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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)
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“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.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
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The 59th annual CMA Awards is almost here. Hosted by Lainey Wilson, the ceremony is set for Wednesday (Nov. 19) and will broadcast live on ABC. With a jam-packed lineup of performances, including Keith Urban, Shaboozey, Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton, this is one night country fans don’t want to miss.
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Don’t have cable? We’ve put together a guide on how you can stream the 2025 CMA Awards online for free. Keep scrolling to see who’s performing, who’s nominated, and the best streaming services to use to watch the event live, including DirecTV.
How to Watch the CMA Awards Online for Free
Because the CMA Awards is airing on ABC, there are multiple ways to watch and stream the show live and on-demand – and for free in most cases. If you don’t have access to cable, streaming is the best choice. Fans can stream the award show on DirecTV, Sling TV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV.
DirecTV
Join DirecTV with a five-day free trial to enjoy your favorite sports and other entertainment. The streaming service’s signature packages feature more than 90 channels: ABC, TNT, ESPN, NBA TV, ESPN2, FS1, SEC, MLB Network, TLC, CBS, USA, Bravo, E!, BET, MTV and more.
A subscription to DirecTV — which comes with ABC — gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, starting at $49.99 for the first month of service ($89.99 per month afterwards). The service even offers a five-day free trial to watch for free, if you sign up now.
Fubo
FuboTV offers a seven-day free trial when you sign up for one of its plans. You’ll gain access to more than 200 live TV channels — including ABC — so you can watch the 2025 CMA Awards for free. After your free trial is over you’ll be charged the subscription price based on the plan you choose or you can cancel at anytime.
Sling TV
Sling TV is offering new half off off their first month with any of its three packages. You can choose from: the Orange, Blue or Orange + Blue. Rather than choose between the two, you can combine the two with the Orange + Blue package, which will give you access to more than 50 channels, DVR storage and the ability to stream on up to three devices.
Hulu + Live TV
For the most content offerings, you can sign up for Hulu + Live TV and get access to the Hulu library in addition to more then 95 live TV channels (including ABC). The streaming platform starts at $64.99 per month for the first three months of service ($82.99 per month afterwards).
And, for even more programming, Hulu + Live TV now comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited, which gives you everything within the Hulu library, in addition to exclusive content on ESPN for even more sports coverage.
Who’s Nominated?
This year marks the first time that three female solo artists have shared the lead for nominations at the CMA awards. Ella Langley, Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson are the top nominees with six nods each. They are followed by Zach Top with five nods; Riley Green and Cody Johnson with four nods each; and Kristian Bush, Carson Chamberlain, Luke Combs, Charlie Handsome, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen with three nods each. For the full list of nominees, click here.
Who’s Performing?
Here are the performers that have been announced (so far) for the 2025 CMA Awards.
Keith Urban
Little Big Town
Kelsea Ballerini
BigXthaPlug
Brandi Carlile
Kenny Chesney
Luke Combs
Riley Green
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Patty Loveless
Megan Moroney
Old Dominion
The Red Clay Strays
Shaboozey
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top
Tucker Wetmore
Lainey Wilson
Stephen Wilson Jr.
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After a meteoric rise, and a years-long break to recalibrate and recover, Lewis Capaldi is very much back. Surviving, thriving.
Today, Nov. 14, the Scottish singer and songwriter returns with the four-track Survive EP, led by the title track, a song that addresses his ordeals with illness and life in the spotlight.
Survive is the followup to the 2023 LP Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, which was sent to No. 1 in the U.K. for three weeks and spawned three U.K. chart-leading singles in “Pointless,” “Wish You The Best” and “Forget Me”.
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Capaldi’s debut album from 2019, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent, propelled him to superstar status. Along the way, it collected 10 weeks at No. 1 in the U.K., where it was confirmed as the biggest selling U.K album for both 2019 and 2020, and yielded “Someone You Loved,” a No. 1 smash on both sides of the Atlantic, and around the globe.
In November 2022, Lewis was crowned by the Official Charts Company as the “king of streaming” as “Someone You Loved had overtaken Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You” as the U.K.’s most streamed song in history.
It hasn’t all been fun and games.
The following year welcomed the global Netflix release of Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now, a Grammy Award-nominated documentary, and saw Capaldi step away from the spotlight to focus on his physical and mental health. He made a roaring return with a surprise set at Glastonbury Festival 2025, followed by the release of “Survive.”
With his comeback, he “wanted to have a song come out that wasn’t… a lot of my music is woe is me, and a bit boo-hoo, and sad,” he told ABC News’ Stephanie Ramos in July. “I wanted something that was less pathetic. Let’s put it that way. I wanted to have something that was more triumphant than previous offerings. This one is about getting through stuff, surviving.”
Expect to hear the new song, and those modern-day classics, when he makes the long haul for arena shows in New Zealand later this month, and early December, his first visit to Australasia since Falls Festival in 2019/20, and his Auckland Town Hall performance in 2019. Australia dates will follow, all of which are sold out.
Stream Survive below.
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Time flies at a frightening pace. Need a reminder? 5 Seconds of Summer’s self-titled debut is more than a decade old.
