Australian artists and producers have paid tribute to INXS ahead of the iconic band receiving a major honour at the 2026 APRA Awards later this month.
The globally influential band will receive the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music at the annual ceremony, taking place at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday, April 29th. One of Australia’s highest music industry honours, the award is presented annually to individuals or groups making a lasting impact on the local music scene.
Recognising lifetime contributions, decided by APRA’s Board Directors, previous recipients have included Kylie Minogue, The Wiggles, AC/DC, Slim Dustry, Paul Kelly, Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, and more.
To celebrate, artists including Jimmy Barnes, Adam Hyde (Keli Holiday), Something for Kate’s Paul Dempsey, Vanessa Amorosi, Kate Ceberano, Eskimo Joe’s Kav Temperley, and producer Konstantin Kersting spoke exclusively to Rolling Stone AU/NZ about the honour and INXS’ importance to Australian music.
Jimmy Barnes:
“I’d just like to congratulate INXS on receiving the Ted Albert Award for a fantastic service to Australian music. You guys, you absolutely took it to the world, you rocked it, you deserve this award so much.
“Groundbreaking band, some of the best live shows I’ve ever seen with you guys, so congratulations guys. My only regret about you getting this award is that Michael’s not there with you to receive it, so my love goes to all of you and especially up to you Michael. All the best.”
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Paul Dempsey (Something for Kate):
“I have been an INXS fan for literally as long as I can remember. My older sisters used to go and see them play all the time, their music was always playing in our house. I remember running out and buying Kick on cassette when it was released with my own pocket money. It was one of the first albums I ever bought and I thrashed the hell out of it. The list of incredible songs is incredible and those songs are just as incredible now as they were then.
“The rhythm, the groove, the melodies, the charisma, the saxophone, the voice, they just, they got it all. And even though Garry Gary Beers said to me once that he thought of them as a funk band, they could do it all. They just crossed so many genres and styles and just did it so well. So, love them, truly one of the greats.”
Vanessa Amorosi:
“INXS is just legendary. Those songs are the songs that you wish you were a part of, or were in the room when they were being put together. I mean, there’s so much magic in the records, and the versatility of the hits are insane.
“You’ve got these emotional ballads with lyrics that rip your heart out, and then you’ve got party songs that you just want to rock out with. The fact that there’s saxophone and a whole bunch of instrumentation that is just so uniquely INXS is brilliant, and they shape the lives to a lot of songwriters and musicians, even their performances, like magic.
“They’re magic, and they’re Australian, and they’re the bomb. So congratulations, INXS.”
Kate Ceberano:
“My memories of INXS are my most formulative memories because when I first met them I was just a teenager and I was in love with each and every one of them for different reasons I think and they sort of brought music into my body on a cellular level. You just kind of dreamt of like losing your brain and making out and kissing and growing up and doing all these things.
“So I don’t know, I feel like that they were the true soundtrack to my feelings as a teenager and as a young woman. They’ve done such a service for our community, just well for lovers all over the world and have represented Australia in a way that was very poetic and very powerful and still resounds with all of us today. I actually think the new generation are just kicking in again, yet again to the beauty of INXS.”
Kav Temperley (Eskimo Joe):
“INXS meant a lot to us in Eskimo Joe. When we sat down to write Black Fingernails, Red Wine, we wanted to write something that was widescreen and tipped its hat to some of the great Australian bands that came before us. And for us, that was always INXS.
“They taught us how to be rock stars in a country that likes to chop down its tall poppies. And we even recorded that album at the studio built by Garry Gary Beers. INXS’ music always sounded like it was coming from the future, but when you stripped it all back, it was just incredible songwriting with a front man who effortlessly put Australia on the world stage. We would like to say thank you, INXS, for walking so the rest of us could run.”
Adam Hyde (Keli Holiday):
“My girlfriend’s a huge fan of INXS and I just kept hearing a lot of the records and I was like ‘Oh’. Then I found myself just going to INXS more and more, and the more I listen to them, the more I love them. The feel of it, the sonic, the identity of it all, is just so cool and locked in.
“I think if every band could even take a skerrick of that they’d be superstars, you know, so thank you for your service INXS. You’ll forever be in our hearts. Australia thanks you as does the world.
“Before I left a session, because that was the last day before I flew back, [Konstantin] put his arm on me and he’s like, ‘You got to dive into this one. You got to go full Hutch’ is what he said, referencing Michael Hutchence. Rest in peace. And I immediately understood what he meant. But the more I thought about it, I really got what he meant. And you know, I can’t thank him enough for saying that, because now I’ve actually found my voice that’s natural to me and unique to me.”
Konstantin Kersting:
“I think they’re an influence on everyone that knows Australian music and is a fan of Australian music. I mean they were so iconic and they’ve got so many amazing songs and and really did their own thing, you know. Definitely an inspiration for sure.”
