GENESIS OWUSU + TAME IMPALA LEAD THE 2026 ARIA AWARD NOMINATIONS
Image: Vasili Papathanasopoulos.
The ARIA Awards have unveiled the 2026 nominees.
At the centre of the 2026 nominations are Genesis Owusu and Tame Impala, with eight nominations apiece. Owusu arrives off the back of his third album, REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE, which debuted at No. 1 on the Australian Albums and Vinyl Albums charts and No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Tame Impala, meanwhile, has continued Kevin Parker’s remarkable run with Deadbeat and Dracula, the latter spending 18 weeks in the ARIA Singles Top 10 and peaking at No. 4.
Ecca Vandal is close behind with seven nominations, extending an already mammoth year that has included Coachella, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and major festival appearances. Her genre-blurring mix of punk, hip-hop and alternative music has made her one of the more distinctive voices in the field.
The nominations also underline the sheer range of Australian music right now. Baker Boy, BOY SODA, G Flip, Miss Kaninna and Ninajirachi each pick up five nominations, while DMA’S, Dom Dolla and Troye Sivan receive four. Meanwhile, established names including Kylie Minogue, Paul Kelly, Keith Urban, Vika & Linda and Hilltop Hoods remain firmly in the conversation.
Adding another layer to the anniversary year is the return of Best Alternative Release, absent since 2016. Its nominees span Ecca Vandal, Gang of Youths, Genesis Owusu, Meg Mac and Tame Impala.
Fans will also have a direct say, with public voting open from 24 September to 9 November across Spotify and the ARIA website in four categories: Best Australian Live Act, Song of the Year, Best Video and Most Popular International Artist.
ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said the anniversary was about more than celebrating the industry’s history: “We could not be more thrilled with this list of nominees to celebrate 40 years of Australian music and incredible human artistry. These records and these amazing artists represent the culmination of 40 years of Australian success in making great music that captures our unique voice and takes it global. As we continue to fight against the relentless assault on our copyright laws by foreign AI companies, this year’s ARIA Awards are a powerful moment to recognise the enduring power of music to give meaning to the human experience, connect Australians through our own stories and inspire us to feel truly alive. Congratulations to all the 2026 nominees.”
The 40th anniversary ceremony arrives at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on 18 November, with 29 awards to be handed out. The event follows June’s Hall of Fame celebrations, which inducted Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, The Living End and Vika & Linda.
2026 ARIA AWARDS
Album of the Year
BOY SODA - Soulstar [Warner Music Australia]
DMA’S - DMA’S [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Ecca Vandal - Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Genesis Owusu - REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness / Believe]
Tame Impala – Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Best Solo Artist
Baker Boy - Djandjay [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island Records Australia]
BOY SODA - Soulstar [Warner Music Australia]
Ecca Vandal - Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
G Flip - Dream Ride [AWAL Recordings]
Genesis Owusu - REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness / Believe]
Matt Corby - Tragic Magic [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Miss Kaninna - BLACKPRINT [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Ninajirachi - WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Tame Impala – Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Troye Sivan - She’s The Best [EMI Music Australia]
Best Group
5 Seconds of Summer - Everyone’s A Star! [Republic Records]
DMA’S - DMA’S [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Gang Of Youths - Things Take Time [Mosy Music / Sony Music]
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers - Glory [Community Music]
Vika & Linda - Where Do You Come From? [Mushroom Music]
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist presented by Spotify
aleksiah - Good On Paper [Chugg Music & Stellar Trigger / MGM]
Ecca Vandal - Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Rachael Fahim - Who You Are [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Way Dynamic - Massive Shoe [Spoilsport Records]
WILSN - Bloom [Mushroom Music]
Best Pop Release
Blusher - Rager [Warner Music Australia]
G Flip - Dream Ride [AWAL Recordings]
Kylie Minogue - Tension Tour//Live 2025 [Mushroom Music]
Tame Impala - Dracula [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Troye Sivan - She’s The Best [EMI Music Australia]
Best Dance / Electronic Release
Dean Turnley - Actin’ Tough [CHAOS in collaboration with HOME//GRXWN]
Dom Dolla - Addicted to Bass [TMRW Music]
Ninajirachi, Porter Robinson - WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Tame Impala - Afterthought [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Yes Boone - All I Really Want [TMRW Music]
Best Hip Hop / Rap Release
Baker Boy - Djandjay [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island Records Australia]
DEVAURA - Vol. 2 If You Don’t Laugh, You’ll Cry [Offbeat Collective / Xelon Digital]
Hilltop Hoods - Never Coming Home [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Miss Kaninna - BLACKPRINT [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Nerve - Growing Pains [Nerve MP3’s / Xelon Digital]
Best Soul / R&B Release
Becca Hatch - Garden (Bang Goes the Drum) [G.Y.R.O.]
