LAROI played arenas for his The First Time tour, and at Accor Stadium, for the NRL Grand Final. On Monday, for this inaugural Spotify Artist Party, LAROI played to a space smaller than some of the L.A. parties he attends.
ARIAs Week is always a special time of year. The Australian sun is typically baking in mid-to-late November, the holiday period is closing in, and the ARIA Awards, the national recording industry’s flagship event, is the crescendo for the year in music.
Homegrown stars Dom Dolla, Missy Higgins, Amy Shark and many more will stroll the red carpet, and brave the heat, alongside internationals Kacey Musgraves and Olivia Dean.
LAROI won’t be there. He bailed for a flight early Tuesday. The Kid admittedly has work to do setting up his next record, but he played his part in this annual celebration of Aussie music.
Spotify wants in, too. 2025 marks the first in the streaming giant’s three-year partnership with the ARIA Awards, and comes at a time when domestic artists are struggling to impact the national charts, the official singles tally in particular.
According to data supplied by Spotify, this campaign has already driven hundreds of thousands of additional streams for ARIA-nominated artists, and included 800-plus “high-impact” placements across Australia and key global markets, including the United States, United Kingdom, Korea and Japan.
Ahead of the big show, more than 250,000 Australians have already cast votes in-app for the public-voted categories, including best music festival, a new category. That result is said to surpass total engagement for the past two years combined.
Billboard caught up with Joe Hadley, Spotify’s global head of music partnerships & audience, to peel back the layers on the ARIAs collaboration.
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Billboard: Let’s talk about the three-year partnership, how that came about and why?
Joe Hadley: If you were to just zoom out and look at our partnership strategy as a whole, we really want to show up as a company where culture is happening, in a way that we can be supportive of both the industry and the artists.
When we were looking at the ARIAs, it was a no-brainer to show up here for this community.
It’s not about sponsoring an event. It’s about creating something together with the artists and the labels and our partners to build long-lasting impact.
You worked closely with the Music Awards Japan. Were there any lessons to learn from that?
That was a little bit different. It was the first year that something like that had happened in Japan. It was an incredible moment, so we were really in it with them from the beginning, to build something special. The ARIAs are long-established. We wanted to make sure that if we were to partner, we could amplify and take a national event and make it truly global, so we’ve worked really hard in partnership with the ARIA to do that. One thing you’ll hear me keep repeating through this is we’re taking something that has been a truly incredible national event and helping to globalize it.
Spotify is traditionally looked at as a digital company. We wanted too show up in real life in places where it matters, so seeing the artist-facing billboards in-person adds another layer of realness, to what we’re doing. But then having the event, the party with some incredible performances, that was also a key part of bringing this all together.
Do you have any takeaways from the ARIAs’ in-app voting?
What I think is more interesting is that the last couple of years, the most voted-for category has been international artist of the year, and with this shift to in-app voting on Spotify, that’s now changed to song of the year, which is obviously local artists. Which is a really incredible moment for us in the ARIAs to really push local music.
Is Australian music having a moment, or is it anywhere near having a moment?
Australian music is always having a moment. Dance and electronic music is leading the global breakthrough story. Dom Dollar, FISHER, Ninajirachi are in that genre and it’s having a real explosive moment right now.
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Great minds, we’ve been led to believe, think alike. And cracking young artists, it would appear, hail from New South Wales’ Central Coast.
Ninajirachi and Boy Soda are two of those cracking artists who, on the eve of the ARIA Awards, enjoyed a full circle moment.
Both are poised to play a big part at the ARIAs, with Ninajirachi (real name: Nina Wilson), the rising EDM star, leading the pack with eight nominations, and Boy Soda (Brae Luafalealo), a vocal talent, chasing best soul/R&B release and set to perform.
On Tuesday morning, Nov. 18, the pair shared their respective journeys with a packed room of special guests for a pre-ARIAs gathering near Centennial Park, a short stroll from Hordern Pavilion, the site of the recording industry’s flagship awards night.
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Both are alumni of Gosford High School, where they were separated by a year. They found each other through their mutual love of music, and even collaborated in the school grounds. Australia, a small world of 25 million folks.
Ninajirachi has won the Australian Music Prize and the triple j J Award for album of the year in quick succession, and could clean up at the ARIA Awards with her debut album I Love My Computer (via NLV Records).
https://open.spotify.com/album/77CZUF57sYqgtznUe3OikQ?si=XIPuJ-qtSlWJAF0EEgU9uw
“I actually finished most of it this year,” she said of her LP, which dropped Aug. 8. “I had at least half the songs at the end of last year,” including the title, “but I really kind of did most of the work between maybe April and June (of 2025). It that was definitely the most dense work period on the album. I feel like since it’s come out I’ve lived 100 lives and done a lot of shows, it’s definitely been a different year to any other before.”
