The 2020 ARIA Awards have once again proven the quality and power of homegrown music, with the likes of Tame Impala and Sampa the Great coming out on top as big winners at this year’s award.
Announcing their nominees last month, all eyes of the Australian music industry were on the likes of Lime Cordiale, Tame Impala, and Sampa the Great, who had earned eight, seven, and six nominations, respectively.
Hosted by Delta Goodrem, the audience-free event featured performances from the aforementioned nominees, alongside the likes of Sia and Amy Shark, with the latter taking home the likes of Best Pop Release and Best Australian Live Act.
Similarly, the event also featured performances from ARIA Hall of Fame inductee (and Best Male Artist and Best Adult Contemporary Album winner) Archie Roach, alongside international acts Billie Eilish and Sam Smith, while the recently-departed Helen Reddy was given a tribute by way of a choral performance of “I Am Woman”.
Ultimately, Lime Cordiale ended the night with just one award, winning for Breakthrough Artist by way of their latest album, the chart-topping 14 Steps to A Better You. Meanwhile, Sampa the Great took out three awards, winning Best Female Artist, and Best Independent Release and Best Hip Hop Release for her 2019 debut album, The Return.
However, it was Tame Impala who stole the show, taking home five of their eight nominations, including awards for Engineer and Producer of The Year, Best Group, and Best Rock Album and Album of The Year for February’s The Slow Rush.
“On behalf of the ARIA Board, I would like to congratulate all the winners and nominees from the 2020 ARIA Awards, in partnership with YouTube Music,” said Denis Handlin AO, ARIA Chairman in a statement. “I am thrilled to see such a diverse array of talented artists be recognised tonight, together with an audience of passionate music fans that joined us to celebrate from all over Australia and the world.
“2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, and this year’s special show could not have happened without the valued contribution of our partners. Thank you to everyone for supporting the ARIA Awards and Australian music.”
“It is an incredible honour to celebrate Australian music at this year’s ARIA Awards,” echoed ARIA Chief Executive Dan Rosen. “2020 has been a challenging year for the Australian music industry, but it’s clear that the quality of the music has not suffered.
“I’m especially pleased to see the winners come from all parts of our music community, and that we could celebrate with audiences from all around the world.”
2020 ARIA Award Winners
Album Of The Year
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
DMA’s – THE GLOW (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Jessica Mauboy – Hilda (Sony Music)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Sampa The Great – The Return (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Best Male Artist
WINNER: ARCHIE ROACH
Archie Roach – Tell Me Why (Bloodlines / Mushroom)
Guy Sebastian – Standing With You (Sony Music)
Ruel – Free Time (RCA / Sony Music)
The Kid LAROI – F*ck Love (Columbia / Sony Music)
Troye Sivan – In A Dream (EMI Music Australia)
Best Female Artist
WINNER: SAMPA THE GREAT
Amy Shark – Everybody Rise (Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music)
Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
Sampa The Great – The Return (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
Sia – Together (Monkey Puzzle, Inc., under exclusive license to Atlantic Recording Corporation for the United States and WEA International for the world outside of the United States)
Tones And I – Bad Child / Can’t Be Happy All the Time (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Best Dance Release
WINNER: DOM DOLLA
Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep (Dew Process / Universal Music Australia)
Dom Dolla – San Frandisco (Sweat It Out / Warner Music)
Flume – Rushing Back feat. Vera Blue (Future Classic)
Northeast Party House – Shelf Life (Stop Start Music / Sony Music)