BOY SODA - Soulstar [Warner Music Australia]
Larissa Lambert - I Love You Out Loud [New Levels / Virgin Music Group]
Miss Kaninna - BACKSTREETS [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Tkay Maidza - Romanticize [Dew Process / Universal Music Australia]
Best Independent Release presented by PPCA
2charm - boyfriend [STAR SCUM RECORDS]
Ecca Vandal - Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Genesis Owusu - REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness / Believe]
Miss Kaninna - BLACKPRINT [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Ninajirachi, Porter Robinson - WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Best Rock Album presented by Tooheys
Courtney Barnett - Creature Of Habit [Fiction / Virgin Music Australia]
DMA’S - DMA’S [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers - Glory [Community Music]
The Belair Lip Bombs - Again [Third Man Records / Rocket]
The Temper Trap - Sungazer [Mushroom Music]
Best Alternative Release
[Ourness/Believe]
Ecca Vandal - Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Gang Of Youths - Things Take Time [Mosy Music / Sony Music]
Genesis Owusu - REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE Meg Mac - It’s My Party [EMI Music Australia]
Tame Impala – Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Matt Corby - Tragic Magic [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Paul Kelly - Seventy [EMI Music Australia]
The Paper Kites - If You Go There, I Hope You Find It [Wonderlick Recording Company]
Vika & Linda - Where Do You Come From? [Mushroom Music]
Way Dynamic - Massive Shoe [Spoilsport Records]
Best Country Album
Keith Urban - Flow State [MCA - NASHVILLE / EMI Music Australia]
Max Jackson - Dangerous in Denim [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Morgan Evans - Steel Town [Solrise Records / Virgin Music Group]
Rachael Fahim - Who You Are [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Wade Forster - Gooseneck Party [Community Music]
Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Album
Cosmic Psychos - I Really Like Beer [G.Y.R.O.]
DZ Deathrays - Easing Out Of Control [DZ Worldwide / The Orchard]
Karnivool - In Verses [Cymatic Records / Sony Music]
These New South Whales - Godspeed [These New South Whales / ADA]
WAAX - Angels Mess [AWAL/DRUNK ON POWER RECORDS]
Best Blues & Roots Album
Any Young Mechanic - The Modern Shoe Is Ruining The Foot [Warner Records]
Emma Donovan - Take Me To The River [Civilians / The Orchard]
John Butler - Prism [Jarrah Records/Metropolitan Groove Merchants]
William Crighton - Colonial Drift [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Xavier Rudd - Freedom Sessions/Where To Now [Salt.X Records / Virgin Music Group]
Best Children’s Album
Bluey - Up Here (The Orchestral Album) [Demon Music Group / Rocket / Orchard]
Don Spencer - Feathers, Fur or Fins 40th Anniversary (Don Spencer & Friends) [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Emma Memma - Jungle Picnic [G.Y.R.O.]
Play School - Dance It Out [ABC Music / The Orchard]
The Wiggles - Sparkle!: A Circus Of Lights [Universal Music Australia]
Best Music Festival presented by Music Australia
Beyond The Valley 2025 - Untitled Group
CMC Rocks - CMC Rocks Pty Ltd
Groovin The Moo Lismore - Fuzzy Operations Pty Ltd
Laneway Festival - ST JEROME’S LANEWAY PTY LTD
Spilt Milk - Kicks Entertainment
PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS
Best Video
Never The Same - BOY SODA, Adam Saunders [Warner Music Australia]
RUNNING LOW ft. Pardyalone - Baker Boy, Aurie Indianna & Jordan Ruyi Blanch [Baker Boy Music Pty
Ltd / Island Records Australia]
BACKSTREETS - Miss Kaninna, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
My Baby’s Place - DMA’S, Cole Surrey [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE - Ecca Vandal, Richie Buxton [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Stampede - Genesis Owusu, Isaac Brown [Ourness / Believe]
One More - James Johnston, Jared Hinz [Warner Music Australia]
Every Single Weekend - The Avalanches, Jonathan Zawada [Modular / EMI Music Australia]
Addicted to Bass - Dom Dolla, Kyle Caulfield & Charles Buxton-Leslie [TMRW Music]
Bed On Fire - G Flip, Tas Wilson [AWAL Recordings]
Best Australian Live Act presented by Destination NSW
Baker Boy - DJANDJAY TOUR [Handsome Tours]
BOY SODA - Lil Obsession Tour [Select Music]
Dom Dolla - Dom Dolla Australian Tour 2025 [Untitled & TEG Live Presents]
G Flip - Dream Ride Tour - Australia 2026
Gang Of Youths - Various
Genesis Owusu - Red Star Wu’s Pirate Radio Tour [Frontier Touring]
Hilltop Hoods - Never Coming Home Tour [TEG Live & Blue Max Music]
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Phantom Island Australian Tour
Ninajirachi - DARK CRYSTAL V [Laneway Presents & TEG Live]
Paul Kelly - Australian Tour 2025 [Frontier Touring]
Song of the Year
FISHER - Blackberries [etcetc Music Pty Ltd]
G Flip - Bed on Fire [AWAL Recordings]
Keli Holiday - Dancing2 [GROUP SPEED]
Lithe - Cannonball [10K / ADA]
Ocean Alley - Love Balloon [Independent / Community Music]
Royel Otis - car [Ourness / Capitol Records]
Sonny Fodera - Think About Us [Solotoko / ADA]
Tame Impala - Dracula [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
