Courtney Barnett Has Taken Out The Australian Music Prize For 2015

Courtney Barnett has scored another monster accolade for her debut album Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Think, scooping up the Australian Music Prize for 2015.

The Melbourne troubadour was shortlisted for the coveted gong back in February, and beat out 9 other contenders as fierce as Tame Impala, Dan Kelly, Dick Diver, Gold Class, Jess Ribeiro, Methyl Ethel, My Disco, Royal Headache and Sarah Blasko for all of their top-notch 2015 albums.

“It’s an honour to be considered amongst such an amazing bunch of Australian artists,” C-Barn said.

Barnett was awarded the $30,000 prize during the AMPed Up in Conversation event in Sydney today, which included a guest talk by punk rock prophet, Henry Rollins.

The folks at AMP announced today’s result via Twitter: “Aaaand the winner is (snare-drum roll) @courtneymelba for Courtney Barnett — Sometimes I Sit and Think…” they posted, followed by a series of enthusiastic emojis.

Barnett joins a prestigious list of former winners of the big Aussie accolade, which is now in its 11th year, including Melbourne MC Remi (Raw X Infinity),  Augie March (Moo, You Bloody Choir – 2006), Eddy Current Suppression Ring (Primary Colours – 2008), The Jezabels (Prisoner – 2011), Hermitude (HyperParadise – 2012) and 2013’s winner Big Scary for Not Art.

And the award marks yet another addition to Barnett’s burgeoning trophy case, after her 2015 LP scored her the J Award for Album Of The Year, Best Album at The Age Music Victoria Awards, a stack of ARIA wins and even a Grammy nomination.

Sometimes Im Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit also claims victory in what head judge, Hoodoo Gurus’ Dave Faulkner, has described as “one of the strongest years we’ve ever had in Australian music,” with the AMP shortlist boosted to 10 albums – instead of the usual nine – for just the second time ever in the award’s history.

Check out all the other albums that C-Barn beat out to claim the sweet cash prize, below.

Watch: Courtney Barnett – Pedestrian At Best

Gallery: 11th Annual Australian Music Prize Shortlist 2016