Stace Cadet & KLP Energy – (Medium Rare Recordings / Sony Music)
Best Group
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
5 Seconds Of Summer – CALM (Interscope / EMI Music Australia)
DMA’s – THE GLOW (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
The Teskey Brothers – Live At The Forum (Ivy League Records / Mushroom)
Breakthrough Artist presented by PPCA
WINNER: LIME CORDIALE
Alex the Astronaut – The Theory of Absolutely Nothing (Minkowski / AWAL Recordings)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Mallrat – Driving Music (Dew Process / Universal Music Australia)
Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
The Kid LAROI – F*ck Love (Columbia / Sony Music)
Best Pop Release
WINNER: AMY SHARK
Amy Shark – Everybody Rise (Wonderlick Recording Company/Sony Music)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Sia – Together (Monkey Puzzle, Inc., under exclusive license to Atlantic Recording Corporation for the United States and WEA International for the world outside of the United States)
Tame Impala – Lost In Yesterday (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Troye Sivan – In A Dream (EMI Music Australia)
Best Hip Hop Release presented by Hennessy
WINNER: SAMPA THE GREAT
Baker Boy – Meditjin feat. JessB (Danzal Baker/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Briggs – Always Was EP (Adam Briggs / Island Records Australia)
Illy – Last Laugh (Sony Music)
Sampa The Great – The Return (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
The Kid LAROI – F*ck Love (Columbia / Sony Music)
Best Soul/R&B Release
WINNER: MIIESHA
Genesis Owusu – Don’t Need You (OURNESS / AWAL)
KIAN – Every Hour (EMI Music Australia)
Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
Tash Sultana – Pretty Lady (Lonely Lands Records / Sony Music)
Tkay Maidza – Last Year Was Weird, Vol.2 (Dew Process / Universal Music Australia)
Best Independent Release
WINNER: SAMPA THE GREAT
Archie Roach – Tell Me Why (Bloodlines / Mushroom)
DMA’s – THE GLOW (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen (Ghosteen / AWAL Recordings)
Sampa The Great – The Return (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
Best Rock Album
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
Cold Chisel – Blood Moon (Cold Chisel / Universal Music Australia)
DMA’s – THE GLOW (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Ocean Alley – Lonely Diamond (Independent / Unified Music Group)
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Violent Soho – Everything Is A-OK (I OH YOU/ Mushroom)
Best Adult Contemporary Album
WINNER: ARCHIE ROACH
Archie Roach – Tell Me Why (Bloodlines / Mushroom)
Donny Benét – Mr Experience (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
Gordi – Our Two Skins (Liberation Records)
Josh Pyke – Rome (Wonderlick Recording Company)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen (Ghosteen / AWAL Recordings)
Best Country Album
WINNER: FANNY LUMSDEN
Casey Barnes – Town of A Million Dreams (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Fanny Lumsden – Fallow (Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Jasmine Rae – Lion Side (ABC Music / Universal)
The McClymonts – Mayhem To Madness (Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Travis Collins – Wreck Me (ABC Music / Universal)
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
WINNER: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Chunky Shrapnel (Flightless Records)
Parkway Drive – Viva The Underdogs (Resist / Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Polaris – The Death Of Me (Resist / Cooking Vinyl Australia)
The Amity Affliction – Everyone Loves You…Once You Leave Them (The Amity Affliction. Marketed & Distributed by Warner Music Australia under exclusive license)
The Chats – High Risk Behaviour (Bargain Bin / Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Best Blues & Roots Album
WINNER: THE TESKEY BROTHERS
Busby Marou – The Great Divide (Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