The Kid LAROI - A COLD PLAY [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Vance Joy - Divine Feelings [Mushroom Music]
Most Popular International Artist
BTS - ARIRANG [Virgin Music Group / Geffen]
Ed Sheeran - Play [Atlantic Records / Warner Music Australasia]
Harry Styles - Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally [Columbia / Sony Music]
Morgan Wallen - I’m The Problem [Universal Music International / Universal Music Australia]
Noah Kahan - The Great Divide [Universal Music International / Universal Music Australia]
Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving [Universal Music International / Universal Music Australia]
Olivia Rodrigo - you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love [Geffen / Universal Music Australia]
Sabrina Carpenter - Man’s Best Friend [Island Records / Universal Music Australia]
sombr - I Barely Know Her [Warner Records / Warner Music Australasia]
Taylor Swift - The Life of a Showgirl [Republic Records / Universal Music Australia]
ARTISAN AWARDS
Best Cover Art
Aurie Indianna & Sulaiman Enayatzada for Baker Boy - Djandjay [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island
Records Australia]
Connor Dewhurst for Amy Shark - soft pop [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Ecca Vandal, Kathryn Vinella, Sean McDonald for Ecca Vandal - Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma
Vista Recordings / Concord]
Kofi Owusu-Ansah, Isaac Brown, Gina Wagstaffe for Genesis Owusu - REDSTAR WU & THE
WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness / Believe]
Miriam David and Pat Fox for Matt Corby - Tragic Magic [Island Records Australia / Universal Music
Australia]
Engineer - Best Engineered Release
Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla - Don’t Worry Baby [Good Fortune Records]
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala - Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Wave Racer for 2charm - Star Scum City [STAR SCUM RECORDS]
Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan - She’s The Best [EMI Music Australia]
Tony Buchen for DOBBY - MARSHMELLOW [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Producer – Best Produced Release
Dann Hume / Andrew Klippel for Genesis Owusu - REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
[Ourness / Believe]
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala - Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Ninajirachi for 2charm - Star Scum City [STAR SCUM RECORDS]
Ninajirachi / Porter Robinson for Ninajirachi - WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan - She’s The Best [EMI Music Australia]
FINE ARTS AWARDS
Best Classical Album
Jayson Gillham - Chopin Etudes [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
Richard Tognetti - Australian Chamber Orchestra - Beethoven & Brahms Concertos for Violin and
Orchestra [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
Simone Young & Sydney Symphony Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony No. 3 [Deutsche Grammophon
Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Tamara-Anna Cislowska - Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra - Johannes Fritzsch - Elena Kats-Chernin:
Ancient Letters [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
William Barton - Omega Ensemble - Gift - Our Breath of Life [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
Best Jazz Album
Donny Benét - Il Basso [Donnyland Records / The Orchard]
Hilary Geddes - Redleaf [Earshift Music]
Lauren Tsamouras & Tom Avegenicos - For Judy [ABC Jazz / The Orchard]
Ten Part Invention - Time Is moved [ABC Jazz / The Orchard]
The Vampires - Skydancer [Earshift / The Planet Company]
Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album
Ack Kinmonth - The Pout Pout Fish (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Ack Music]
Amanda Brown - Deadloch Season 1 [Amazon Content Services under exclusive licence to Strange Loops
Recordings]
Brian Cachia - Beast (Original Motion Picture Score) [BCMuse Studios / CDBaby]
Caitlin Yeo - Every Little Thing (Official Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Strange Loops]
Francois Tetaz - My Brilliant Career [Netflix]
Best World Music Album
Melbourne Ska Orchestra - Monte Loco Rides Again [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Mo’Ju, Nicholas Buc and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - Double J Live at the Wireless - Hamer Hall,
Melbourne 2023 [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Not Drowning, Waving - Malira [ORiGiN Recordings / ADA]
Tenzin Choegyal & Philip Glass - Be The Sky [Orange Mountain Music]
The Cat Empire - Live At Sydney Opera House [BMG]
OUR SOUNDTRACK OUR ADS
Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement
Fox Sports Australia Finals Footy - Fox Sports Australia, 3%, Fred Leone, Scribe
Paramount+: All Fired Up - AFC Women’s Asian Cup - Hello, G Flip
Tourism WA: Walking On A Dream - Tourism WA, Empire of the Sun, West Australian Symphony
Orchestra & Billy-Jo Shoveller
Toyota: Nice to Know it could.- THE HERO CORPORATION, Amyl and The Sniffers
Uber Eats: The Man LAROI - Special, The Kid LAROI
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