Those four, fresh-faced Sydney lads dropped 5 Seconds of Summer back in 2014, the first in a streak of three No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200. After Sounds Good Feels Good (2015), and Youngblood (2018) went to the penthouse, 5SOS etched their name in the record books, as the first Australian act with three No. 1 albums on the all-genres weekly chart and the only band (not vocal group) to have their first three studio albums debut at the top.
5 Seconds of Summer is still hot. High school mates Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood and Ashton Irwin return today (Nov. 14) with the release of Everyone’s A Star! (via Republic Records), 5SOS’ sixth studio album.
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Recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville, the new record, with its bright, uptempo vibe, was built “from a really genuine place,” reads a statement from the band. “We weren’t chasing a sound or a trend, we were chasing what felt exciting to us. Every track feels alive in a way that reminds us of why we started making music in the first place. Everyone’s A Star! is the most ‘us’ we’ve ever sounded, and we’re so proud to share it with everyone who’s been part of this journey.”
An extensive list of producers and collaborators joined in for the ride, including Jason Evigan (Maroon 5, Benson Boone, Papa Roach, Rüfüs Du Sol), Julian Bunetta and John Ryan (Sabrina Carpenter, Teddy Swims), and director Frank Borin, who helmed the music video for “Telephone Busy,” which also arrives today.
Speaking with Billboard, Hemmings said the new collection was like a “180 [degree] flip” from their “introspective… ethereal” self-titled 2022 studio album. Every time they’d soak up something “crazy or different” in the studio, they went for it. “It feels like our best work and it feels like every album before has been leading up to it.”
The Aussies will kick off their Everyone’s A Star! Tour in March 2026, initially with dates in the U.K. and Ireland, then weeks-long run across the European continent. U.S. concerts will follow in May, and include two shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden, June 13 and 14.
Career album sales, according to Republic, top 18 million, with over 10 billion streams, and more than six million tickets shifted worldwide. 5SOS has landed 15 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, with a best of No. 7 for 2018’s “Youngblood.” All told, six 5SOS titles have cracked the top 10 on the Billboard 200, including those three leaders.
Stream Everyone’s A Star! Below.
5 Seconds of Summer’s 2026 North America Tour
May 29 – Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
May 31 – Giant Center, Hershey, PA
June 2 – TD Coliseum, Hamilton, ON
June 3 – Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
June 5 – TD Garden, Boston, MA
June 7 – CFG Bank Arena, Baltimore, MD
June 9 – Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
June 11 – PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
June 13 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
June 14 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
June 16 – State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
June 17 – Kia Center, Orlando, FL
June 19 – Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
June 21 – Moody Center, Austin, TX
June 23 – Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX
June 26 – Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, AZ
June 27 – Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
June 30 – Moda Center, Portland, OR
July 2 – Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
July 4 – Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
July 7 – Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
July 9 – Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA
July 11 – Kia Forum, Los Angeles, CA
July 22 – Mystic Lake Amphitheater, Shakopee, MN
July 24 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, St. Louis, MO
July 25 – Ruoff Music Center, Noblesville, IN
July 27 – Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH
July 29 – Acrisure Amphitheater, Grand Rapids, MI
Aug. 5 – Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON
Aug. 6 – Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
Aug. 8 – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Camden, NJ
Aug. 9 – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront, Richmond, VA
Aug. 12 – Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL
Aug. 14 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC
Aug. 15 – PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC
Aug. 18 – Walmart AMP, Rogers, AR
Aug. 20 – Kansas City, MO
Aug. 22 – Junkyard, Denver, CO
Aug. 26 – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre, Salt Lake City, UT
Aug. 28 – Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
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Taylor Swift hits the ARIA Charts for six, as the U.S. pop star extends her reign with The Life Of A Showgirl (via Republic/Universal) and its lead single, “The Fate Of Ophelia.”
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As Swift’s latest album completes its sixth week atop the national albums tally, published Friday, Nov. 14, Paul Kelly bags the top new release with Seventy (EMI), his 28th studio album. Seventy opens at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart.
The 70-year-old Kelly is one of Australia’s most-cherished singer-songwriters, boasting a collection of 16 ARIA Awards, induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame (in 1997), and four No. 1 albums with Life Is Fine (No. 1 for one week in 2017), Nature (one week in 2018), Songs From The South: 1985-2019 (one week in 2019), and Paul Kelly’s Christmas Train (one week in 2022).
Homegrown pop-punk band Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers makes a glorious top ten debut, with GLORY (Community Music), their second studio album. Hailing from Canberra, the four-piece snagged the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist award at the 2024 ARIA Awards, after opening the ceremony with a performance, and cracked the ARIA top 10 with 2023’s I Love You (peaking at No. 6).
Spanish superstar Rosalia makes her first top 50 in Australia with Lux (Columbia/Sony), new at No. 15. Lux is already a hit, everywhere. Following its release, the collection accumulated 42.1 million streams in its first 24 hours, the biggest global tally by a female, Spanish-speaking artist.
Meanwhile, veteran Australian country artist James Blundell nabs a top 40 entry with Patience Wins (AMB/MGM), his 12th studio album. It’s new at No. 25.