Frank Yamma – Tjukurpa: The Story (Wantok Musik/MGM)
Lucky Oceans – Purple Sky (Songs Originally By Hank Williams) (ABC Music / Universal)
The Teskey Brothers – Live At The Forum (Ivy League Records / Mushroom)
Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife – You Be The Lightning (Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Best Children’s Album
WINNER: TEENY TINY STEVIES
Diver City – Welcome to Diver City (ABC Music / Universal)
Teeny Tiny Stevies – Thoughtful Songs for Little People (ABC Music / Universal)
The Vegetable Plot – Season Two (ABC Music / Universal)
The Wiggles – Choo Choo Trains, Propeller Planes & Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car! (ABC Music / Universal)
Tiptoe Giants – Colour the World (Tiptoe Tunes / ABC Music)
Best Comedy Release
WINNER: ANNE EDMONDS
Anne Edmonds – What’s Wrong With You? (Guesswork Television)
Bev Killick – Crummy Mummy (Rivershack Records / MGM)
Celia Pacquola – All Talk (Guesswork Television)
Crossbread feat. Chris Ryan and Megan Washington – Just Jesus (ABC Music / Universal)
Tom Gleeson – Joy (Guesswork Television)
Public Voted Awards
Best Video presented by YouTube Music
WINNER: GUY SEBASTIAN
Baker Boy – Meditjin feat. JessB (Danzal Baker/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Guy Sebastian – Standing With You (Sony Music)
Lime Cordiale – Robbery (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
PNAU feat. Vlossom – Lucky (etcetc Music)
Sampa The Great – Time’s Up (feat. Krown) (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
Tame Impala – Is It True (Modular Recordings/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
The Chats – The Clap (Bargain Bin/Cooking Vinyl Australia)
Tones And I – Ur So F**kInG cOoL (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Troye Sivan – Easy (EMI Music Australia)
Violent Soho – Pick It Up Again (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Best Australian Live Act
WINNER: AMY SHARK
Amy Shark – Amy Shark Regional Tour (Wonderlick Recording Company/Sony Music)
Baker Boy – Falls Festival (Danzal Baker/Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Cold Chisel – Blood Moon Tour (Cold Chisel / Universal Music Australia)
DMA’S – Unplugged & Intimate | Laneway Festival (I OH YOU / Mushroom))
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – St Jerome’s Laneway Festival (Flightless Records)
Paul Kelly – Paul Kelly – Making Gravy 2019 (GAWD AGGIE / EMI Music Australia)
PNAU – All Of Us Australian Tour (etcetc Music)
RÜFÜS DU SOL – 2019 Summer Festival Tour (Rose Avenue Records under exclusive license to Reprise Records.)
Sampa The Great -The Return Australian Tour 2019 (Ninja Tune / Inertia Music)
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow (Ivy League Records / Mushroom)
Song of the Year presented by YouTube Music
WINNER: 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER
5 Seconds Of Summer – Teeth (Interscope / EMI Music Australia)
Flume Feat. Vera Blue – Rushing Back (Future Classic)
Hilltop Hoods Feat. Illy & Ecca Vandal – Exit Sign (Hilltop Hoods / Island Records Australia/UMA)
Lime Cordiale – Robbery (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Mallrat – Charlie (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia
Ruel – Painkiller (RCA / Sony Music)
Sam Fischer – This City (Sony Music)
The Jungle Giants – Heavy Hearted (Amplifire Music / Together We Can Work Together / The Orchard)
The Rubens – Live In Life (Ivy League Records)
Tones and I – Never Seen the Rain (Bad Batch Records / Sony Music)
Best International Artist
WINNER: HARRY STYLES
Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia (Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
Eminem – Music To Be Murdered By (Interscope/Universal Music Australia)
Halsey – Manic (Capitol/EMI Music Australia)
Harry Styles – Fine Line (Columbia/Sony Music)
Juice WRLD – Legends Never Die (Interscope/Universal Music Australia)
Justin Bieber – Changes (Def Jam Recordings/Universal Music Australia)