Speaking with New York-based Australian music journalist Sam Murphy, Ninajirachi confirmed she’s the type of artist who loves setting her personal bar high, and clearing it each time.
“I’m actually never really thinking about moving the needle forward in terms of the world. That’s such a crazy undertaking. If I was holding myself to that, I would just never make a song again,” she responded with a laugh. “But I am always trying to impress myself and outdo myself and think, what have I not done?” She added, “I’m just trying to make my favorite music.”
Where I Love My Computer is themed around Ninajirachi’s connection with her device, Boy Soda’s Soulstar LP is a sonic plate of healing, and self-expression.
https://open.spotify.com/album/3oSHew9KClPrhpUNfqUcfs?si=nUDcznL4SNy-hUwmgtvNEw
“It’s been that big process of catharsis. There’s 13 songs on there and they all kind of fix or address a certain thing within myself. They all represent different moments in my life or just different places that I’ve found myself on this kind of emotional spectrum in the last year of wanting to talk about that,” he remarked. “About not feeling like you have to change the world, just take the pressure off this.” Those songs capture “what my mornings sound like to me, what like a bad day sounded like for me, what a sexy day sounds like to me.”
Boy Soda completed the brunch event with a four-song showcase, closed out with album track “Lil’ Obsession,” a song that “has changed my life this past year,” he enthused.
He’ll get another chance so show off those caramel-smooth tones at the ARIAs, when he performs alongside his fellow best soul/R&B release nominees Larissa Lambert, PANIA, Jerome Farah, Jacotene and a 15-piece band, for a special salute to Australia’s soul and R&B community.
Sponsored by Spotify, the 2025 ARIA Awards ceremony streams live from 5 p.m. AEDT on Nov. 19 via Paramount+, with additional coverage across ARIA’s official social channels.
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Dom Dolla will cash-in at the ARIA Awards on Wednesday, No. 19 in Sydney, where he scores another piece of history with the inaugural global impact honor.
If there was an award for stamina, he’d win that too.
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After another massive, record-busting run of live shows, awards and bucket-list releases, Dom finds himself at the table of the biggest electronic music artists, anywhere.
“My head’s definitely spinning a bit, but I’m having so much fun along the way,” Dolla (real name: Dom Matheson) tells Billboard. “I feel really lucky to be able to try new things creatively and share those moments with everyone who’s been along for the ride. I think if I didn’t genuinely love the process, none of this would be possible. I try to stay surrounded by like-minded people and other creatives who push you in the right ways .“
It’s been some ride.
As last year came to a close, he completed a four-date tour of Australia’s open-air venues, shifting 170,000 tickets en route to setting a new mark for a local electronic music artist.
And in the final stretch of this year, on Dec. 20, he’ll achieve another dream when he plays at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, becoming the first DJ to do.
Along the circuit, he played sellouts at MSG; released his first soundtrack anthem, with “No Room For a Saint” from F1: The Movie; completed residences in Ibiza and Las Vegas; earned a Grammy Award nomination for his remix of Gorillaz’s featuring Tame Impala & Bootie Brown’s “New Gold”; lorded over some of the world’s best-known festivals, and much more.
With at least one guaranteed award at the 39th annual ARIA Awards, Dom can boast an ARIAs three-peat. He’s the two-time reigning champion in the category for best dance/electronic release with “Rhyme Dust” (with MK) in 2023, and “Saving Up” in 2024. He also won for “San Frandisco” in 2020.
There’s a good chance Dom will fill his boots. He has seven more ARIA Award nominations, behind only Ninajirachi with eight.
Announced Monday, Nov. 17 the ARIA Global Impact Award recognizes homegrown recording artists who have “demonstrated outstanding breakthrough international success and cultural influence,” according to a statement from ARIA, and celebrates Australia’s standouts through artistry, innovation, and global connection in the 12 months leading up to the big night.
“I was honestly shocked,” he says of the latest ARIA honor, and being the first tapped to win it. “It felt a bit surreal. But I really love this award for what I think it stands for – representing Australian music, and especially Aussie dance music, on the global stage. There are so many incredible artists from past years who would’ve deserved this, and so many who’ll keep flying the flag in the future. So to be the first is really special and I can’t wait to see who picks it up in the years to come.”