Western Australia singer-songwriter Stella Donnelly grabs her third top 40 appearance with Love and Fortune (DOT/RMT), new at No. 31. Donnelly previously made a mark with 2019’s Beware Of The Dogs (No. 15) and 2022’s Flood (No. 29).
Close behind is beloved punk rock act Cosmic Psychos with I Really Like Beer (RKT), pouring in a No. 32, while fellow Melburnians Icecream Hands crack the top 40 with the independently-released Giant Fox Pineapple Tree, new at No. 38, It’s the eighth album from the Aussie power pop band, and their first ARIA top 50 appearance.
Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Taylor Swift ties a personal best as “The Fate Of Ophelia” enters its sixth week at No. 1. That effort draws level with 2022’s “Anti-Hero” as TayTay’s longest-running leader.
U.K. act Haven has the top debut with the viral number “I Run,” new at No. 8. It’s the only new release in the top 50. And finally, Tame Impala has, once again, the only appearance by an Australian artist on the chart, as “Dracula” (Columbia/Sony) improves 37-34, a new high.
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You never quite know when — or how — your 15 minutes will come along. Just ask Scott Kelly, a regular chap who became an Internet sensation this week when his resume blew up at a Jonas Brothers concert.
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During the JoBros’ show Sunday, Nov. 9 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY, a recruitment consultant was busted reviewing an apparent candidate’s resume, as Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas performed on stage.
TikTok user Jen captured the moment and shared it with the caption, “Scott Kelly, your resume was being reviewed at a Jonas Brothers concert tonight. Good luck.”
The video has clocked more than 7.8 million views, and the siblings got in on the fun. “Bro,” Joe wrote in the comments section, “Scott Kelly was there for me plenty of times. Hired.” Kevin weighed in, “I’m one of Scott Kelly’s references,” and Nick chimed, “Scott Kelly’s work ethic and critical thinking inspired me to write the line ‘red dress.’”
That viral clip has been converted into a real-life situation, thanks to late-night TV.
The brothers were seated guests for Thursday night’s episode of NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, when Kelly was brought on set to answer the question on everyone’s mind. Did he get the job?
The answer isn’t quite so simple.
Kelly, wearing a suit, appropriate for an interview or a one-off interview beamed out to millions of households, admitted, “it’s been an interesting week.”
Kelly, a veteran, didn’t initially have a TikTok account. But he does now, after he was alerted to his insta-fame through buddies and a flood of emails.
“I never actually applied from a job,” he explained. Instead, his qualifications were studied by a local business that goes out of way to hire veteran talent, whose transition from military to civilian life, explains Kelly, can be “very challenging”.
Kelly had a confession to make, which he held until the very end of the segment. “I had never heard of you before this,” he told the brothers. “It’s true. My wife had to tell me. I didn’t have Disney Channel growing up. I didn’t know.” After his interesting week, Kelly is “a huge fanboy now.”
The pop trio stopped by Studio 6B at 30 Rockefeller Center ahead of the release at midnight of A Very Jonas Christmas’ Movie Soundtrack, the companion to their Disney+ film, A Very Jonas Christmas Movie.
The brothers’ 20th anniversary JONAS20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour continues Friday night, Nov. 14 at CTMohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, and they’ll ring in the new year in Florida at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, for a show that will be livestreamed exclusively on Samsung TV Plus.
Watch the Fallon Tonight interview below:
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Just in time for its 25th anniversary, Discogs launches a new mobile app that its creators anticipate will have a downward effect on your bank balance.
Today, Nov. 13, the music discovery and record collecting platform rolls out its updated app, with a range of new features. Among them, users can check their own inventory; organize and add titles to their Wantlist on the go; see what their records are worth with “real, recent data”; use a camera to scan barcodes; see what’s trending; and get instant notifications when a particular record is listed for sale, all from their devices.
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According to reps, the new layout and “Explore” homepage surfaces trending records, top sellers, and Discogs editorial features. “With real-time pricing data, barcode scanning, and instant notifications when a record you want is listed for sale,” reads a statement, “collectors can now track and expand their collections in real time.”
The beta release has had positive results, with over 500,000 users updated to the new iOS version within the first month, and weekly usage lifting 5-10% with the iOS app alone, a presser states.
“This isn’t just an update. It’s an upgrade,” states Kevin Lewandowski, Discogs’ founder and CEO. “The new app puts the power of Discogs in your hands like never before.”
According to figures released earlier this year, Discogs members cataloged over 105.7 million pieces of music in 2024 — an average of 2 million vinyl albums, CDs, tapes, 8-tracks and any other catalogable format you can think of per week.
Since its inception, more than 830 million items have been cataloged, with average collections — which are predominantly vinyl — hovering around 195 items per user, the company said.
Discogs, of course, is an important player in the space of buying and selling physical music collections, formats that are on the rise. The IFPI reports that vinyl has been on an upswing, on a global basis, for 18 consecutive years.
In early 2024, the company told Billboard that it wants to boost its online database to 25 million listings by November 2025, its 25th anniversary.
Discogs’ App is available now in the App Store and Google Play.