Lewis Capaldi – Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent (Universal Music Group/Universal Music Australia)
Lizzo – Cuz I Love You (Atlantic/Warner Music Australia Pty Ltd)
Taylor Swift – Folklore (Republic Records/Universal Music Australia)
The Weeknd – After Hours (Universal Music Group/Universal Music Australia)
Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award
WINNER: SARAH DONNELLEY – WILCANNIA CENTRAL SCHOOL, WILCANNIA NSW
CJ Shaw – Palmerston District Primary School, Canberra ACT
Kathryn McLennan – Virginia State School, Virginia QLD
Sarah Donnelley – Wilcannia Central School, Wilcannia NSW
Thomas Fienberg – Evans High School, Blacktown, NSW
Artisan Awards
Best Cover Art
WINNER: ADAM DAL POZZO, MEGAN WASHINGTON AND MICHELLE PITIRIS FOR WASHINGTON
Tim Rogers for Donny Benét – Mr Experience (Dot Dash Recordings / Remote Control Records)
Made In Katana for Jessica Mauboy – Hilda (Sony Music)
Louis Leimbach for Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You (Chugg Music Pty Ltd)
Luke Henery for Violent Soho – Everything Is A-OK (I OH YOU)
Adam Dal Pozzo, Megan Washington and Michelle Pitiris for WASHINGTON – Batflowers (Washington / Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Engineer Of The Year
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep (Dew Process / Universal Music Australia)
IAMMXO (aka Mohamed Komba) for Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
Eric J Dubowsky for Ruel – Free Time (RCA / Sony Music)
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings / Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Greg Wales for Violent Soho – Everything Is A-OK (I OH YOU / Mushroom)
Producer Of The Year
WINNER: TAME IMPALA
Kevin Shirley for Cold Chisel – Blood Moon (Cold Chisel / Universal Music Australia)
DNA & Louis Schoorl for Jessica Mauboy – Hilda (Sony Music)
IAMMXO (aka Mohamed Komba) for Miiesha – Nyaaringu (EMI Music Australia)
M-Phazes for Ruel – Free Time (RCA / Sony Music)
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – The Slow Rush (Modular Recordings / Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Fine Arts Award
Best Classical Album
WINNER: RICHARD TOGNETTI & ERIN HELYARD
Alicia Crossley – Muse (Move)
David Greco & Erin Helyard – Schubert: Die schöne Müllerin (ABC Classic / Universal)
Jayson Gillham, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Nicholas Carter – Beethoven Piano Concertos (ABC Classic / Universal)
Richard Tognetti & Erin Helyard – Beethoven & Mozart Violin Sonatas (ABC Classic / Universal)
Slava & Sharon Grigoryan -Our Place: Duets For Cello And Guitar (ABC Classic / Universal)
Best Jazz Album
WINNER: PAUL KELLY & PAUL GRABOWSKY
Katie Noonan – The Sweetest Taboo (ABC Jazz / Universal)
Luke Howard – All That Is Not Solid (Live At Tempo Rubato, Australia / 2020) (Mercury KX / Universal Music Australia)
Mike Nock; Hamish Stuart; Julien Wilson; Jonathan Zwartz – This World (Lionsharecords / The Planet Company)
Nat Bartsch – Forever More (ABC Jazz / Universal)
Paul Kelly & Paul Grabowsky – Please Leave Your Light On (GAWD AGGIE / EMI Music Australia)
Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album
WINNER: CHELSEA CULLEN
Chelsea Cullen – I Am Woman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Sony Masterworks)
Dan Golding – Untitled Goose Game (Original Soundtrack) (House House / Decca Classics Australia / Universal Music Australia)
Grigoryan Brothers – A Boy Called Sailboat (ABC Classic / Universal)
Matteo Zingales & Antony Partos – Mystery Road (Original Score: Seasons 1-2) (ABC Music / Universal)
Sally Seltmann & Darren Seltmann – The Letdown (Music from Seasons 1+2) (ABC Music / Universal)
Best World Music Album
WINNER: JOSEPH TAWADROS
Grace Barbe – FANM:WOMAN (Afrotropik / MGM)
Joseph Tawadros – Live at the Sydney Opera House (ABC Music / Universal)
Melbourne Ska Orchestra – Live At The Triffid (ABC Music / Universal)
The Crooked Fiddle Band – Another Subtle Atom Bomb (Bird’s Robe Records / MGM)
Xylouris White – The Sisypheans (ABC Music / Universal)