The ARIA Global Impact Award presented by Spotify will be handed out during the 2025 ARIA Awards ceremony, which is presented at the Hordern Pavilion and streams live from 5 p.m. AEDT on Nov. 19 via Paramount+, with additional coverage across ARIA’s official social channels.
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Spotify launched its first Artist Party in Sydney on Monday night (Nov. 17) featuring The Kid LAROI, marking the start of ARIA Week with a tightly programmed event centered on Australian talent ahead of the 2025 ARIA Awards.
Held at the Cell Block Theatre in Darlinghurst, the event functioned as Spotify’s primary on-the-ground activation during ARIA Week and drew a cross-section of nominated artists, emerging acts and industry figures. The Kid LAROI headlined the night with a short set that included a surprise appearance by Western Sydney drill group ONEFOUR for “Distant Strangers.” The performance marked a rare public pairing for the two acts in the lead-up to this year’s ceremony.
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LAROI, who has been home in Australia ahead of his next release cycle, addressed the crowd briefly, noting the significance of performing in Sydney during ARIA Week. The Kid LAROI said: “I grew up dreaming about nights like this, so to be back in Sydney, performing this party with Spotify and surrounded by so many Aussie artists I respect, is special.”
He added, “Australian music is having a massive global moment right now, it’s so cool to be part of that!”
Several 2025 ARIA nominees also appeared on the bill. Sons of the East (Best Blues & Roots Album) and Taylor Moss (Best Country Album) delivered unannounced acoustic performances, while Young Franco — nominated for Best Solo Artist and Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist — closed the night with a DJ set.
The event drew notable nominees, including Ninajirachi, this year’s most-nominated artist, as well as RedHook and Larissa Lambert. Members of The Wiggles were also seen in attendance, reflecting the wide footprint of ARIA Week programming across genres and generations.
This year’s ARIA Awards arrive with higher-than-usual audience participation following the introduction of Spotify’s in-app voting tool, which the ARIAs say has driven more than 250,000 public votes across the ceremony’s open categories. That figure surpasses combined tallies from the previous two years and indicates elevated visibility for this year’s broadcast and livestream.
The 2025 ARIA Awards will be held Nov. 19 at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, streaming live on Paramount+ from 5 p.m. AEDT before airing later that night on Network 10.
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Dom Dolla has made history as the inaugural recipient of ARIA’s new Global Impact Award presented by Spotify, recognising his breakout success on the global dance circuit and his role in flying the flag for Australian electronic music abroad.
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The Australian Recording Industry Association announced the new category on Nov. 17, ahead of the 2025 ARIA Awards, where the Melbourne-raised DJ, producer and songwriter will receive the honor.
Announced Monday (Nov. 17), the new prize will debut at the 2025 ARIA Awards in partnership with Spotify, where the Australian DJ, producer and songwriter will be formally celebrated for a breakout period that’s pushed Australian dance music to new heights. The award is designed to sit alongside the ARIA Hall of Fame and is decided at the discretion of the ARIA board, spotlighting artists whose international achievements and cultural influence extend far beyond home soil. Aria
Over the past 12 months, Dom has stacked milestones across touring, charts and streaming. He earned his first Grammy nomination for best remixed recording at the 66th annual Grammy Awards for his rework of Gorillaz’s “New Gold,” featuring Tame Impala and Bootie Brown.
His 2024 national homecoming tour sold more than 170,000 tickets across four cities, marking the largest-ever run by an Australian electronic artist.
On the festival circuit, Dom has moved from late-night club slots to top lines at major global events, including Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza Chicago, Bonnaroo, Reading & Leeds and Creamfields, alongside a 10-week residency at Hï Ibiza, which has been billed as the world’s No. 1 club. He’s also set to take another leap at home with a headline show at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium on Dec. 20 — his first Australian stadium date and another first for a local electronic artist.
Streaming metrics tell a similar story. According to ARIA, Dom has amassed more than 1.5 billion streams globally, including over 450 million Spotify streams this year alone, and regularly pulls in eight-figure monthly listeners on the platform. On Billboard’s dance charts, his recent collaboration with Kid Cudi, “Forever,” debuted in the top 10 of Hot Dance/Electronic Songs in April, underlining his growing footprint in the U.S. market.
The ARIA Global Impact Award presented by Spotify will be handed out during the 2025 ARIA Awards ceremony, which streams live from 5 p.m. AEDT on Nov. 19 via Paramount+, with additional coverage across ARIA’s official social channels.
